SACRED LESSONS -A P R I L 2 0 1 1

8/7/2019 SACRED LESSONS -A P R I L 2 0 1 1

1/20

(DONATIONS ARE GRATEFULLY RECEIVED) 4 t h Sunday of Great Lent Sunday of S t John Kl imakos 3 March 2011 1.

Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All AfricaGreek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All AfricaGreek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All AfricaGreek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa

Archdiocese of Good HopeArchdiocese of Good HopeArchdiocese of Good HopeArchdiocese of Good HopeAl lGlory ,Honourand Worsh iptotheFather ,andtotheSon ,andto theHolySpi r i t ,nowandforever,andun totheAgesofages.Amen.RememberingalsoourMostHoly,MostPure,MostBlessedandGlorious Lady,Maria,Theotokos,yet EverVirgin,together withal l theSain ts. Andle tus commi tourselvesandoneanotherandourwholeLifetoChristourGod.Amen.

3 April 20113 April 20113 April 20113 April 2011

4444t ht ht ht h Sunday of Great Lent Tone 4Sunday of Great Lent Tone 4Sunday of Great Lent Tone 4Sunday of Great Lent Tone 4

Sunday of St John KlimakosSunday of St John KlimakosSunday of St John KlimakosSunday of St John Klimakos(o f the Ladder of Divine Ascent ) (o f the Ladder of Divine Ascent ) (o f the Ladder of Divine Ascent ) (o f the Ladder of Divine Ascent )

Also the Feast of St Nicetas, the Confessor & Abbot of Medikion Monastery StJoseph the Hymnographer - St Theodosia, Virginmartyr of Tyre St Irene StIllyrikos of Mount Myrsinon, Peloponnesos St Elpidephoros, St Dios, StBithonios & St Galykos, Holy Martyrs the Holy Icon of our Ever Blessed Ladythe Holy Icon of our Ever Blessed Ladythe Holy Icon of our Ever Blessed Ladythe Holy Icon of our Ever Blessed LadyTheotokos of the Unfading BloomTheotokos of the Unfading BloomTheotokos of the Unfading BloomTheotokos of the Unfading Bloom

R e s u r r e c t i o n A p o l y t i k i o n ---- TONE 4

To fedron tis Anastaseos Kirigma ek tou AngelouMathouse e tou Kyriou Mathitrie ke tin Progonikin

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

When the Women Disciples of the Lord had learnt fromthe Angels the Glad Tidings of the Resurrection, and

had 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!

Ap o ly t ik ia o f S t J oh n Kl ima k os

Tes ton dakrion sou roes, tis erimou to agononegeorgisas, ke tis ek vathou stenagmis, is ekatontous ponous ekarpoforisas. Ke gegonas fostir, tiikoumeni lampon tis thavmasin, Ioanni patir imonOsie. Presveve Hristo to Theo, sothine tas psihasimon.

Thy Martyr, O Lord, was worthily awarded by Thee theCrown of Incorruption, in that he contested fro Thee,our Immortal God. Since he possessed Thy Power,he defeated the tyrants, dashing the demonspowerless displays of defiance. O Christ God, at hisfervent entreaties, save our souls.

Kon ta k ion to th e B le sse d T h e o tok os

Ti Ipermaho Stratigo ta nikitiriaOs litrothisa ton dinon evharistiriaAnagrafo Si i Polis Sou Theotoke

All os ehousa to kratos aprosmahitonEk pantion me kindinon eleftheroson

Ina krazo Si, Here Nimfi Animfevte!

Unto Thee,O Theotokos Invincible Champion,

Thy City in thanksgiving

Ascribes the Victory for the deliverance from sufferings.But having Thy Might unassailable,

Free me from all dangersSo that I may cry out to Thee:

Hail! O Bride Ever Virgin!

Resurrect ion Gospe l 1Resurrect ion Gospe l 1Resurrect ion Gospe l 1Resurrect ion Gospe l 1 Mat thew 28 : 16 Mat thew 28 : 16Mat thew 28 : 16Mat thew 28 : 16 20202020 The Great Commission of our Lord Jesus ChristProkeimenonProkeimenonProkeimenonProkeimenon

The Lord will grant Strength to His People.

Offer to the Lord, O Sons of God, Offer to the Lord Sacrifice and Praise!

The Epis t le o f St PaulThe Epis t le o f St PaulThe Epis t le o f St PaulThe Epis t le o f St Paul to the Hebr ews 6 : 13to the Hebrews 6 : 13 to the Hebrews 6 : 13to the Hebrews 6 : 13 20202020T h e L ord ou r God C on f i rms H is D iv in e P romise b y a S a cre d Oa th

Brethren: when God made a Promise to Abraham, because He could Swear by no one greater, He Swore by Himself,saying: Surely Blessing I will Bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.

And so after Abraham had patiently endured, he obtained the Promise, for mankind indeed swears by the greater, and anOath for Confirmation is for them an end of all dispute.

Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the Heir of Promise the immutability of His Counsel, Confirmed It byan Oath, so that by two immutable Things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong Consolation,who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the Hope set before us.

This Hope we have as an Anchor of the soul both sure and steadfast and which enter the Presence behind the Veil,where the Forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the Order of

Melchizedek.

The Promise that God made to St Abraham concerneda son who would be born to him and his equallyelderly and barren wife, St Sarah an heir throughwhom God would greatly multiply his family.

The two immutable Things refer to Gods DivinePromise and Gods Divine Oath.

Behind the Veil is a reference to the Heavenly Altar,which is served by our Lord and Saviour, JesusChrist Who is our one and only Most High Priest ofthe Eternal Holy Priesthood according to the Orderof Melchizedek an ancient King and Priest of theOld Covenant whose Holy Priesthood was equallyEternal.

The Holy Gospe l Accordin g to St Mark 9 : 17The Holy Gospe l Accordin g to St Mark 9 : 17The Holy Gospe l Accordin g to St Mark 9 : 17The Holy Gospe l According to St Mark 9 : 17 31313131O Fa i th le ss Ge n e ra t ion !At that time, one of the crowd said to our Lord Jesus Christ: Teacher, I brought Thee my son who has a mute spirit.

And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So Ispoke to Thy Disciples, that they could cast it out, but they could not.


2/202. (DONATIONS ARE GRATEFULLY RECEIVED) 4 t h Sunday of Great Lent Sunday of S t John Kl imakos 3 March 2011

He answered him and said: O faithless generation! How long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear withyou? Bring him to Me.

And they brought him to Him. And when he saw Jesus, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the groundand wallowed, foaming at the mouth. And He asked his father: How long has this been happening to him?And he said: From childhood. And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him.But if Thou can do anything, have Compassion on us and help us.

Jesus said to him: If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes. And immediately the fatherof the child cried out with tears: Lord, I believe! Help my unbelief!

When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirits, saying to it: Deaf and dumb

spirit: I command you, come out of him, and enter him no more! And the spirit cried out, convulsed himgreatly, and went out of him. And he became as though dead, so that many said: He is dead!

And Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.And when He had gone into the house, His Disciples asked Him privately: Why could we not cast it out? And He said to

them: This kind can come out by nothing but Prayer and Fasting.Then they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it. For He taught His

Disciples: The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men who will kill Him. And after He is

dead, He will rise the Third Day.But they did not understand His Words, and were afraid to question Him.

In ancient times, mental and physical illness was oftenregarded as being connected to demonic activity,which in Truth it often can be.

According to St Matthews account of this incident, thedesperate father of the epileptic boy had knelt downbefore our Lord Jesus Christ, which revealed hisHumility before such a powerful Teacher and HolyPerson, even though he lacked person Faith in God.

Although His Disciples also were lacking in theirabsolute Faith in God, our Lord Jesus Christ rebukednot only them and all those who witnessed theincident, but also the father of the young boy, whichprevent the healing of his beloved son andalthough He defended the abilities of His Disciplesand Apostles before the gathered multitude, He laterrebuked them in private for their weak Faith andtrust in the Divine Mercy and Power of Almighty God.

Christ thereby teaches us that when we correct others,we must not do so in order to humiliate orembarrass them, especially before witnesses whomay not understand ones concern or lovingmotivation for correcting those who are stumbling orwho have already fallen.

Everything we do to encourage, assist, guide or teach

others must always without fail be done withAgape unconditional Love and must be acceptedby the one being corrected with the sameunderstanding and appreciation of such well-intentioned Agape.

Furthermore, whenever we are corrected by our fellowDisciples of Christ, we must ensure that we applysuch corrections to our behaviour or practises.Otherwise none of us would make any SpiritualProgress at all!

This is all part of our Spiritual Journey learning toaccept good advice from others with all due Humilityand Obedience. To do otherwise is to show a lack ofthese two important Virtues and can mean that wehave fallen into the opposite vices of pride,arrogance and disobedience to God.

The Discipline of our Holy Church is based on ourmutual correction in three expanding stages.

Sin and correction are to remain private unless theoffender stubbornly refuses to Repent and rejectscorrection.

All correction of our errors is only possible when donewith great care and Humility, with the highestconcern being the Salvation of the offender.

Correction of our errors must always be done in orderthat our sins do not spread to others as well.

1 Corinthians 5 : 5 ... deliver such a one to Satan forthe destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may beSaved in the Day of the Lord Jesus.

This means that in the Holy Church of Christ we areProtected from the destructive power of Satan butthis Holy Protection will be removed from us throughExcommunication in the hope that as soon as weexperience the difference between Gods Divine andMerciful Rule over us and the destructive, wicked anddevastating enslavement of Satan we will quicklyRepent our sins of Spiritual Disobedience and

Rebellion against God and return to the Sacred Foldof Christ our Saviour.

The flesh (sarx) is not synonymous with our body(soma) St Paul was calling for the destruction ofthe lusts of the flesh rather than the destruction ofour body.

Galatians 6 : 1 Brethren: if (anyone) is overtaken in anytrespass, you who are Spiritual restore such a

(person) in a spirit of Gentleness, consideringyourself lest you also be tempted.

To be able to administer correction with the BlessedVirtue of Gentleness is a Spiritual Gift from God.

St John Chrysostom taught us that this Rebuke of Christwas actually directed at the nine Disciples who couldnot cast out the demon that caused the young boysepileptic fits, whereas the Pillars of Faith, St Peter,St James and St John, were not included in theRebuke, since they had been on Mount Tabor withour Lord Jesus Christ, where they had witnessed HisGlorious Transfiguration.

This kind... of evil spirit demonic possession thatcauses not only Spiritual Illness but also physicalmanifestations of the great Spiritual Struggle thatoccurs during demonic attacks is a reference to all

(limited) powers of darkness of evil and not simplyto those that can cause a particular type of physicalillness.

The banishment of demons requires STRONG,UNSHAKABLE FAITH, SINCERE AND HUMBLE PRAYER

AND BOTH SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL FASTING, for

there is NO HEALING AND NO VICTORY IN SPIRITUAL

WARFARE WITHOUT ALL THREE!

Beginning with the Didache the earliest writings of theHoly Apostles our Holy Church Fathers have taughtus that both the person who is in need of healingand the person who performs the healing, must haveunwavering Faith in Almighty God, must constantlyPray for Divine Assistance and Grace and Fastproperly.

Our Lord Jesus Christ revealed His approaching Death

and Resurrection for a second time to show that Hefulfilled His Passion freely and not according to thedictates of those seeking His destruction.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, in absolute Obedience to theDivine Will of our Heavenly Father, accepted Hisultimate Blood Sacrifice willingly and freely out ofGods infinite Love of mankind for it was the finaland greatest of all Blood Sacrifices for mankindsSalvation the greatest Blood Sacrifice thatRedeemed all mankind so that never again would wehave to offer temporary blood sacrifices for theatonement of our continuous sins.

Now according to our New Covenant with God aBloodless Covenant we constantly make ourOfferings of Thanksgiving, Praise and Worship in theDivine Liturgy Service of Holy Eucharist

continuously Repenting our sins and joyfullyaccepting the ongoing Forgiveness of Christ ourSaviour, which grants us Eternal Life in His DivineKingdom of Love, Peace and Joy.

BECAUSE WE CONTINUE TO COMMIT SIN, WE MUST

CONTINUE TO REPENT AND BESEECH GODS DIVINE


3/20

(DONATIONS ARE GRATEFULLY RECEIVED) 4 t h Sunday of Great Lent Sunday of S t John Kl imakos 3 March 2011 3.

FORGIVENESS SO THAT WHEN OUR TIME COMES TO

LEAVE THIS PREPARATORY PERIOD OF TEMPORARY

LIFE, WE SHALL BE IN A STATE OF SPIRITUAL LIFE astate of True Repentance rather than in a state ofSpiritual Death and Alienation from God a state ofunrepentance, disobedience and sin!

Just like so many of us today, the Disciples did not fullyunderstand the full Truth and significance of Christsclear words yet they did not use the opportunity tofind out what everything would mean to them.

Similarly, many of us today, could not bother to seek

Divine Truth and Understanding, which is granted tous once we honestly begin our Spiritual Journey.

The more we seek Divine Truth with a Spiritual Yearningfor a close Relationship with Almighty God, the moreHe grants us His Knowledge and Understanding!

However, because God never forces anything on us having granted us free will to choose for ourselveswhich Spiritual Path we take towards Eternity it isup to us to make every effort to learn His Divine andAbsolute Truth concerning everything to do with thePurpose of this temporary life and Eternity the Ageto come which is never ending and a very consciousstate more consciously aware than at present!!

Fourth Sunday of Great Lent Four th Sunday o f Grea t Lent Fourth Sunday of Great Lent Fourth Sunday of Great Lent S t John Kl imakos St John KlimakosSt John KlimakosSt John Klimakos of the Ladderof the Ladderof the Ladderof the Ladder ( (((o f Divine Ascent o f Divine Ascent o f Divine Ascent o f Divine Ascent ) )))My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, today is the

Fourth Sunday of the Great and Holy Fast.This Sunday of Lent is dedicated to St John Klimakos or

St John of the Ladder.St John was a Monk of St Catherines Monastery on

Mount Sinai.As a Monk of Sinai, he lived a Spiritual Life and he

captured his profound Spiritual Experience in a bookentitled: The Ladder of Divine Ascent.

In this book, he describes the Spiritual Life and how togrow closer to Almighty God through 30 steps orrungs of a Spiritual Ladder.

Through each of these 30 steps, a soul is transfiguredinto Continual Communion with God.The Spiritual Growth that is achieved by the application

of each Spiritual Step is, however, only achievedthrough Gods Mercy, constant Prayer and correctFasting.

In todays Sacred Lesson, we learn of Christ our GodsMercy and Healing and their relationship to Prayerand Fasting.

In this Holy Gospel Lesson, we hear how a desperateand loving father presented his epileptic son to ourLord Jesus Christ for Healing from demonicpossession.

The first thing that confronts us is the very real existenceof evil spirits, fallen angels or demons.

We would all like to deny their existence.

We would prefer to dismiss their actions as simplyphysical or mental illness.

Mental illness certainly does exist, but it is different fromthe Spiritual Illness that is described in this particularGospel incident.

The possession of the soul by demons is a sickness ofthe soul, which separates and alienates the afflictedperson from God and from other people.

The intention of the demons is to convince us that theydo not exist or that they have the same power asGod.

The prince of the demons is Lucifer or Satan himself. Heis the prince and the inventor of lies and everythingevil and foreign to the Goodness and Love of God.

If we believe the lie that there is no such thing as evil ordemons, then it becomes easier for us to think that

we do not need God!The other lie that the devil wants us to believe is that he

is an evil god who is equal to Almighty God.All too often we hear of good and evil being equal, which

is the deceptive and dangerous belief of the yingand the yang.

When we accept these lies, we deny the Divine andinfinite Power of God and we separate ourselvesfrom Him and our fellow mankind.

Through this tragic and dangerous separation from Godand others, our soul becomes sick and in the mostsevere cases, such affected people begin to behavevery differently, which is sometimes mistaken as aform of mental illness.

And that is what we hear of in todays Sacred Lesson.The father wanted to believe that his sons Spiritual

Illness was something other than demon possession.In a way, the father preferred to believe that his sons

trouble was a mere ailment visited upon him by God a type of Divine Punishment.

Nevertheless, that type of belief is actually a completedenial of the Love and Providence of our MostMerciful Lord God.

How could anyone who truly Loves God and knows Hisboundless Divine Love for us human beings possiblyattribute such destructive evil to Him?!

This is a terrible denial of our Loving and Life-givingGod!

All the evil inventions, deceptions and lies of Satan andhis fallen angels or demons have been self- inflictedthrough the misuse of our own free will.

Everything that God has created is good and beneficial

for us and this is confirmed in the Holy Book ofGenesis - when God created our world for us Heapproved of its beauty and goodness: ... and God

saw that it was good.(GENESIS 1:10-31)Consequently, our Lord Jesus Christ rebuked not only

the father of the young boy and the gathered crowd,but later, in private, also His Disciples.

We must never forget that everything God has createdfor our benefit and our survival during this life isgood and natural, and anything that is not good, thatis wicked, deceptive, harmful or destructive hasnothing to do with God but with the evil one and ourown co-operation with him and his demons.

As St James the Apostle explained: ... in many thingswe offend all. If any man offend not in word,

the same is a perfect man, and able also to

bridle the whole body. Behold, we put bits inthe horses' mouths, that they may obey us;and we turn about their whole body.(JAMES 3:2-3)

Thus, although any kind of reprimand may seemoffensive to us it is an essential means of returningus to the correct Path of Life and if we receive such ajustifiable reprimand from anyone, we should withall Humility and Obedience accept it with gratitudeand apply it seriously to ourselves.

St Nikolaj Velimirovic said: There is nothing that

melts the ice of unbelief as readily as tears.

These tears occur when we can no longer endure thepain of not trusting in God.

We often hear this in the cry: O God help me! when weat the point of despair.

It is at this point of despair that God can enter into our

lives. This is when God can help us to have beliefand Faith in Him.

St Nikolaj Velimirovic further commented: man

cannot even come to Faith without Gods Help.Man can only come to some slight belief Butthe path from some measure of belief to TrueFaith is long indeed, and no man can followthis Path without Gods guiding Hand.

When the young boy was healed, our Lord forbade thedemon from entering him again.

This is a clear indication that our sinful behaviour isoften ingrained in us like a stubborn stain on oursoul, caused by our own habitual surrender to thetemptations of the demons.

This is Christs admonishment to us that we are notreturn to our sinful habits once we have trulyRepented them.

Our Lord Jesus Christ often reminded the repentant and thus us as well - that once we have removed aparticular kind of sin from our lives, we must be very


4/204. (DONATIONS ARE GRATEFULLY RECEIVED) 4 t h Sunday of Great Lent Sunday of S t John Kl imakos 3 March 2011

careful not to add even more deadly sins to oursouls:

When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he

goes through dry places, seeking rest, andfinds non. Then he says: I will return to myhouse from whence I came. And when hecomes, he finds it empty, swept and put inorder. Then he goes and takes with him sevenother spirits more wicked than himself, and

they enter and dwell there; and the last stat ofthat person is worse than the first.(MATTHEW 12:43-45)

With these two serious reminders, our Lord cautions usthat we must be continually diligent in the conduct ofour lives to resist all temptations and not to sin torepent immediately when we fall from Divine Graceand find ourselves in a state of Spiritual Death sothat we may prevent the devastating and fatalsickness of our soul.

With regard to the weak Faith of Christs Disciples andtheir inability to exorcise the demon, St Nikolaj

Velimirovic pointed out: their Faith hadbecome weaker, either from worldly fear orfrom pride, so the Power that had been granted

to them (BY OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST) had also becomeweakened...and thus ineffectual.

WHEN WE BECOME COMPLACENT SMUG OR SELF-SATISFIED WE LOSE

GODS DIVINE GRACE AND WE ARE UNABLE TO FULFIL OUR SACREDTASKS TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY.

Our Lord then provides us with the Prescription forhealing - Prayer and Fasting - to regain and to

restore the Divine Gifts, which are granted to us byGod.

This same Sacred Medication is provided for us by theHoly Church of Christ so that we are able to regain orstrengthen our weakening or drifting Faith andreturn to a continuous Communion with God.

St Peter Chrysologos of Ravenna referred to Prayer andFasting as follows:

Prayer knocks at the door; Fasting obtains; Mercy

receives. Prayer, Mercy and Fasting: these three

are one, and they give life to each other.

Fasting is the soul of Prayer and Mercy is theLifeblood of Fasting.

Fasting is a method of quenching the passions throughabstinence self-denial or self-discipline.

Fasting is not only the abstinence from food but theabstinence from loose living.

Fasting is a self-discipline that allows us to knock at theLord's Door through Prayer and receive His Mercythat restores us to a continual Communion with Him.

So, my dear Brethren in Christ, my Prayer for you is thatyou may take your Spiritual Medicine of Fasting -that you may be able to pray to restore and grow inyour Faith - so that you may receive our Lords Mercyand enjoy continual Communion with Him.

AmenADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: FOURTH SUNDAY OF GREAT LENT SUNDAY OF ST JOHN

KLIMAKOS BY REVEREND FATHER MILAN MEDAKOVIC

http://www.saintgregorypalamas.com/2010/02/fourth-sunday-of-great-lent-sunday-of.html

The Eternal Wisdom of our Holy Church Fathers The Eternal Wisdom of our Holy Church Fathers The Eternal Wisdom of our Holy Church Fathers The Eternal Wisdom of our Holy Church Fathers St Gregory PalamasS t Gregory PalamasS t Gregory PalamasS t Gregory Palamas

... if we are dominated by passionate emotions, then wecertainly stand in need of the physical suffering thatcomes from Fasting, Vigils and similar things, if we areto apply ourselves to Prayer.

This suffering alone mortifies the body's inclination to sin,and moderates and weakens the thoughts thatprovoke violent passions.

Moreover, it is this which brings about within us the startof Holy Compunction, through which both the stain of

past faults is done away and the Divine Favour

especially attracted, and which disposes one towardsPrayer.

For '...God will not despise a contrite heart', as Davidsays. (PSALM 50/51:19)

And God heals in no more certain way than throughsuffering.

This is why our Lord taught us in the Holy Gospels thatPrayer can do great things when combined withFasting.(MARK 9:29) (THE TRIADS)

St Seraphim o f Sarov S t Seraphim o f Sarov S t Seraphim o f Sarov S t Seraphim o f Sarov

"The people who, in spite of the bonds of sin which fetterthem and hinder them (by constraint and by incitingthem to new sins), come to Him, our Saviour, withPerfect Repentance for having tormenting Him,despising the strength of the fetters of sin and forcingthemselves to break their bonds.

Such repentant sinners at last actually appear before theFace of God, having been made whiter than snow byHis Divine Grace.

Such repentant souls were once seen by the Holy Seer ofMysteries, St John the Theologian, as being '...clothed

in White Robes...' that is, in Robes of Justification,and with '...palms in their hands...' signifying

Victory, and they were singing to God a wonderful

song: Alleluia! And no one could imitate the beautyof their song.

Of them an Angel of God said: 'These are they who have

come out of great tribulation and have washedtheir Robes, and have made them white in theBlood of the Lamb'(REVELATION 7:9-14).

They were washed with their sufferings and cleansed whitein the Communion of the Immaculate and Life-givingMysteries of the Body and Blood of the Most Pure andSpotless Lamb, Jesus Christ, Who was slain before allages by His own Will for the Salvation of the world."(THELITTLE RUSSIAN PHILOKALIA VOL. 1; ST. HERMAN OF ALASKA BROTHERHOOD PGS.94-95):

St Ambrose S t Ambrose S t Ambrose S t Ambrose "If you offer Fasting with Humility and with Mercy, your bones, as St Isaiah said, ...shall be fat, and you shall be like a

well-watered garden.So, then, your soul shall grow fat and its Virtues also by the Spiritual Richness of Fasting;and your Fruits shall be multiplied by the fertility of your mind, so that there may be in you the inebriation of

Soberness, like that cup of which the Prophet says: 'Your cup which inebriates, how excellent it is!' (ISAIAH 58:11 -PSALM 23:5 LXX - THE NICENE AND POST-NICENE FATHERS: SECOND SERIES VOL. X; EERDMANS PG. 461):

St Athanasios S t Athanasios S t Athanasios S t Athanasios

"Behold my Brothers, how much a Fast can do, and inwhat manner the Law commands us to Fast. It isrequired that not only with the body should we Fast,but with the soul.

Now the soul is humbled when it does not follow wickedopinions, but feeds on becoming Virtues. For Virtuesand vices are the food of the soul and it can eat eitherof these two meats, and incline to either of the two,according to its own will.

If it is bent toward Virtue, it will be Nourished by Virtues,by Righteousness, by Temperance, by Meekness andby Fortitude.

Such was the case with our Lord, Who said: 'My Food is

to do the Will of My Father Who is in Heaven' Butif it is not thus with the soul, and it inclines

downwards, it is then nourished by nothing but sin."(JOHN 4:34 - THE NICENE AND POST-NICENE FATHERS: SECOND SERIES VOL. IV;EERDMANS PG. 508):


5/20DONATIONS MOST GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED 5t h S u n d a y o f Gre a t L e n t S t Ma ry o f E g y p t 10 Ap r i l 201 1 5.

GreekGreekGreekGreekOrthodox Patriarchate o f Alexandria & Al l AfricaOrthodox Patriarchate o f Alexandria & Al l AfricaOrthodox Patriarchate o f Alexandria & Al l AfricaOrthodox Patriarchate o f Alexandria & Al l Africa

Archdiocese of Good HopeArchdiocese of Good HopeArchdiocese of Good HopeArchdiocese of Good HopeAllGlory,HonourandWorshiptotheFather,andtotheSon,andtotheHolySpiri t,nowandforever,

anduntotheAgesofages.Amen.

RememberingalsoourMostHoly,MostPure,MostBlessedandGloriousLady,Maria,Theotokos,yet

EverVirgin,togetherwithal ltheSaints.Andletuscommitourselvesandoneanotherandourwhole

LifetoChristourGod.Amen.

Fif th Sunday of Great Lent Tone (5) Plagal 1 10 Apri l 2011Fi f th Sunday of Great Lent Tone (5) Plagal 1 10 Apri l 2011Fi f th Sunday of Great Lent Tone (5) Plagal 1 10 Apri l 2011Fi f th Sunday of Great Lent Tone (5) Plagal 1 10 Apri l 2011

Sunday of St Mary of Egypt Sunday of St Mary of Egypt Sunday of St Mary of Egypt Sunday of St Mary of Egypt

Also the Feast of St Terentios , St Pompeios, St Afrikanos, St Maximos, St Zenos,St Alexander, St Theodore, St Theodore, St Makarios, & 40 Fellow Holy Martyrsof Carthage - St James the Presbyter, St Abdikos & St Azadanes the Deacons ofPersia the Holy Mothers & Martyrs of Kvabtakhevi Monastery, Georgia

R e s u r r e c t i o n A p o l y t i k i o n ---- TONE (5) PLAGAL 1

Ton sinanarhon Logon Patri ke Pnevmati, ton ekParthenou tehthenta is Sotirian imon, animnisomen,

Pisti, ke proskinisomen. Oti ivdokise Sarki anelthin

en to Stavro ke Thanaton ipomine ke egire tous

tethneotas en ti Evdoxo Anastasi Aftou.

The Word, Who with the Father and the Spirit has nobeginning, and Who, for our Salvation, was born of aVirgin, 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 own

Glorious Resurrection to raise the dead.Ap o ly t ik ion Of S t Ma ry Of E g y p t - TONE (8) PLAGAL 4

Kon ta k ion o f t h e E ve r B le sse d T h e o tok os

Prostasiaton Hristianon akateskhinte, mesitia pros tonPiitin ametathete, mi Paridis, amartolon deiseonfonas, alla profthason os agathi, is tin voithian imon,ton Pistos kravgazonton Si: Tahinon is Presvian, kespefson is ikesian, i prostatevousa ai, Theotoke, ton

timonton Se.

O Protector of the Christians unashamed, Mediator tothe Creator Immovable: despise not, the pleadingvoices of those in sin, but hasten O Good One, to theaid of all who in Faith cry out to Thee: hasten ThineIntercession, and present Thy Supplication, O

Theotokos Who always Protects those who honourThee!

Resurrect ionResurrect ionResurrect ionResurrect ion Gospe l 2Gospe l 2Gospe l 2Gospe l 2 - --- Mark 16Mark 16Mark 16Mark 16 :::: 1111 8888The Holy Myrrhbearers witness the Empty Tomb of our Risen Lord Jesus Christ

ProkeimenonProkeimenonProkeimenonProkeimenon

Pray to the Lord our God and render Thanks to Him!God is known in Judea; His Name is great in Israel!

St Paul s Epis t le to the Hebrews 9 : 11St Paul s Epis t le to the Hebrew s 9 : 11St Paul s Epis t le to the Hebrews 9 : 11St Paul s Epis t le to the Hebrew s 9 : 11 14141414T h e H e a ve n ly S a n c tu a ry a n d th e D iv in e L i tu rg y

Brethren: Christ came as High Priest of the Good Things to come, with the greater and more Perfect Tabernacle notmade with hands that is: not of this Creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own Blood Heentered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained Eternal Redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats,and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, Sanctifies for the Purifying of the flesh, how much more shall theBlood of Christ - Who through the Eternal Spirit, offered Himself, without spot, to God cleanse your conscience fromdead works to Serve the Living God?

In contrast to the Old Covenant Hebrew High Priest,Christ our Saviour is our High Priest of Gods NewCovenant.

Christ entered the Heavenly Sanctuary once for all i.e. His One Perfect and Ultimate Blood Sacrificecovers all the sins committed by all human beingsfor all time throughout human history and forever!

Christ was our High Priest the Divine Offerer Whooffered His own Perfect, Sinless Blood the DivineOffering which is able to heal the entire corruptionof all humanity for all time and needs never berepeated ever again!

His Most Precious Blood Offering restores each andevery one of us human beings throughout history to our proper, former Sacred Relationship with

Almighty God.Christs Sacrifice Purifies cleanses our conscience

and reinstates us as Holy or Sanctified Beings whoare drawn closer to Almighty God through ourcorrect Liturgical Worship serve the Living God

together with our commitment to constantRepentance of our habitual sins.

Because we continue to use our God-given free will toindulge our wilful and selfish flesh rather than toobey the Spiritual Guidance of our Holy Conscience the little Remnant or Voice of God within us wemust constantly strive and struggle to resisttemptation and resolve our sins as soon as we fallinto a state of Spiritual Death by means of sincereRepentance and a determined effort to return toSpiritual Life and so continue our Spiritual Journeyin the Divine Footsteps of our Lord and Saviour.

No Spiritual Progress in Christ is possible withoutconstant Watchfulness and Struggle.

Those who erroneously believe that the mere

acceptance of our Lord Jesus Christ as our Lordand Saviour ensures us Eternal Life are seriouslydeceiving themselves because that implies that ourStruggle for Theosis (Spiritual Perfection) has beenachieved.

En Si Miter akrivos diesothi to kat ikona; lavousa garton Stavron, ikolouthiasas to Hriste, ke prattousa

edidaskes, iperoran men sarkos, parerhete gar;

epimilisthe de psihis, pragmatos athanatou; dio ke

meta Angelo sinagallete, Osia Maria, to pnevma Sou.

In Thee, O Mother, was preserved, intact what was inGods Image; for after taking up the Cross, Thoufollowed Christ our Lord, and by Thy actions Thoutaught us to overlook the flesh, for it perishes and tocare for the soul, which is Immortal; wherefore, OHoly Mary, Thy spirit rejoices, along with the Angels.


6/20

6. DONATIONS MOST GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED 5 t h S u n d a y o f Gre a t L e n t S t Ma ry o f E g y p t 10 Ap r i l 201 1

However, our Spiritual Struggle during this preparatoryperiod before Eternity is an ongoing Sacred Missionthat is only ended at our very last breath.

Christ our Lord emphasised the fact that Faith withoutGood Works and Spiritual Struggle would notbenefit anyone and would actually be mere lip-service and empty type of faith without anysubstance!

Life in Christ means a personal commitment to allfacets of Christian Faith and Worship not simply afew selected portions of the whole Faith according

to the luke-warm manner we choose to follow Him.A genuine Life in Christ is our most determined effort -

a dedicated or Sacred Commitment to God, whichis compelled by our utter Love for Almighty God anda desire to please Him in all ways possible: Let it

be according Thy Will, O Lord!Tragically, in this day and age, a large majority of our

fellow sinners have been deceived by falseteachings of Spiritual Wolves who lead Gods LostSheep even further astray and then consume themwith their lies and duplicity luring them withbaited hooks that have a miniscule drop of DivineTruth just enough to entice them and by tellingthem whatever they want to hear pleasing or

pleasuring people rather than obeying the DivineWill of God which requires what they lack Love,Humility and Obedience to God!

The dead works that St Paul often cautions us againstis a reference to all human activity in and of thisfallen age when we participate in acts of mortalityand corruption everything that alienates and exilesus from the Divine Presence and Grace of ourLoving and Benevolent God.

Liturgically speaking, dead works include the actionsof Old Covenant type of worship, which are no

longer required of us as Christ has fulfilledeverything required of those Old Laws.

Our commitment to God requires us to fulfil His NewCovenant: To Love God with all our mind, with allour heart, with all our strength and with all our soul,and to Love one another as much as He Loves us unconditionally and completely, without exception!And this covers all the Ten Commandments as well!

The New Covenant of God is a Covenant of Eternal Love and so we will be Judged according to every word,thought and deed compelled and fulfilled withAgape Divine Love a difficult Sacred Task toachieve until our very last breath!

The Holy Gospel According to St Mark 10 : 32The Holy Gospel According to St Mark 10 : 32The Holy Gospel According to St Mark 10 : 32The Holy Gospel According to St Mark 10 : 32 ---- 45454545

Ou r L ord J e su s C h r is t s T h i rd P rop h e cy C on ce rn in g H is P a ss ionAtthat time, they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus hadgone before them; and they were amazed.

And as they followed, they were afraid. And He took the Twelve aside again and began to tell them the things

that would happen to Him.Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the Chief Priests, and to the

Scribes; and they will condemn Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, went to Him and asked: Teacher, we want Thee to do for us whatever

we ask. And He said to them: What do you want Me to do for you? And they said to Him: Grant us that wemay sit, one on Thy right hand side and the other on Thy left, in Thy Glory. And Jesus said to them: You donot know what you ask. Are you able to drink from the Cup that I drink, and be Baptised with the Baptism

with which I Am Baptised? And they answered: We are able.And Jesus said to them: You will indeed drink the Cup from which I drink, and with the Baptism with which I

Am Baptised you will be Baptised; but to sit on My right hand side and on My left is not Mine to grant, sinceit is for those for whom it is prepared.

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

Our Lord Jesus Christs predictions of His approachingPassion were intended to encourage and strengthenHis Holy Apostles and faithful Disciples for theterrifying Events with which they would all too soonbe confronted.

The Divine Prophecies of our Lord Jesus Christ alsoconfirm the Truth and Reality that He approachedHis terrible Passion according to His own Will andHis own timing.

Our Lord Jesus pointed out that any quest for temporal

power and glory is unfitting for a Faithful Disciple ofChrist and it only exposes an earthlymisunderstanding of the Eternal Kingdom of God.

St Matthew noted that the mother of Zebedees sonsactually asked for this great honour for her belovedsons to be seated on either side of Christ in HisEternal Glory, but the fact that our Saviour used theplural term you shows that He knew who reallysought this Divine Favour from Him.

However, a True Disciple of Christ should be ready tosacrifice even family relationships if they prevent usfrom fulfilling our Sacred Duty to God or if theyimpede our Spiritual Growth in Christ Jesus.

Our Lord Jesus referred to His Crucifixion as a Cup,and His Death as Baptism.

His unjust Crucifixion like a common criminal wasregarded as a Cup since He drank of it voluntarily freely and willingly for the Eternal Benefit orSalvation of all mankind forever.

His Death was regarded as Baptism since he was fullyimmersed in it, while it cleansed the entire humanrace and renewed the entire Creation.

Furthermore, the Prophecy of Christ concerning St Johnand St James participating in the same Cup andBaptism shows His Divine Knowledge of their futurepersecution, suffering and Holy Martyrdom for theirLove of Christ, which they would endure after theGlorious Day of Holy Pentecost from thebeginning to the end of their Holy Gospel Missionon earth.

When our Lord Jesus Christ told the two Apostles thatthe places of Great Honour in the Eternal Kingdom

of God are not His to grant, does not mean that Hehas no Divine Authority, but rather that such DivineFavours are not His to grant arbitrarily to anyone.

Instead He would grant them to those for whomAlmighty God has prepared them: by the Will ofGod the Father, through God the Word and Son,and by the action and ability of God the Holy Life-giving Spirit.

With regard to being seated as Equals to Christ on Hisright and left hand side in Gods Eternal, HeavenlyKingdom, St John Chrysostom taught us that noone no human being - could possibly occupy suchan elevated Divine Position!

However, according to the depiction of our God-Inspired Holy Icons, the highest places of honourthat have been granted to human beings belong tothe Ever Blessed, All Pure and Most Holy Theotokos(the Most Blessed amongst all women) and St Johnthe Baptist and Forerunner to Christ our Saviour(the greatest Holy Prophet ever born of women) but they are never seated and they stand in allHumility and Obedience at either side of our


7/20DONATIONS MOST GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED 5t h S u n d a y o f Gre a t L e n t S t Ma ry o f E g y p t 10 Ap r i l 201 1 7.

Enthroned Lord and Master, Jesus Christ havingdedicated their entire earthly lives to the Service ofAlmighty God with all due Humility and Obedience,as well as many other Virtues as well the two most

perfect human role models we could ever wish toimitate together with our Lord and Saviour.

The phrase for many, is an Aramaic expressionmeaning for all.

Fif th Sunday of Great Lent Fi f th Sunday of Great Lent Fi f th Sunday of Great Lent Fi f th Sunday of Great Lent St Mary of Egypt St Mary of Egypt St Mary of Egypt St Mary of Egypt Why is it that much is said and written about the

sufferings of Holy Men and Holy Women?Because the Saints, alone, are considered Victors.Can anyone be a Victor without conflict, pain and

suffering?

In ordinary earthly combat, no one can be consideredvictorious nor heroic who has not been in combattortured much or suffered greatly.

The more so in Spiritual Combat where the Truth isknown and where self-boasting not only does nothelp at all but, indeed, hinders it.

Those who do not engage in Spiritual Warfare for thesake of Christ our Lord - either with the world, withthe devil or with ones self - cannot be countedamong the Holy Soldiers of Christ and thereforecannot be one of Christs Co-Victors.

St Mary of Egypt spoke about her savage SpiritualCombat to St Zosimos the Elder:

...For the first seventeen years in this wilderness Istruggled with my deranged sexual desires asthough with fierce beasts.

I desired to eat meat and fish, which I had inabundance in Egypt.I also desired to drink wine and here, I did not have

even water to drink.I desired to hear lustful songs.I cried and beat my breasts.I prayed to the All-Pure Mother of God to banish such

thoughts from me.When I had sufficiently cried and beat my breasts, it

was then that I saw a Light encompassing me onall sides and a certain Miraculous Peace filled me.

The Ful f i l lment o f the Grea t Prophecy The Fu l f i l lment o f the Grea t Prophecy The Fu l f i l lment o f the Grea t Prophecy Th e Fu lf il lm en t o f t he Gr ea t P ro ph ec y: Like a Lamb led to the Slaughter: Like a Lamb led to the Slaughter: Like a Lamb led to the Slaughter: Like a Lamb led to the Slaughter(ISAIAH 53:7)Throughout the many centuries of time the discerning

Prophet St Isaiah foresaw the Awesome Sacrifice onGolgotha.

From afar he saw our Lord Jesus Christ led to theslaughter as a lamb is ledto the slaughter.

A lamb permits itself to be ledto the slaughter just thesame as it is led to thepasture to graze:defenceless, without fearand without malice.

Thus, our Lord Jesus Christwas led to the slaughterwithout defence, withoutfear and without malice.

He neither said: O Men, donot do this! nor did Heask: Why are you doing this to Me?

He never condemned anyone for doing so, nor did heprotest or become angry.

He harboured no evil thoughts or adverse emotionsagainst His unjust judges and accusers, and whenHis Most Precious Blood ran over His Beloved Facefrom the painful, cruel crown of thorns that hadbeen pressed into his scalp, he remained silent.

When His Face was spat upon, He was silent.When His Cross became so heavy along the way to

Golgotha, He endured His agony and when theexcruciating, indescribable pain and suffering of HisCrucifixion became unbearable, He did notcomplain.

And, finally, as He took His final breath, He directed Hisgaze Heavenwards for the Source of His greatStrength is Heavenly, not earthly.

The Source of His Consolation is in God and not inmankind.

His True Homeland is the Heavenly Eternal Kingdomand not a temporary, earthly kingdom.

Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away thesin of the world (JOHN 1:29).

This was the first cry of St John the Baptist when he

beheld our Lord Jesus Christ approaching him onthe great Day ofTheophany.And behold how onGolgotha that Prophecyhas been fulfilled.Behold, how, under theweight of the all the sinsof the entire world, theLamb of God layslaughtered and lifeless.O Brethren, this is amost Costly Sacrifice -even for all our sins!The Most Precious

Blood of this Sinless and Meek Lamb was destined

for all times and all generations - from the first tothe last person on earth.

Christ suffered the agony of His Crucifixion for the sakeof our sins - even those of the present day.

Our Saviour also wept in the Garden of Gethsemane forall our wickedness, all our weakness and all oursinfulness. He offered His Precious Blood for ourSalvation!

Brethren: let us not despise this indescribable costlyRansom whereby we have been EternallyRedeemed!

Because of these Great Sacrifices of Christ our God, we,indeed, have some worth as human beings becausewithout His Most Pure Sacrificial Offering or if wedisavow rejected His Great Sacrifice - our worth,by itself alone, is less than nothing!

We will merely be like smoke without a flame or a cloudwithout Light.

O Lord, unequaled in Mercy, have mercy on uswretched sinners!

ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: WRITTEN BY ST. NIKOLAJ VELIMIROVIC IN THE PROLOGFROM OHRID

One Thing is NeedfulOne Thing is NeedfulOne Thing is NeedfulOne Thing is Needful ---- AAAArchbishop Andrei (Rymarenko, 1893rchbishop Andrei (Rymarenko, 1893rchbishop Andrei (Rymarenko, 1893rchbishop Andrei (Rymarenko, 1893----1978)1978)1978)1978)Last Sunday, the Fourth Sunday of Great Lent, we heard

the words of our Lord Jesus Christ Who taught us:"This kind can come forth by nothing, but byPrayer and Fasting. (MARK 9 : 29)

What did He mean by "this kind?If you recall, dear Brethren in Christ, we were told about

a youth who was possessed by an evil spirit whocaused him to have epileptic seizures, which

sometimes made him fall into fire or water, nearlykilling him, as his father explained when hepresented him to Christ, Who later cautioned Hisfrustrated Disciples in private: This kind can comeforth by nothing, but by Prayer and Fasting."

This is the kind of evil spirit that had taken possession ofthe young boy, causing him to suffer epilepticseizures in its attempt to harm or even kill him - byfalling down, sometimes into fire or water a mostfrightening and stressful experience for allconcerned.

Consequently, neither the suffering youth nor his familyhad any peace, rest or good quality of life.

Our Lord Jesus Christ pointed out that such an evil spiritwould not come forth unless we Pray and Fast inall sincerity and Humility, since being united withGod in deep Prayer entering His very DivinePresence combined with the Humility of properFasting not only physical self-discipline but


8/20

8. DONATIONS MOST GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED 5 t h S u n d a y o f Gre a t L e n t S t Ma ry o f E g y p t 10 Ap r i l 201 1

especially Spiritual Discipline expels the darknessand filth of any wickedness or evil presence with usand those for whom we Pray.

By observing the fallen world that surrounds us in everyaspect these days, we can begin to understandexactly what this kind of evil spirit or SpiritualWarfare really means!

Every desperate suicide exposes the dark, hopeless stateof despair and lack of Faith in and Knowledge of theProvidence, Beneficence and Love of God andEternal Life in Christ.

Despair that drives people to do the most terrible thingsto themselves and to one another is the invention ofthe evil one.

Despair complete lack of any hope at all is a state ofinsanity or deep depression and misery, which isunnatural to our creation.

Such extreme frustration, anger and destructive rage iscaused by the absence of a close Relationship withGod through constant, sincere and humble Prayer,and regular Fasting the physical and SpiritualDiscipline that humbles our flesh and returns oursouls to its natural state of Spiritual Life in Christ.

Pride, jealously, greed, arrogance, selfishness and self-indulgence, etc. cause everyone to suffer theconsequences of such unbridled, uncontrolledexcesses murder, robbery, physical and mentalabuse, rape, enslavement, torture and every type ofabuse or cruelty... the list is endless!

The horrific greed and lust for material wealth,possessions and power overwhelms our world todayand is quickly destroying even this most beautifulplanet with which we have been so Blessed.

It is precisely this kind of destructive evil spirit that weso willingly accommodate and which dominates andenslaves us those who voluntarily co-operate with it- and the innocent victims who are forced to sufferthe consequences!

We are currently in the period of Spiritual Spring.If a farmer is late in sowing, then there will be no harvest

and, therefore, no bread.Likewise, if we late in acquiring sobriety, attention to the

condition of our inner being, our heart and soul,then we will be left without any SpiritualNourishment, and we will experience a deep,gnawing Spiritual Hunger.

And when we suffer from our toxic passions - if werecognise the cause and reason for our SpiritualAfflictions, only then will we begin to understand thatno one especially us can eradicate thesepoisonous passions except our Lord God Whocreated us!!

However, in order for this to happen, we need to prepareourselves both spiritually and physically - and thisspecial preparation consists of proper Fasting andsincere, humble Prayer.

During this fifth week, when we cried: "O Lord, before I

perish to the end, Save me," when the Canon of St

Andrew of Crete was being read, which exposes andoverturns our heart and reveals to us such passions;it is possible to beseech our Lord: "O God, forgive

me, heal me, grant me Thine Everlasting Light;rant me Life, because maybe I have only oneyear left to live, and maybe not even that; I

might be going to Thee right now."We are all going into Eternity; and we are granted this

preparatory period to examine ourselves so that wemight acquire the essential Virtues for Eternal Life.

Some of us have a completely erroneous concept ofwhat True Fasting means.

Certain food restrictions may be a small part of Fasting,yet True Fasting is far more than that: it is when weexamine ourselves deep within our souls and rejecteverything that is unnecessary for Eternal Life,

maintaining and preserving only what is essential toour Life in Christ.

Prayer is the Spiritual State whereby our soul enters theVery Presence of God and His Divine Peace byceaselessly communicating with Him inThanksgiving for His Abundant Blessings, in Praise,

Honour and Worship and by submitting our personalPetitions for His Divine and Great Mercy.

Today is a great comfort to us for right before ourSpiritual Sight, we behold St Mary of Egypt, who hadbeen a most debauched and depraved sinner butwho, through her profound and completeRepentance became one of our most classicexamples of Christianity.

Having followed a crowd of Pilgrims from Alexandria toJerusalem, St Mary arrived at the Holy Church of theResurrection but she was prevented from crossing

the threshold by an invisible force.Almost everyone had entered, but she was rooted to the

spot and each time she tried to enter, somethingpushed her away, until finally, she understood thatsomething Divinely Powerful refused her entry.

In frustration and desperation, she looked up and saw abeautiful Holy Icon of our Ever Blessed Theotokosholding with the Christ Child.

Immediately her conscience awoke from its suppressedslumber and she learnt, by Divine Grace, everythingconcerning our Lord Jesus Christ.

Her awoken conscience recalled all her innumerablesins, and she fell upon her knees before ourHeavenly Queen and wept with tears of TrueRepentance: "Forgive me! Help me!"

All at once, as if lifted by a strong gust of wind, she wascarried into the Holy Church, where she fell downbefore the Life-giving Cross of our Lord, and in thatinstant she received a great hunger and thirst forPurity, Chastity, Poverty and Obedience to God.

She was overwhelmed by the indescribable Joy, Peaceand Love that filled her together with the wonderfullightness of a clear and re-awoken conscience.

Having received Divine Forgiveness, St Mary of Egyptimmediately set off for the Jordan River, where shedisappeared for almost forty years into thewilderness, living seventeen years in sobriety of bodyand soul, many times having lain face down uponthe ground in a state of humble Prayer for many longdays and nights, in a determined effort to conquerand totally destroy all lustful, carnal longings and

temptations the demonic residue of this kind ofevil spirit.Afterwards, for seventeen more years she ceaselessly

Praised and Glorified Gods Divine Grace and Mercy,having become like an earthly Angel of God.

Therefore, this Sunday of St Mary of Egypt, which ourHoly Church puts before us, is a comfort and a joyfor we realise that there is no Repentant sinnerwhom the Lord would not forgive!

Brethren: without doubt every one of us will be laid torest in a grave and our soul will pass over intoEternity. Yet do we ever really think about what kindof Eternity we shall have? And that is why the HolyChurch of Christ continually Calls everyone of us toRepentance!

St Mary could not cross the threshold of the Holy Church

of the Resurrection because an invisible Powerprevented her from doing so.

Let us examine ourselves intensely for a similarexperience is happening to us right now! We mustexpose and remove the frightening obstacles thatblock our Path to Christ. Our slumbering conscience the little Voice of God within us is trying to warnus that we are resisting, or something evil isenabling our resistance to, the Divine Love, Graceand Mercy of Almighty God!

Like St Mary, we must fall upon our knees before the ourLord Jesus Christ and His All Holy Mother in abjectRepentance, crying: O Lord, help me to FollowThee! Help me to be Humble, Obedient and filledwith True Love for God and my fellow sinners!

We will experience a Bright Spiritual Springtime, the

instant we truly Repent with all Humility, Obedienceand the Love of God, and we will clearly hear ourLord Jesus Christ say: "Peace be unto you!"

May His Divine Love and Peace rest in you always.

EDITED & ADAPTED BY MP:www.holytrinitymission.org/books/english/sermons_archbishop_andrei.htm


9/20(DONATIONS ARE GRATEFULLY RECEIVED) S t L a z a ros S a tu rd a y 16 Ap r i l 201 1 9.

Greek Orthodox Patriarchate o f Alexandria & Al l AfricaGreek Orthodox Patriarchate o f Alexandria & Al l AfricaGreek Orthodox Patriarchate o f Alexandria & Al l AfricaGreek Orthodox Patriarchate o f Alexandria & Al l AfricaArchdiocese of Good HopeArchdiocese of Good HopeArchdiocese of Good HopeArchdiocese of Good Hope

AllGlory,HonourandWorshiptotheFather,andtotheSon,

andtotheHolySpiri t,nowandforever,anduntotheAgesof

ages.Amen.

RememberingalsoourMostHoly,MostPure,MostBlessedand

GloriousLady,Maria,Theotokos,yetEverVirgin,togetherwith

al ltheSaints.Andletuscommitourselvesandoneanother

andourwholeLifetoChristourGod.Amen.

16 Apri l 216 Apri l 216 Apri l 216 Apr i l 2011011011011

St Lazaros SaturdaySt Lazaros SaturdaySt Lazaros SaturdaySt Lazaros Saturday

Also the Feast of S t Agape, St Irene and St Chione theVirgin Martyr Sisters of Thessalonika St Leonidas, StCharissa, St Nike, St Galina, St Calista (Kalida or Calisa)St Nunekhia, St Basilissa, St Irene & St Theodora ofCorinth - St Christopher Monk-Martyr of Dionysiou Monastery, Mount Athos St NicetasHieromartyr The Ilyin-Chernigov Weeping Icon of our Lady Theotokos the Holy Icon ofthe Holy Icon ofthe Holy Icon ofthe Holy Icon of

our Lady Theotokos of Tambovour Lady Theotokos of Tambovour Lady Theotokos of Tambovour Lady Theotokos of TambovAp o ly t ik ion Of S a tu rd a y Of T h e Ra is in g Of S t L a z a ros TONE 1

Tin kinin ananstasin pro tou sou pathos pistoumenos,ek nekron igiras ton Lazaron Hriste O Theos, othenke imis, os i Pedes, ta tis nikis simvola ferontes, si to

niki ti tou thanatou voomen. Osan na en tis ipsistis,evlogimenos O erhoemenos en Onomati Kyriou.

O Christ our God, before Thy Passion, Thou raisedLazaros from the dead to confirm the commonResurrection for all. Therefore, we carry the

Symbols of Victory as did the Youths, and we cry outto Thee, the Victor over Death: "Hosanna in theHighest. Blessed is He Who comes in the Name ofthe Lord!"

Kon ta k ion Of S a tu rd a y Of T h e Ra is in g Of S t L a z a ros ---- TONE 2

I panton Hara, Hristos i Alithia, to Fos i Zoi , toukosmou i Anastasis, tis en gi pefanerote, ti aftouagathotiti, ke gegone tipos tis Anastaseos, tis pasiparehon thian afesin.

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

I n s te a d o f t h e T r isa g ion H y mn :

Osi is Hriston Evaptisthite, Hriston enedisasthe.Allilouia! [3]

DoxaPatri, ke Io, ke Agio Pnevmati ke nin ke Aike is tous eonas ton eonon.

AminHristonenedisasthe. Allilouia!Dynamis!Osi is Hriston Evaptisthite, Hriston enedisasthe.

Allilouia!

As many as have been Baptised into Christ, have put

on Christ: Alleluia! [3]Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the

Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages ofages.

AmenHave put on Christ: Alleluia!Power/StrengthAs many as have been Baptised into Christ, have put

on Christ: Alleluia!St Paul s Epis t le t the Hebrew s 12 : 28St Paul s Epis t le t the Hebrew s 12 : 28St Paul s Epis t le t the Hebrew s 12 : 28St Paul s Epis t le t the Hebrews 12 : 28 13 : 8 13 : 8 13 : 8 13 : 8

T h e P u r i ty o f C h r is t ia n C ommu n i ty

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

Let brotherly Love continue. Do not forget to welcome strangers, for by doing so some have unwittingly hosted Angels.Remember the prisoners as if chained with them those who are mistreated since you yourselves are in the Body also.Marriage is honourable among all, and the bed undefiled: but fornicators and adulterers God will Judge.

Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with the things that you have. For Christ Himself has said; I willnever leave you nor forsake you. So we may boldly say: The Lord is my Helper; I will not fear. What canmankind do to me?

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

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Only those things that are created can be shaken andeven destroyed the temporal, impermanent andimperfect.

The final Consummation of the Eternal Kingdom of Godis unshakable and indestructible and endures forever for all Eternity and everything of Eternity iseverlasting, unchangeable and imperishable.

That is why we must prepare ourselves throughout thislifetime to become fitting or worthy Spiritual Citizens

of Gods Eternal Kingdom of Love, Peace and Joy by means of all the Spiritual Tools with which Christour Lord and Saviour has provided us all His DivineCommandments and Teachings.

Eternal Life is continuous Eucharistic (Thanksgiving)Divine Liturgy.

Grace is a reference to our sincere and profoundgratitude that compels us to serve God and toworship Him in an acceptable manner, with proper

Reverence and Godly Fear.Practical Brotherly Love is to be shown towards all fellow

Christians and Disciples of Christ and especiallytowards the lowly, the powerless, and all victims ofcruelty and injustice.

Strangers are travellers in need of Christian Hospitality.

The Hospitality of Abraham the ancient Patriarch is agood example to us: he never ate a meal unless hehad others with whom to share it. The day camewhen he hosted three very special Visitors the HolyTrinity at the Oaks of Mamre, where they left theirthree staffs of cypress, cedar and pine imbedded in


10/2010. (DONATIONS ARE GRATEFULLY RECEIVED) S t L a z a ros S a tu rd a y 16 Ap r i l 201 1

the earth, which grew into a most unique Tree.(GENESIS 18 : 1 8 & 19: 1 3)

(When Solomon was building his first great Temple inJerusalem centuries later, the Trinity Tree was cutdown but the wood was never used and merelythrown aside, until the Crucifixion of Christ when Hewas forced to carry the heavy cross-bar as part of Hispublic humiliation and punishment, before beingnailed at the wrists to it. It was then fastened to the

upright pole which was secured in a hole in the rockon Golgotha. After His Death, the cross-bar wastaken down, Christ was unnailed but according toHebrew custom, every drop of blood was buried withthe mortal remains, so the cross-bar and nails wouldalso have been included in our Lords Tomb andlater removed and preserved by the FaithfulChristians after His Glorious Resurrection.)

The Holy Gospe l According to St John 11 : 1The Holy Gospe l According to St John 11 : 1The Holy Gospe l According to St John 11 : 1The Holy Gospe l According to St John 11 : 1 45454545Ou r L ord J e su s C h r is t i s th e Re su r re c t ion a n d th e L i f e

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

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

Now Jesus Loved Martha and her sister, and Lazaros, so when He heard that Lazaros was sick, He stayed two more days

in the place where He was. Then after this, He said to His Disciples: Let us go to Judea again.The Disciples said to Him: Rabbi, lately the Hebrews sought to stone Thee, and art Thou going there again? And

Jesus answered: Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble,

because he sees the light of this world. But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the Light isnot in him.

These things He said, and after that He said to them: Our friend, Lazaros, sleeps, but I go so that I may wake

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

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

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

And Martha said to Jesus: Lord, if thou had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now, I know thatwhatever Thou ask of God, God will grant Thee. Jesus said to her: Your brother will rise again. Martha saidto Him: I know that he will rise again in the Resurrection at the Last Day. Jesus said to her: I Am theResurrection and the Life: he who believes in me, although he may die, he shall Live. And whoever livesand believes in Me, shall never die. Do you believe this? She said to Him: Yes, Lord, I believe that Thou artthe Christ the Son of God Who is to come into the world.

And having said these things, Martha went her way, and secretly called Mary, her sister, saying: The Teacher has comeand is calling for you. And as soon as Mary heard that, she quickly arose and went to Him.

Now Jesus had not yet gone into the town, but was in the place where Martha had met Him. When the Hebrews, whowere with her in the house, comforting her, saw that Mary had quickly arisen and gone out, they followed her, saying:She is going to the tomb to weep there.

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

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

the blind, also have kept this man from dying? And Jesus, again groaning within Himself, went to the tomb, whichwas a cave, and a stone lay against it. And Jesus said: Take away the stone. Martha, the sister of him who was

dead, said to Him: Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days!Jesus said to her: Did Inot say to you that if you would believe you would see the Glory of God?

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

people who are standing by, I say this, so that they may believe that Thou sent Me.Now when Jesus had said these things, He cried with a loud Voice: Lazaros! Come forth! and he who had died

came out, bound hand and foot with grave-cloths, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. And Jesus said to them:Loosen him, and let him go.

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

Lazaros SaturdayLazaros SaturdayLazaros SaturdayLazaros SaturdayGreat is this Holy Day! Our Lord Jesus Christ alone is

the "Conqueror of Death"! No one else would dareto make such a claim, for He alone is, was, and willbe our Saviour and our Lord of Eternal Life!

During His historical Evangelistic Life He proved this inthree instances: the Resurrection of the daughter ofJairus who had just died, the son of the widow ofNain who was about to be buried, and St Lazaroswho had been entombed for four days.

Christs Victory over Death is absolute and thus Death isno longer something for us to fear, for now wemerely repose in peace until the Final Day of

Resurrection and Judgement! (UNLESS WE ARE UNREPENTANTSINNERS WHO HAVE REJECTED GODS DIVINE MERCY!)Besides physical death, which is visible to everyone,

there is also mental or Spiritual Death, whichusually goes unnoticed but which is experienced bythose who are Spiritually Dead.

Sinful thoughts arise and cause sinful emotions, wordsand deeds, but if our soul is alert and watchful forsuch enemies, it immediately returns to our Lord inRepentance, and He will stretch out His Hand to usand say: Arise! And Spiritual Life returns to itsjoyous flow. But when we do not catch ourselves intime and sin enters more deeply into our soul, wesuffer Spiritual Death and turmoil, for death is notthe cause but the consequence of sin - and Christ isthe only Conqueror Who restores us to Life!

ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP:http://www.holytrinitymission.org/books/english/sermons_archbishop_andre

i.htm#_Toc45953439


11/20DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED P a lm S u n d a y C h r is t s T r iu mp h a l E n t ry I n to J e ru sa le m 17 Ap r i l 201 1 11

Greek Orthodox Patriarchate o f Alexandria & Al l AfricaGreek Orthodox Patriarchate o f Alexandria & Al l AfricaGreek Orthodox Patriarchate o f Alexandria & Al l AfricaGreek Orthodox Patriarchate o f Alexandria & Al l AfricaArchdiocese of Good HopeArchdiocese of Good HopeArchdiocese of Good HopeArchdiocese of Good Hope

Al lGlory ,Honourand Worsh iptotheFather,andto theSon ,and totheHolySpi ri t ,nowand

forever,anduntotheAgesofages.Amen.

Rememberingalso ourMost Holy,Most Pure,Most Blessedand GloriousLady,Maria, Theotokos,

yetEverVirgin,togetherwithal ltheSaints.Andletuscommitourselvesandoneanotherandour

wholeLifetoChristourGod.Amen.

17 Apr i l 201117 Apri l 201117 Apr i l 201117 Apri l 2011

Palm SundayPalm SundayPalm SundayPalm Sunday

Our Lord Jesus Chris t s Triumphal Entry into JerusalemOur Lord Jesus Chris t s Triumphal Entry into JerusalemOur Lord Jesus Chris t s Triumphal Entry into JerusalemOur Lord Jesus Chris t s Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem

Also the Feast of St Symeon the Hieromartyr, Bishop of Persia, St Abdechalas,Hieromartyr, St Annanias the Presbyter, St Usthazanes, St Phusikos, St Askitrea, StAzades the Eunuch & other Holy Martyrs of Persia St Akakios of Melitene St Zosimos,Abbot of Solovki St Alexander, Abbot of Svir ( Uncovering of Holy Relics) St Adrian ofCorinth St Agapitos of Rome St Makarios of Corinth

Ap o ly t ik ia Of P a lm S u n d a y TONE 4

Tin kinin Anastasi pro tou Sou pathous pistoumenos,ek nekron igiras ton Lazaron Hriste O Theos;othen ke imis o i pedes, ta tis nikis simviaferontes, si to nikiti tou thanatou voomen;Osanna en tis ipsistis! Evlogimenos O

erhomenos en Onomati Kyriou.

Sindafentes Si di dia tou Baprismatos, Hriste OTheos imon, tis Athanatou Zois i xiothimen tiAnanstasi Sou, ke animnountes krazomen:Osanna en tis Ipsitis! Evlogimenos O

erhomenos, en Onomati Kyriou!

Of the common Resurrection before Thy Passionassuring us, from the dead Thou raised Lazaros, OChrist our God; therefore we also, like thechildren, carrying symbols of Victory, to Thee theVictor over Death, we cry: Hosannah in theHighest! Blessed is He Who comes in the

Name of the Lord!

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

comes in the Name of the Lord!Kon ta k ion Of P a lm S u n d a y

To Throno en Ourano, to polo epi tis gis,epohoumenos, Hriste, O Theos, ton Angelon, tinenesin, ke ton pedon animnisin, prosedehovoonton Si: Evlogimenos O erhomenos, tonAdam anakalesasthe.

In Heaven upon a Throne, on earth upon a colt, beingcarried, O Christ our God, Thou accepted theAngels praise and the childrens extolling Hymns,as they cried out to Thee: Blessed is He Whocomes, fallen Adam to recall again!

Matins Gospe l : Mat thew 21: 1Mat ins Gospe l : Mat thew 21: 1Mat ins Gospe l : Mat thew 21: 1Mat ins Gospe l : Mat thew 21: 1 - --- 11 ; 15 11 ; 15 11 ; 15 11 ; 15 - --- 17171717The Triumphant Entry Into Jerusalem By Our True Messianic King And Lord God Jesus Christ

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

All this was done so that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet, saying: Tell the daughter of Zion, Behold, ThyKing is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, a foal of a donkey.

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

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

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

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

Our Lord Jesus Christs Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem iscelebrated by the Holy Church on Palm Sunday.

By the time of Christ, Jewish Nationalism had led to theexpectation of a political Messiah to deliver them fromRoman oppression and rule and to re-establish KingDavids Kingdom.

In utter Humility, our Lord Jesus emphasised the fact thatHe had not come to establish an earthly Kingdombecause He did not enter Jerusalem on a horse or in achariot like a conquering hero but instead He enteredon a donkey a real sign of His Humility and Peace. (SEETHE BOOK OF ZECHARIAH 9:9 LXX)

b CHRISTS TRIUMPHAL ENTRANCE INTO THE HOLY CITYDECLARED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE KINGDOM

OF ALMIGHTY GOD.

b IT WAS ALSO A DIVINE PROMISE OF OUR LORD JESUSCHRISTS FINAL ENTRANCE INTO THE HEAVENLY

JERUSALEM TOGETHER WITH ALL FAITHFUL

BELIEVERS AND OF HIS ACCEPTING THE NEW

JERUSALEM AS HIS PURE BRIDE. (SEE THE REVELATION OFCHRIST THE APOCALYPSE 21:2)

THE ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH THE NEW JERUSALEM - IS TRULYTHE ALL PURE BRIDE OF CHRIST WHO IS THE DIVINE BRIDEGROOM

St Matthew recorded in his Holy Gospel that there was ACOLT AS WELL AS A DONKEY and our Holy ChurchFathers regard the two animals as REPRESENTING THEFAITHFUL HEBREWS AND THE GENTILES WHO ARE

BROUGHT TOGETHER IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

At Vespers of Palm Sunday we sing: Thy riding upon afoal prefigured how the untamed anduninstructed Gentiles would pass from unbelief toFaith.

Those people who spread their clothes upon the groundbefore our Lord Jesus Christ, did so as a spontaneousgesture of reverence to a great King and it is SpirituallyInterpreted as OUR NEED TO LAY DOWN OUR FLESH ANDINDEED, OUR VERY LIVES, FOR CHRIST.

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


12/2012. DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED P a lm S u n d a y C h r is t s T r iu mp h a l E n t ry I n to J e ru sa le m 17 Ap r i l 201 1

It was recited daily for six days during the Feast ofTabernacles, and seven times on the 7 th Day asbranches were waved.

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

the children, and holding branches in yourhands, sing Hosanna.... many Liturgical Hymns ofthis day emphasise the perfect Praises of the children,which, unlike that of adults, were innocent, fitting,unashamed and from pure Love.

b WE ARE ALL CALLED TO GLORIFY CHRIST IN THE SAMESPIRIT OF UNASHAMED AND PURE LOVE!

In contrast, the adults Praises carried earthly expectationsand hidden agendas which, when left unfulfilled, led

them to rebel against our Lord Jesus Christ just a merefive days later!

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

IN THE CASE OF CHRIST OUR SAVIOUR, THE ENEMIES OF GOD USED THEEARTHLY DESIRES AND EXPECTATIONS OF THE PEOPLE AS AN EXCUSEFOR THEIR UNJUST AND UNLAWFUL PUNISHMENT AND EXECUTION OFCHRIST.

HOWEVER, THE LORD OUR GOD, VOLUNTARILY SUBMITTED TO THEIR EVILSCHEMES SO THAT HE COULD ENTER HADES, SMASH OPEN ITS GATESAND SET THE RIGHTEOUS FREE. FROM THAT MOMENT ONWARDS, THERIGHTEOUS WOULD REPOSE IN PEACE IN PARADISE UNTIL JUDGEMENTDAY.

ProkeimenonProkeimenonProkeimenonProkeimenon

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

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is Good and His Mercy endures forever!The Epis t le o f St Paul to the Phi l ippian s 4 : 4The Epis t le o f St Paul to the Phi l ippians 4 : 4The Epis t le o f St Paul to the Phi l ippian s 4 : 4The Epis t le o f St Paul to the Phi l ippian s 4 : 4 9999

E x h or ta t i on For D a i ly L iv in g T h e S e cre t Of S p i r i tu a l C on te n tme n t

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

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

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

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

The Holy Gospe l According to St John 12 : 1The Holy Gospe l According to St John 12 : 1The Holy Gospe l According to St John 12 : 1The Holy Gospe l According to St John 12 : 1 18181818T h e An o in t in g & T h e T r iu mp h a l E n t ry Of Ou r L ord J e su s C h r is t

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

But Jesus said: Leave her alone; she has kept this for the Day of My Burial. For the poor you have with you

always, but Me you do not have always.Now a great many of the Hebrews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus sake only, but so that they might

also see Lazaros whom He had raised from the dead. However, the Chief Priests plotted to put Lazaros to death also,because on account of him, many of the Hebrews had gone away and believed in Jesus.

The next day a great multitude who had gone to the Feast, when they heard that Jesus was going to Jerusalem, tookbranches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, crying out: Hosanna! Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of theLord! The King of Israel! AndJesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat upon it, as it is written: Fear not,daughter of Zion; behold, yourKing is coming, sitting upon a donkeys colt. His Disciples did not understand thesethings at first; but when Jesus was Glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and thatthey had done these things to Him. Therefore, the people who were with Him when He called Lazaros out of his tomb,and raised him from the dead, bore witness. For that reason the people also met Him because they heard that He had

done that Sign.

This was the third Passover that is mentioned by St Johnthe Divine Theologian in his Holy Gospel and it is thesetting for the final week of our Lord and Savioursearthly Ministry, which is narrated in careful detail.

b OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST HAD ALREADY BEENGLORIFIED THROUGH HIS SIGNS (DIVINE MIRACLES)

AND WORDS, AND IT REMAINED FOR HIM TO BE

ULTIMATELY GLORIFIED THROUGH HIS DEATH AND

RESURRECTION.The other Disciples had made the same sort of comment

as Judas Iscariot concerning the expensive oil ofspikenard but with very different motives to his.

At the house of Simon the Leper (the one grateful leper ina group of ten whom our Lord Jesus had healed) awoman also used very expensive fragrant oil with whichto anoint His Head and although the Disciplesprotested at the extravagance, our Lord accepted thatanointing as an honour from someone who had newlydiscovered Faith in Him.

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

Nevertheless, according to St John Chrysostom, HisDisciples were not wrong in principle because MERCYSHOWN TO THE POOR IS MORE FITTING THAN OUTWARD

SIGNS OR GESTURES SHOWN EVEN TO GOD.(MATTHEW 25:40;JAMES 1:27)

However, the Disciples did not understand thatONCE SUCHA GIFT HAD BEEN GIVEN, IT WAS A GREATER MERCY TO

ACCEPT IT WITH LOVE AGAPE.

If anyone had asked Christ before the woman did this, Hewould not have approved it. But after she had done it,He looked only to the motive itself. For after the

fragrant oil had been poured, what good was arebuke?

Likewise, if you see anyone providing a Sacred Vessel orOrnament for the walls of a church, do not spoil hiszeal. But if beforehand he asks about it, commandhim to give instead to the poor. (ST JOHN CHRYSOSTOM)

JUDAS ISCARIOT WAS MOTIVATED BY HIS INSATIABLE GREED

WHILE THE OTHER DISCIPLES WERE MOTIVATED BY

THEIR VIRTUE OF CHARITY/LOVE.The fact that our Lord Jesus put such a greedy thief like

Judas Iscariot in charge of the money, shows that BYEVERY MEANS POSSIBLE HE TRIED TO SAVE JUDAS

ISCARIOT: Christ fulfilled Judas Iscariots lust for moneyby entrusting him with their limited funds and Heallowed him to exercise Apostolic Authority.

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

FROM THE SAME TABLE OF HIS MYSTICAL SUPPER THE

VERY FIRST HOLY EUCHARIST/COMMUNION.

YET, DESPITE ALL THAT, JUDAS ISCARIOT NEVER OVERCAME

HIS TERRIBLE GREED AND SELFISHNESS.

WHEN JUDAS ISCARIOT IS REFERRED TO AS BEING ONE OF

THE TWELVE, IT EMPHASISES THE DEPTH AND EXTENT

OF HIS FATAL BETRAYAL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

WHO ACCEPTED HIM INTO THE INNER SANCTUM OF HISEARTHLY MINISTRY.

b It proves and emphasises HOW SHOCKING,DEVASTATING AND DANGEROUS THOUGHTLESS,

SELF-SERVING MOTIVES REALLY ARE BOTH

TOWARDS GOD AND OUR FELLOW SINNERS!


13/20DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED P a lm S u n d a y C h r is t s T r iu mp h a l E n t ry I n to J e ru sa le m 17 Ap r i l 201 1 13

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

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

IN OTHERS - WE WILL BE SEVERELY JUDGED DUE TO THE INESTIMABLEAND IRREPARABLE DAMAGE AND HURT IT CAUSES EVERYONECONCERNED!

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

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

ALWAYS BE ABSOLUTELY TRUSTWORTHY TO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD LIKETHEM TO BE TO YOU!!

EXPOSURE OF OUR SINS IS FAR MORE DEVASTING AND SHAMEFUL THAN WECAN BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND SO WE MUST ENSURE THAT WE REMAINSTEADFASTLY RIGHTEOUS AND TRUSTWORTHY THROUGH CONSTANTPRAYERS FOR GUIDANCE AND SPIRITUAL ASSISTANCE!

b BE ASHAMED OF YOUR SINS WHEN YOU COMMIT THEM OR ARETEMPTED TO DO SO, RATHER THAN WHEN YOU REPENT THEM ANDCONFESS THEM BEFORE GOD AND HIS HOLY PRIESTHOOD.

Palm SundayPalm SundayPalm SundayPalm Sunday the Beginning of Holy Weekthe Beginning of Holy Weekthe Beginning of Holy Weekthe Beginning of Holy WeekThroughout the entire history of the known world, men have

conquered other men. Rulers have conquered cities.

Emperors have conquered entire nations.At times, Kings have striven to conquer the entire world.But there remains one uncharted territory that has eluded

men of power all throughout history.This unconquered territory is THE HUMAN HEART, AND ITS

SOLE CONQUEROR IS CHRIST OUR KING.

Today we celebrate together one of the Great Feasts of theHoly Church calendar- the joyous Feast of Palm Sunday.

Today we gather together to celebrate Christs TriumphantEntry into the city of Jerusalem.

Today we celebrate Christ as our King Who enters our ownpersonal Jerusalem - our hearts and souls!

Todays Feast Day is a momentary Festival of Joy andcelebration, because tonight we begin the final leg ofour Journey towards Holy Pascha.

Our mood changes from one of Joy this morning to one of

solemnity - almost of sorrow - this evening as we leadup to the Greatest Sacrifice of all that our Lord andSaviour, Jesus Christ performed for us on His Cross.

The Feast of Palm Sunday has been celebrated in our HolyChurch since the ear

Documents

SACRED LESSONS -A P R I L 2 0 1 1