2016 April Sacred Lessons

7/26/2019 2016 April Sacred Lessons

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2/182. 4 4T H

SU N D A Y AF T E R PE N T E C O S T 7T H TR I O D I O N 3 R D L E N T VE N E R A T I O N O F T H E HO L Y CR O S S - 3 AP R I L 2 0 1 6

HY M N S AF T E R T H E SM A L L EN T R A N C E

RE S U R R E C T I O N AP O L Y T I K I O N TO N E 3

Evfrenestho ta Ourania, Agaliastho ta Epigia, oti epiiseKratos en Vrahioni Aftou O Kyrios. Epatise to Thanatoton Thanaton.Prototokos ton nekron egeneto. Ek kiliasAdou errisato imas ke pareshe to kosmo to Mega Eleos.

Let the Heavens Rejoice and let the Earth be glad, for theLord 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 Rescued us, and to the world He has granted GreatMercy.

TR I O D I O N AP O L Y T I K I O N VE N E R A T I O N O F T H E HO L Y CR O S STO N E ( 6 ) PL A G A L 2

Soson Kyrie ton Laon Sou, ke Evlogison tin KlironomianSou, Nikas tis efsevesi kata varvaron doroumenos, ke toSon filatton, dia tou Stavrou Sou politevma

O Lord, Save Thy people and Bless Thine Inheritance,granting Orthodox Christians victory over theirenemies, and guarding Thy commonwealth with ThyCross

SE A S O N A L KO N T A K I O N EV E R BL E S S E D TH E O T O K O S

Ti Ipermaho Stratigo ta Nikitiria Os Litrothisa ton dinonEfharistiria Anagrafo Si i Polis Sou Theotoke All osehousa to Kratos aprosmahiton ek pantion me kindinoneleftheroson ina krazo Si: Here Nimfi Animfevte!

Unto Thee, O Theotokos Invincible Champion, Thy City inThanksgiving ascribes the Victory for the Deliverancefrom sufferings. But having Thy Might unassailable,free me from all dangers so that I may cry out to Thee:Hail! O Bride Ever Virgin!

IN S T E A D O F T H E TR I S A G I O N HY M N

Ton Stavron Sou Proskinoumen, Despota, ke tin Agian SouAnastasin Doxazomen[3]

Doxa Patri, ke Io, ke Agio Pnevmati ke nin ke Ai ke istous eonas ton eonon.

AminKe tin Agian Sou Anastasin DoxazomenDynamis!Ton Stavron Sou Proskinoumen, Despota, ke tin Agian Sou

Anastasin Doxazomen

Thy Cross, O Master, we Reverence, and we Glorify ThyHoly Resurrection [3]

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the HolySpirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

AmenAnd Thy Holy Resurrection we Glorify

Power/Strength

Thy Cross, O Master, we Reverence, and we Glorify ThyHoly Resurrection

TR I O D I O N PR O K E I M E N O N PS A L M 2 7 / 2 8 TO N E ( 6 ) PL A G A L 2Save, O Lord, Thy People, and Bless Thine Inheritance, and shepherd them, and raise them up forever!

To Thee, O Lord, I cry: O my God, do not pass over me in silence! May Thou never be silent, lest I become like those

who go down into the Pit!

TH E EP I S T L E O F ST PA U L T O T H E HE B R E W S 4 : 1 4 5 : 6O U R M E R C I F U L H I G H P R I E S T & Q U A L I F I C A T I O N F O R T H E E T E R N A L , HO L Y P R I E S T H O O D

Brethren: ... seeing then that we have a Great High Priest Who has passed through the Heavens Jesus, the Son of God let us hold fast our Confession. For we do not have a High Priest Who cannot sympathise with our weaknesses, butWho was - in all points - tempted as we are yet without sin.

Let us therefore come boldly to the Throne of Grace, so that we may obtain Mercy and find Grace to help in the time ofneed. For every High Priest taken from among men is appointed for mankind in things pertaining to God, that hemay offer both Gifts and Sacrifices for sins. He can have Compassion for those who are ignorant and going astraysince he himself is also subject to weakness, and because of this, he is required as for the people, so also forhimself to offer Sacrifices for sins. And no man takes this honour to himself, but he who is Called by God just asAaron was - so also Christ did not Glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He Who said to Him: Thou art MySon: today I have Begotten Thee. As He also said in another place: Thou art a Priest forever according to theOrder of Melchizedek.

OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IS OUR ONLY HIGH PRIEST TRUE,DIVINE

HEAD OF HIS ETERNAL,HOLY CHURCH.The expression ... passed through the Heavens... refers

to the Ascension into Heaven by our Resurrected LordJesus Christ when He returned to His rightful Divine

Position in Eternity at the right hand of God theFather.

However, it is important to keep in mind that GOD, BEINGOMNIPRESENT,NEVER LEAVES EITHER HIS HEAVENLY KINGDOM

NOR US ON EARTH. HE IS EVER PRESENT BUT INVISIBLE TO US

WATCHING OVER Us unless we enter a state of SpiritualDeath (sin) then HE TURNS HIS SIGHT AWAY FROM US UNTIL

WE REPENT AND RETURN TO A STATE OF SPIRITUAL LIFE.Our Lords Ascension into Heaven means that HE HAS

ACCOMPLISHED HIS DIVINE MISSION ON EARTH AND HASENTERED INTO HIS SABBATH REST.

OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST HAS GREAT EMPATHY WITH HIS CREATURES and especially with us sinners, since HE EXPERIENCEDTHE TEMPTATIONS OF THE EVIL ONE IN HIS HUMAN NATURE,

EVEN THOUGH HE REMAINED SINLESS.

AS

GOD

-MAN

, OUR

LORD

JESUS WAS INCAPABLE OF COMMITTING

ANY SIN WHATSOEVER BECAUSE IT WAS ABSOLUTELY AGAINST HIS

PERFECT NATURE.Christ showed us by His own Example that IT IS INDEED

POSSIBLE TO RESIST TEMPTATION although for us it is aneven greater Spiritual Struggle that lasts until we havedrawn our last breath.

The Ever Blessed Theotokos and St John the Baptist wereso devoted to the Will of God that THEIR LOVE FOR HIMCOMPELLED THEM TO BE HUMBLY OBEDIENT,WHICH IS WHAT WE

TOO MUST ALWAYS STRIVE TO ACHIEVE.Our Lord Jesus Christ is Enthroned at the right hand side

of God the Father the position of honour and HE ISSEATED ON A THRONE OF GRACE RATHER THAN A THRONE OF

JUDGEMENT,GRANTING HIS GREATMERCY AND DIVINE GRACETO HELP US IN TIMES OF NEED.

A PRIEST USUALLY STANDS WHILE SERVING OUR LORD GOD. Hecan never be seated while doing so, for that would beutterly disrespectful.

(That is also why we should be standing at all times throughout the

Holy Services. Now that we have pews or chairs in our churches,

we should only rest on theedge of the seat if need be, ready to

stand and worship with our entire bodies.)

THERE IS SIGNIFICANT POWER IN OUR ENTHRONED HIGH PRIEST,

FOR HE HAS ACCOMPLISHED AND FULFILLED ALL THE NECESSARY

SACRIFICIAL OFFERINGS FOR ALL TIME!

(The Holy Icon of 0ur Lord Jesus Christ, depicted as a High Priest, isusually situated on the Bishops Throne in every Orthodox

Church reminding us that there is only one Divine Head and

that the Bishop acts on His Behalf. Thus we should obey the will

of the Bishop as though it was the Divine Will of Christ.)

In order to qualify as an Old Covenant Priest, a man waschosen from among men i.e. another male humanbeing who was appointed for men specifically forLiturgical Service. He had to offer the blood Sacrifices


3/18 4 4T H

SU N D A Y AF T E R PE N T E C O S T 7T H TR I O D I O N 3 R D L E N T VE N E R A T I O N O F T H E HO L Y CR O S S - 3 AP R I L 2 0 1 6 3

to God for his and the peoples sins. He had to becompassionate towards others and he had to beCalled by God to serve Him.

In the Aaronic Priesthood A PRIEST IDENTIFIED HIMSELF WITHHUMANITY AND HAD GREAT SYMPATHY FOR EVERYONE BECAUSE

HE SINNED AS MUCH AS OTHERS SINNED IN THE SIGHT OF GOD.

The Blood Sacrifices were vicarious offerings of variousanimals, according to the sins that had beencommitted.

OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST ASSUMED AND FULFILLED THE OLD

COVENANT PRIESTHOOD FOR JUST LIKE MELCHIZEDEK, HE IS

BOTH PRIEST AND KING.HOWEVER,HE HAS NEVER SINNED I.E.HE CANNOT SIN AND HIS

GREAT SACRIFICE WAS THE BLOOD SACRIFICE OF HIMSELF,

WHILE HIS PERFECT, ETERNAL PRIESTHOOD CONTINUES IN HISHOLY CHURCH FOR EVERMORE.

TH E HO L Y GO S P E L AC C O R D I N G T O ST MA R K 8 : 3 4 9 : 1O U R LO R D S D I V I N E T E A C H I N G O F E T E R N A L L I F E & B E I N G GO O D , FA I T H F U L D I S C I P L E S

At that time, when our Lord Jesus had called the people to Himself, with His Disciples also, He said to them: Whoever

desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his Cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires tosave his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the Gospels will Save it.

For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give inexchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My Words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of

him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the Glory of His Father with the Holy Angels.And He said to them: Truly, I say to you: there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the

Kingdom of God present with Power.

THE CROSS, which was the most dreaded andinhumane instrument of Roman torture andexecution, HAS BECOME FOR ALL STRUGGLING DISCIPLESOF CHRIST A HOLY SYMBOL OF OUR SPIRITUAL STRUGGLE

AND SUFFERING,IN IMITATIONOF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR,JESUS CHRIST.

THE HOLY CROSS OF CHRIST IS OUR MOSTVENERATED BADGEOF HONOURWHEREBY WE LIVE AND DIE IN CHRIST.

WE PRACTICE SELF-DENIAL FOR THE SAKE OF OUR LOVE OF GOD ANDHIS HOLY GOSPELand our acceptance of this part of ourSacred Mission is certainly not a form of punishment,nor is it an end in itself, but rather, IT IS A MEANS OFOVERCOMING AND DEFEATING THE FALLEN WORLD FOR THE

SAKE OF GODS HEAVENLY, ETERNAL KINGDOM OF LOVE, JOY

AND PEACE.

Therefore we take up our personal Crosses and FollowChrist by CRUCIFYING THE DEMANDS AND DESTRUCTIVEPASSIONS OF OUR WEAK FLESH AND BY SO DOING, WE

STRENGTHEN OUR IMMORTAL SOULS AND GRADUALLY BECOME

WORTHY,SANCTIFIED CITIZENS OF ETERNAL LIFE. GAL AT IA NS 5:24 : ... those who are Christs have

crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.The central paradox of our Life in Christ is that whenever

we try to grasp temporal (earthly) things, we lose the

Eternal, Priceless Treasures of Heaven.However, WHEN WE LEARN SELF-DENIAL AND REPENTANCE, AND

WE SACRIFICE OR RESIST THE TEMPTATION OF ALL WORLDLY

THINGS, WE GAIN UNTOLD AND UNIMAGINABLE ETERNAL

RICHES!What will a man give in exchange for his soul? is a

most profound question because it emphasises theutter foolishness of trying to accumulate WORLDLYPOSSESSIONS AND TEMPORARY SOCIAL STATUS OR POWER for

NONE OF THESE CAN REDEEM OUR FALLEN, UNREPENTANT

IMMORTAL SOUL.

NOTHING OF THIS TEMPORARY, MATERIAL WORLD BENEFITS USIN ETERNITY. THEREFORE, WE MUST RESIST THE

TEMPTATIONS THAT DISTRACT US AND LEAD US ASTRAY AND

CAUSE US TO FALL INTO SPIRITUAL DEATH.

Let us rather take up our heavy Crosses of earthlylife AND FOLLOW CHRIST OUR SAVIOUR,WHO LEADS US

SAFELY TO OUR HEAVENLY DESTINATION. Let us use every minute of our lifespan LIVING IN

CHRIST AND SEEKING ONLY THE SPIRITUAL QUALITIES

AND NECESSITIES TO ADVANCE US AND TO BENEFIT US

ETERNALLY.

Let us CONSTANTLY OFFER THANKSGIVING TO OUR LIVINGGOD WHO IS INFINITELY MERCIFUL, GRACIOUS AND

BENEVOLENT.

BE GRATEFUL FOR ALL YOUR BLESSINGS WHICH FAR

OUTWEIGH ALL THE THINGS YOU MAY THINK YOU WANT

OR NEED! Let us MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO IMITATE CHRISTour Lord

Who clearly and concisely shows us thatEVERYTHING GOOD IS INDEED POSSIBLE in this poor,tragic and darkened fallen world.

Finally, those who would ... see the Kingdom of Godpresent with Power...was a reference to OUR LORDJESUS CHRISTS TRANSFIGURATION ON MOUNT TABOR,which three of His closest Apostles witnessedshortly before His Great Passion and Resurrection.

It is also a reference to THOSE FAITHFUL DISCIPLES OF CHRISTIN EVERY GENERATION WHO WILL EXPERIENCE THE TRUEPRESENCE OF GODS KINGDOM

4 4T H SU N D A Y AF T E R PE N T E C O S T 7T H O F TR I O D I O N 3 R D O F GR E A T L E N TSU N D A Y O F T H E VE N E R A T I O N O F CH R I S T S HO L Y L I F E-G I V I N G CR O S S

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of theHoly Spirit... Amen

Beloved Brethren in Christ: We are questioned in puzzled

astonishment by non-Christians non Believers - whosay to us: ... you bow down to the tool of execution?You revere a God crucified upon the cross? But the

Death of God on a shameful piece of wood is a

counter-intuitive concept!

Yes, indeed, the Cross is indeed "...foolishness to the wiseand a stumbling-block to the Jews."

However, my Beloved, we do not seek Christ our Lord andSaviour through such narrow, created, natural logic.

In our Lord Jesus Christ is revealed the Higher Logic ofLove - the Logic of Truth - and this Divine Love of ourLoving Creator is Victorious over the limited logic ofour human mind.

The higher Logic of Truth, which is only revealed inChrist, is unattainable to the prideful reason of our

created human mind, which has abandoned theLight of Reason.The (empty) Life-giving Cross - as the Symbol of the

Eternal Power of God, of His Love for all mankind - willalways be kept in the highest and most honouredplace by us Orthodox Christians, and we will nevercease to bow down before It, as It is the Source of ourEternal Joy and Consolation.

Yes, my Beloved, the Cross is our Joy and our Strength."By this Sign, conquer!"proclaimed Divine Providence to

the pious Emperor Constantine the Great.And this same Holy, Life-giving Cross symbolised our own

Victory since the moment our Lord Jesus ChristDivine Love Himselfcame down to mankind - andespecially, since the day of His Crucifixion, followedby His Glorious Resurrection days later!

The Holy Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ is the genuineEvidence of God's Love for all mankind.

Christianity is once again suffering under indescribable,horrific persecution, and the Holy Symbol ofChristianity the Holy Life-giving Cross - is mocked bythose who are ignorant of Divine Truth and enslavedby their Spiritual Darkness and Death.

Many Christians are embarrassed to cross themselves!It just isn't donetoday! they protest.

Yet ONLY THE TRUE CHRISTIANITY OF THE CROSS WILLULTIMATELY TRIUMPH OVER THE FALLEN,DEVASTATED ANDENSLAVED WORLD!

We state unequivocally: WHERE ATTENTION TO CHRIST'SCROSS WANES,WHERE ITS TRUE MEANING AND POWER ARE

DIMINISHED, WHERE FAITH IN OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR,

JESUS CHRIST AS GOD-MAN, AS THE ONLYCOMPASSIONATE, LOVING AND BENEVOLENT SAVIOUR OFTHE WORLD, WEAKENS, THERE CHRISTIANITY'S POWER IS

SUBVERTED!


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SU N D A Y AF T E R PE N T E C O S T 7T H TR I O D I O N 3 R D L E N T VE N E R A T I O N O F T H E HO L Y CR O S S - 3 AP R I L 2 0 1 6

It is not through concessions to natural reasoning butTHROUGH DEVOTION TO CHRIST'S CROSS AND THROUGH

PREACHING THE CROSS THAT THE PATH TO VICTORY OVER

EVIL LIES - the evil under which the entire worldnow groans in horror and agony.

Preparing for the Glory of the Eternal Pascha, we bowdown before the Holy, Life-giving Cross.

Already in anticipation - we praise our Lords Victoriousand Holy Resurrection.

Hurry, all those who are faithful to Christ!Hasten to venerate His Life-giving, Glorious Cross!For only by standing before our Lord's Cross can we

begin to understand God, can we begin to see theRighteous Narrow Path described by DivineProvidence, and can we begin to really Love. Obeyand serve our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Holiness and Love intersect on His Holy Cross.The Life-giving Cross condemns and defeats the sin that

separates us from God, for Divine Love shines forth

from that Sacred Cross, which Unites us with God, andpromises us Eternal Resurrection!

The Life-giving Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ beckons us,while Golgotha calls out to us, and today's Golgotha ofChristianity compels us to Love the Crucified One, andthrough Him, to Love each other unconditionally asHe Loves all mankind unconditionally!!

May our thoughts and remembrance of those who areseparated from us and from each other meet again atthe foot of our Lord and Saviours Holy Life-givingCross: spouses, friends, relatives and all who are trulyBrothers and Sisters in Christ.

Amen.

BISHOP MITROFAN (ZNOSKO -BOROVSKY ,+2002)OF BOSTON:SERMON ON THE SUNDAY OF THE VENERATION OF THE CROSSHTTP://WWW.RUSSIANORTHODOXCHURCH.WS/SYNOD/ENGROCOR/ENSER_BPMIT

ROFANCROSS.HTML

ST. TH E O P H A N T H E RE C L U S E O N FA S T I N G

Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth aman.(TTHEW 15:11)

Our Lord Jesus Christ did not caution us with these wordsbecause He did not approve of Fasting nor becauseHe considered Fasting unnecessary.

Indeed, He Himself Fasted, and taught His Disciples to doso, and established Fasts in His Holy Church.

Our Saviour said these words to each and every one of us- not to discourage Fasting but rather because whileFasting from food - we should not merely limitourselves to eating far less than usual, and avoidcooked, tasty food, but should we also refrain fromindulging the appetites, the demands and thepassionate inclinations of our flesh!!

This is the Spiritual Fast, which, of course, is the mostimportant aspect of Fasting of self-denial and self-discipline.

Fasting from food, in its turn, serves a powerful means ofaccomplishing the more important Spiritual Fast!

Our wicked passions are rooted in the flesh, so when ourflesh is weakened through Fasting through self-

denial - then it is as though our passions have beenundermined and weakened and with moredetermination, we will be able to resist thosedemanding, deceptive and destructive temptations,thereby growing Spiritually Stronger with each battle.

On the other hand, to overcome the passions withoutFasting and Prayer would be as remarkable asstanding in a fire without being burnt.

How is it possible for those who continually indulge theirflesh with food, sleep and rest to maintain any sort ofattention and purpose in Spiritual Matters?

For such people to turn from the earth, directing theirattention to invisible things against which we mustcontinually struggle, is just as difficult as it is for birdwith a broken wing to try to fly freely again!!

H T T P : / / O R T H O D O X W A Y O F L I F E . B L O G S P O T .C O.Z A/2010/02 / S T-T H E O P H A N -R E CL US E -O N-F A S T I N G . H T M L

RE CO G N I S I N G T H E RE A L I T Y O F O UR SI N F U L ST A T E - ST. BA S I L O F PO I A N A MA R U L U IWe sin every day - at times unconsciously or out of

forgetfulness, without intending to or involuntarily, orbecause of weakness - we sin every day willingly andunwillingly.

Because of our human nature and Spiritual Weakness wesin every day voluntarily and involuntarily.

And this is exactly what St Paul the Great Holy Apostle ofChrist meant when he wrote: ...I do what I do notwant - and what I do not want, is what I do!(ROMANS7:15)

All of us commit excusable sins without asking to beexcused!!

Or rather, we fall into sins that can be forgiven - and yet

we feel no contrition and thus become guilty ofGods Judgment and bring Gods Wrath uponourselves.

In the words of an ancient saying: ...we have made ahabit of sitting with her own free will that is, we areconsciously aware of committing sins and have

developed the habit of sitting with our own free will.(This means that we choose to ignore our sins, or are always ready

with an excuse to justify them, but seldom, with all due Humility,

bowing down before God and beseeching His Forgiveness, and

then making a determined effort not to continue committing the

same old, habitual sins!! mp)

BE EV E R WA T C H F U L O V E R Y O U R S E L F - S T . N I K O D E M O S T H E HA G I O R I T E

So, Brethren, since the enemy watches you constantly,waiting for an opportunity to sow evil in you, be

doubly Watchful over yourself, lest you fall into thenets spread for you!

As soon as he shows you some fault in yourneighbour, hasten to repel this thought, lest it

take root in you and grow.

Cast it out, so that no trace is left in you, and replaceit by the thought of the good qualities you know

your neighbour to possess, or of those people

generally should have.

If you still feel the impulse to pass judgement, add tothis the Truth - that you are given no Authority forthis and that the moment you assume this

Authority you thereby make yourself worthy of

Judgement and Condemnation - not beforepowerless men - but before God, the All-PowerfulJudge of all.

SU R R E N D E R I N G CO M P L E T E L Y T O T H E L O R D O U R GO D ST MA K A R I O S T H E GR E A T O F EG Y P T

How is it possible that in the face of so many Exhortationsand Promises, we still refuse to accept totally to go toHim and surrender ourselves completely to Him?

How can we refuse, as the Gospel says, to deny all otherthings, even our own soul and to seek Him alone withour Love and give it to nothing else? (LUKE 14:26)

But, behold! All these Things and such Glory given!Look at all the Loving Dispositions of God manifested in

the times of the Fathers and the Prophets!What Promises! And what Exhortations! What Great Mercy

of the Lord has been shown us from the verybeginning!

Finally, in His own Coming on this Earth He hasshown to us an Ineffable Kindness through His

Crucifixion in order to Convert us and bring us into

Life.And yet, we do not will to give up our love for the world,

nor our evil tendencies and habits.In this way we show ourselves to be persons of little or

absolutely no Good Faith!And in spite of all this, He still shows Himself Kind to us.He Protects and Cherishes us invisibly - not turning us

over (according to our sinful deserts) to the deceits ofevil and the world.

He, in His Great Compassion and Long-Suffering,

Watches from Above, waiting for the time we shall

Return to Him.


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SU N D A Y AF T E R PE N T E C O S T - 8T H TR I O D I O N - 4T H L E N T ST JO H N KL I M A K O S 1 0AP R I L 2 0 1 6 5

Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All AfricaArchdiocese of Good Hope

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. Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glorious Lady, Maria,

Theotokos, yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole

Life to Christ our God. Amen.

Tone 4 10 April 2016

45thSunday After Pentecost 8thof Triodion4thSunday of Great Lent St John Klimakos

Also the Feast of St Terence, St Pompeios, St Afrikanos, St Maximos, St Zeno, St Alexander, StTheodore, St Makarios, and their fellow Martyrs of Carthage St James the Presbyter, StAzadanes & St Abdikios the Deacons of Persia Hoy Mothers and Holy Martyrs ofKvabtakhevi Monastery, Georgia

RE S U R R E C T I O N GO S P E L GO S P E L 1 - MA T T H E W 2 8 : 1 6 - 2 0

RE S U R R E C T I O N AP O L Y T I K I O N TO N E 4

To fedron tis Anastaseos Kirigma ek tou AngelouMathouse e tou Kyriou Mathitrie ke tin Progonikinapofasin aporipsase, tis Apostolis kafhomene elegon.

Eskilefte O Thanatos, igerthi Hristos O Theos,doroumenos to kosmo to Mega Eleos.

When the Women Disciples of the Lord had learnt fromthe Angels the Glad Tidings of the Resurrection thathad cast away the Condemnation of their Forefather,

they spoke exultingly to the Apostles: Death is nomore! Christ-God is Risen, granting to the world GreatMercy.

FE S T A L AP O L Y T I K I O N ST JO H N KL I M A K O S TO N E ( 8 ) PL A G A L 4

Tes ton dakrion Sou roes, tis erimou to Agonon Egeorgisas,ke tis ek vathou stenagmis, is ekaton tous ponousekarpoforisas. Ke gegonas Fostir, ti Ikoumeni Lampontis Thavmasin, Ioanni Patir imon Osie. Presveve Hristoto Theo, Sothine tas psihas imon.

With rivers of Thy tears Thou made the desert bloom; andwith Thy sighs from deep within; Thou made ThyLabours bear Fruits a hundredfold; and Thou became aStar, illuminating the world by Thy Miracles, O John,our devout Father: Intercede with Christ our God forthe Salvation of our souls.

SE A S O N A L KO N T A K I O N EV E R BL E S S E D TH E O T O K O S TO N E ( 5 ) PL A G A L 1

Ti Ipermaho Stratigo ta Nikitiria, os litrothisa ton dinonEfharistiria, anagrafo Si i Polis Sou Theotoke. All osehousa to Kratos aprosmahiton, ek pantion me kindinon

eleftheroson, ina krazo Si:

Here Nimfi Animfevte!

To Thee, O Theotokos, Invincible Defender, having beenDelivered from peril, I, Thy City, dedicate the VictoryFestival as a Thanksgiving Offering. In ThineIrresistible Might, keep me Free from all Trials, so thatI may call out to Thee: Hail, O Unwedded Bride!

TR I O D I O N PR O K E I M E N O N PS A L M 1 0 3 / 1 0 4 TO N E 4

OLord, Thy Works shall be magnified greatly! Thou made all things in Wisdom!Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, Thou art exceedingly Magnified!

TH E EP I S T L E O F ST PA U L T O T H E HE B R E W S 6 : 1 3 2 0TH E LO R D O U R GO D CO N F I R M S HI S DI V I N E PR O M I S E B Y A SA C R E D OA T H

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 an Oath 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 strongConsolation, 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 ofMelchizedek.

THE PROMISE THAT GOD MADE TO STABRAHAM CONCERNEDa sonwho would be born to him and his equally elderlyand barren wife, St Sarah AN HEIR THROUGH WHOM GODWOULD GREATLY MULTIPLY HIS FAMILY.

The two immutable Things refer to GODS DIVINE PROMISEAND GODS DIVINE OATH.

Behind the Veil is a reference to THE HEAVENLY ALTAR,

WHICH IS SERVED BY OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRISTWHO IS OUR ONE AND ONLY MOST HIGH PRIEST OF THE

ETERNAL HOLY PRIESTHOOD ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF

MELCHIZEDEK an ancient King and Priest of the OldCovenant whose Holy Priesthood was equally Eternal.

TH E HO L Y GO S P E L AC C O R D I N G T O ST MA R K 9 : 1 7 - 3 1O FA I T H L E S S G E N E R A T I O N !

At that time, one of the crowd said to our Lord Jesus Christ: Teacher, I brought Thee my son who has a mute spirit. Andwherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke

to Thy Disciples, that they could cast it out, but they could not.

He answered him and said: O faithless generation! How long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you?

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 ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth. And He asked his father: How long has this beenhappening to him? And he said: From childhood. And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into thewater to destroy him. But if Thou can do anything, have Compassion on us and help us. Jesus said to him: If youcan believe, all things are possible to him who believes. And immediately the father of the child cried out withtears: 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 dumbspirit: I command you, come out of him, and enter him no more!And the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly,


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and went out of him. And he became as though dead, so that many said: he is dead! And Jesus took him by thehand 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 tothem: This kind can come out by nothing but Prayer and Fasting.

And they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it. For He taught HisDisciples: The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men who will kill Him. And after He is dead, Hewill rise the Third Day.

According to St Matthews account of this incident, THEDESPERATE FATHER OF THE EPILEPTIC BOY HAD KNELT DOWN

BEFORE OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, WHICH REVEALED HISHUMILITY BEFORE SUCH A POWERFUL TEACHER AND HOLYPERSON,EVEN THOUGH HE LACKED PERSONAL FAITH IN GOD.

Although His Disciples also were lacking in their absoluteFaith in God, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST REBUKED NOT ONLYTHEM AND ALL THOSE WHO WITNESSED THE INCIDENT,BUT ALSOTHE FATHER OF THE YOUNG BOY, WHICH PREVENTED THEHEALING OF HIS BELOVED SON.

Although OUR LORD JESUS defended the abilities of HisDisciples and Apostles before the gathered multitude,He later REBUKED THEM IN PRIVATE for their weak Faithand trust in the Divine Mercy and Power of AlmightyGod.

Christ thereby teaches us that WHEN WE CORRECT OTHERS,WEMUST NOT HUMILIATE OR EMBARRASS THEM,ESPECIALLY BEFOREWITNESSES WHO MAY NOT UNDERSTAND ONES CONCERN ORLOVING MOTIVATION FOR CORRECTING THOSE WHO ARE

STUMBLING OR WHO HAVE ALREADY FALLEN.

EVERYTHING WE DO TO ENCOURAGE, ASSIST, GUIDE OR TEACH

OTHERS MUST ALWAYS WITHOUT FAIL BE DONE WITHAGAPE UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.

FURTHERMORE, THOSE WHO ARE BEING CORRECTED MUSTACCEPT CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM OR SPIRITUAL GUIDANCEWITH UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION OF THE WELL

INTENTIONEDACT OF LOVE.

Besides that, 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 IMPORTANTVIRTUES AND CAN MEAN THAT WE HAVEFALLEN INTO THE VICES OF PRIDE, ARROGANCE ANDDISOBEDIENCE TO GOD.

THE DISCIPLINE OF OUR HOLY CHURCH IS BASED ON OUR MUTUALCORRECTION 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 PRIMARY CONCERNBEING THE SALVATION OF THE OFFENDER.

CORRECTION OF OUR ERRORS IS ESSENTIAL SO THAT WE DO NOTDRAW OTHERS INTO SIN AS WELL:

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

This means that IN THE HOLY CHURCH OF CHRIST WE AREPROTECTED FROM THE DESTRUCTIVE POWER OF SATAN.

HOWEVER, THIS HOLY PROTECTION WILL BE REMOVED FROM US

THROUGH EXCOMMUNICATIONIN THE HOPE THATAS 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 andRebellion 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 OF THELUSTS OF THE FLESH rather than the destruction of ourbody.

GALATIANS 6 : 1 Brethren: if (anyone) is overtaken inany trespass, you who are Spiritual restore sucha (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,STJAMES AND ST JOHN, WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE REBUKE,

since they had been on Mount Tabor with our LordJesus Christ, where they had witnessed His GloriousTransfiguration.

THIS KIND... of evil spirit DEMONIC POSSESSION THAT CAUSESNOT 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, UNSHAKABLEFAITH,SINCERE AND HUMBLE PRAYER AND BOTH SPIRITUAL ANDPHYSICAL FASTING,FOR THERE IS NO HEALING AND NO VICTORYIN 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 HEALING AND THEPERSON WHO PERFORMS THE HEALING,MUST HAVE UNWAVERINGFAITH INALMIGHTY GOD, must constantly Pray for DivineAssistance and Grace and Fast properly.

Our Lord Jesus Christ revealed His approaching Deathand 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 THE DIVINEWILL OF OUR HEAVENLY FATHER, ACCEPTED HIS ULTIMATEBLOOD SACRIFICE WILLINGLY AND FREELY OUT OF GODSINFINITE LOVE OF MANKIND for it was the final andgreatest of all Blood Sacrifices for mankinds Salvation the greatest Blood Sacrifice that Redeemed allmankind so that NEVER AGAIN WOULD WE HAVE TO OFFERTEMPORARY BLOOD SACRIFICES FOR THE ATONEMENT 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 EUCHARISTcontinuouslyRepenting our sins and joyfully accepting theongoing Forgiveness of Christ our Saviour, whichgrants us Eternal Life in His Divine Kingdom of Love,Peace and Joy.

BECAUSE WE CONTINUE TO COMMIT SIN, WE MUST CONTINUE TOREPENT AND BESEECH GODS DIVINE FORGIVENESS SO THATWHEN OUR TIME COMES TO LEAVE THIS PREPARATORY PERIOD OFTEMPORARY LIFE,WE SHALL BE IN A STATE OF SPIRITUAL LIFEa state 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 FULLY

UNDERSTAND THE FULL TRUTH AND SIGNIFICANCE OF CHRISTSCLEAR WORDS YET THEY DID NOT USE THE OPPORTUNITY TO FINDOUT WHAT EVERYTHING WOULD MEAN TO THEM.

Similarly, many of us today, could not bother to SEEKDIVINE TRUTH AND UNDERSTANDING,which is granted to usonce we honestly begin our Spiritual Journey.

THE MORE WE SEEK DIVINE TRUTH WITH A SPIRITUAL YEARNING FORA CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH ALMIGHTY GOD, THE MORE HEGRANTS 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 IS UPTO US TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO LEARN HIS DIVINE AND

ABSOLUTE TRUTHconcerning everything to do with thePurpose of this temporary life and Eternity the Age tocome which is never ending and a very consciousstate more consciously aware than at present!!

48T HSUN D A Y AF T E R PE N T E C O S T 8T H O F TR I O D I O N 4T H O F GR E A T L E N T SU N D A Y O F ST JO H N KL I M A KO S (O F T H E LA D D E R)

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of theHoly Spirit. Amen

The Holy Eastern Orthodox Church dedicates the FourthSunday of Great Lent to the memory of St JohnKlimakos -of the Ladder - being the Inspired author

of the excellent book of Spiritual Instruction: TheLadder of Divine Ascent.

There is a deeper meaning to this dedication - after all, theLenten Fast is entirely connected with Repentance-Confession.


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But what does it mean to Repent? Only to identify andexpose our sins, and to Confess: I have sinned? No!

This is not enough for our True Repentance!To Repent means we must thoroughly completely -

change our sinful thoughts and feelings, our sinfulwords and deeds.

To Repent means unreservedly correcting ourselves so thatwe become Righteous Disciples of Christ we becomevery different to our fallen ways and habitual sins! We

become worthy Faithful Disciples of Christ!It is good to admit our sins - to feel the weight and pain of

our wickedness - which should then compel us to seek

Spiritual Cleansing, Forgiveness and Healing.But in place of a defiled life made straight - Purified - byour Lord Jesus Christ through our genuine, sincereRepentance, we need to begin a New Life in Christ - aGood, Fulfilled Life according to the Spirit and Teachngsof our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

We need Spiritual Growth and Development we need toSpiritually Ascend "...from strength to Strength..." asthough slowly and surely climbing up the Sacred Stepsof a Spiritual Ladder that reaches into Gods HeavenlyKingdom of Eternal Love.

St John of the Ladder left us a remarkable work entitled:The Ladder of Divine Ascent, which contains clearInstructions on how we may Ascend that SpiritualLadder to finally reach our awaiting Lord.

All Christian Growth and Progress is achieved only through

our personal Ascetic Labours each according ourpersonal ability our strengths and weaknesses.

When our Lord God grants us His Divine Grace that enablesus to fulfil His Divine Teachings and Commandmentswhile we Journey along the Narrow Path towardsEternity and His Heavenly Kingdom, then we must makeevery effort to achieve self-denial, self-discipline and tofulfil our Sacred Labours with Love and an eagerness toalways please God and to freely obey His Will, ratherthan our own!

The Ladder of Divine Ascent consists of thirty Homilies(Chapters), or Steps, according to our Lord JesusChrists (human) age when He began His publicMinistry.

At the First Step, St John Klimakos placed the Renunciationof earthly attachments.

Thereafter he teaches us about Detachment, Life in Exile,Obedience, Repentance, Remembrance of Death, Tears,and Meekness.

The toxic passions and other sinful states are revealed, andInstructions are given for our constant Spiritual Warfareand Struggle against them.

St John Klimakos also Enlightens us concerning the HolyPath of the Virtues - the Mother of which is "...Holy andBlessed..." Prayer.

The Ladder of Divine Ascent is crowned by the Union ofthree most significant and Holy VirtuesFaith, Hope,and Love.

St John Klimakos lived in the sixth century, and hadreceived a very good education.

When he reached the age of sixteen, he Renounced theworld by entering the Monastery of St Savva on MountSinai, where he was tonsured a Monk four years later,

by Elder Martyrios, with whom he lived in total Humilityand Obedience for twenty years.

The Raithu Monastery Monk, Daniel, in his writingsconcerning St John Klimakos, mentioned that even as ayouth of sixteen, St John had ascended Mount Athos in

body, but in soul he had already Ascended the HeavenlyHeights.

After his Elder had Reposed in Peace, St John departed toThola in the Sinai Desert where he remained for fortyyears, performing Great Ascetic Labours, with ceaselessPrayer and with deep compunction of heart and tears.

His cell was a small cave, which others referred to as being

"tear-streaming, due to his continuous tears for notonly his own sins, but also those of the fallen world.St John Klimakos had left the Coenobium so that other

Monks would neither hear, nor witness his ceaseless,heart-broken lamentations.

His entire Life in Christ consisted of constant Fasting,Prayer, Tears of Contrition, Silence, and writing.

He went to the Monastery every Saturday and Sunday forHoly Services, to receive the Holy Mysteries, and toconverse with the Brethren.

After forty years of Ascetic Labours, St John was chosen asAbbot of Sinai - an appointment that had been foreseenmany years previously (when Elder Martyrios visitedwith his young disciple, John) by St Anastasios theGreat, who had enquired: "Who is this youth, and whotonsured him?"

St Martyrios the Elder had answered: "He is thy servant,Father, and I tonsured him." Whereupon St Anastasioscommented: "Who would have thought that thou wouldtonsure the Abbot of Sinai?"

Another time, St Martyrios and St John visited the great StJohn the Sabbaite, who immediately rose, poured somewater, and to the amazement of all who were present,

bent down and gently washed St John's feet, after whichhe kissed his hand.

When the Disciple of St John the Sabbaite, Stephan, askedhis Elder why he had done so, the Saint replied: "Believeme, my Son, although I do not know who this youth is, Ireceived the Abbot of Sinai, and washed the feet of theAbbot."

The Life of St John Klimakos was itself truly a Ladder ofDivine Ascent, for St John knew from Experience what

True Spiritual Life is, and thus, although with all dueHumility and reluctance, he obediently wrote TheLadder of Divine Ascent at the heartfelt request of theAbbot of Raithu Monastery, John.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, an Inspired Workcontaining such rare Spiritual Experiences and suchSuperlative Soul-Saving Advice is really worth readingand constantly contemplating especially during thesedays of Fasting and Repentance!

Let us not deprive our hungry and thirsty soul of a MostSweet and Enlightening Nourishment let us make theeffort to read this book not only during this Great andHoly Lenten period, but throughout the year.

AmenARCHIMANDRITE JOHN (KRESTIANKIN)-TRANSLATED BY NUN CORNELIA (REES)07/04/2011-HTTP://WWW.PRAVOSLAVIE.RU/ENGLISH/45797.HTMPS:IFOUND THIS PDF COPY OF THE LADDER OF DIVINEASCENT. NOT 100%SURE

OF TRANSLATION BUT DOES GIVE A GOOD IDEA OF ST JOHNS BOOK.(MP)HTTP://WWW.PRUDENCETRUE.COM/IMAGES/THELADDEROFDIVINEASCENT.PDF

ST JO H N KL I M A K O S LA D D E R O F DI V I N E AS C E N T ST E P 1 3 - ON DE S P O N D E N C Y

1. As we have already frequently said, despondency is veryoften one of the branches of talkativeness, and itsfirst child. And so we have given it its appropriateplace in this chain of vices.1

2. Despondency is a slackness of soul, a weakening of themind, neglect of Asceticism, hatred of the Vowmade. It is the blessing of worldlings. It accuses Godof being merciless and without Love for mankind.

It is being languid in singing Psalms, weak in Prayer,stubbornly bent on service, resolute in manuallabour, indifferent in Obedience.

3. A person under Obedience does not know Despondency,having achieved Spiritual Things by means ofsensory things.

1More exactly, On Accidie. It means languor, torpor, tedium,Spiritual Gloom, low spirits, indifference to the work of

Salvation, distaste for Spiritual Things, Spiritual Sloth.

4. Community Life is opposed to Despondency. But she is aconstant companion of the Hermit.2 She will neverleave him until his Repose, and wrestles with himdaily until his end. Seeing an Anchorites cell, shesmiles, and creeps up and camps nearby.

5. A Physician visits the sick in the morning, butdespondency visits Ascetics about noonday3.

6. Despondency is a pretext for hospitality. She insists thatby means of manual labour, Alms could be given;and she urges us eagerly to visit the sick, recallingHim Who said: ... I was sick and you visited Me...4

She puts it into our heads to go out visiting the dejectedand faint-hearted, and sets one faint heart tocomfort another.

2Or, Hesychast3Cf. Psalm xc, 6, the noonday demon4Matthew 25:36


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7. She reminds those standing at Prayer of necessaryduties. And, brutish as she is, she leaves no stoneunturned to find some plausible pretext to drag usfrom Prayer as with a kind of halter.

8. At the Third Hour the demon of despondency producesshivering, headache, and even colic.

At the Ninth Hour the sick man gathers his strength.And when the table is laid he jumps out of bed.

But the Hour of Prayer has come; again the body isweighed down. He had begun to pray, but it steepshim in sleep, and tears his response to shreds withuntimely yawns.

9. Each of the other passions is destroyed by someparticular Virtue. But despondency for the Monk (orFaithful Disciple) is a general death.

10. A courageous soul resurrects his dying mind, butdespondency and sloth squander all his riches.

11. Since despondency is one of the eight capital Vices, andmoreover the gravest, let us deal with it just as wehave dealt with the others; but let us only add this.When there is no Psalmody, then despondency doesnot make its appearance. And as soon as theappointed Office is finished, the eyes open.

12. Spiritual Heroes come to light at the time ofdespondency, for nothing procures so many Crownsfor a Monk as the Battle against despondency.

13. Observe, and you will find that if you stand on yourfeet, despondency will battle with you.

If you sit, it will suggest that it is better for you to leanback; and it urges you to lean against the wall of thecell; then it persuades you to peep out of thewindow, by producing noises and footsteps.

14. He who mourns over himself does not knowdespondency.

15. Let this tyrant be bound by the Remembrance of yoursins. Let us buffet him by manual labour. He shouldbe brought into court by the thought of Blessings tocome. And when brought as before a Tribunal lethim be duly questioned:

16. Tell me, you nerveless, shuffling fellow, who viciouslyspawned you? Who are your offspring? Who are yourfoes? Who is your destroyer?

And despondency, under compulsion, may be thoughtto reply: Among those who are truly Obedient I

have nowhere to lay my head; but with thoseamongst whom I have a place for myself, I livequietly.

I have many mothers: sometimes insensibility ofsoul, sometimes forgetfulness of the things Above,sometimes excessive troubles.

My offspring who abide with me are: changing fromplace to place, disobedience to ones SpiritualFather, forgetfulness of the Judgement, andsometimes breach of the Vow.

And my opponents, by whom I am now bound, arePsalmody and manual labour.

My enemy is the thought of Death.What completely mortifies me is Prayer with firm

Hope of Future Blessings.And who gave Birth to Prayer? Ask her.

This is the Thirteenth Victory. He who has really gained ithas become Experienced in all Good.

ST E P 1 6 - ON L O V E O F M O N E Y O R A V A R I C E

1. Many learned Teachers treat next, the thousand-headeddemon of avarice! ... So let us first say a little aboutthe disease, and then speak briefly about theRemedy.

2. Avarice, or love of money, is the worship of idols, 5 adaughter of unbelief, an excuse for infirmities, aforeboder of old age, a harbinger of drought, aherald of hunger.

3. The lover of money sneers at the Gospel and is a wilfultransgressor. He who has attained Love scatters hismoney. But he who says that he lives for Love andfor money has deceived himself!

4. He who mourns for himself has also renounced his body;and at the appropriate time he does not spare it.

5. Do not say that you are collecting money for the poor;with two mites the Kingdom was purchased. 6

5Cf. Ephesians 5:56Luke 21:2

6. A hospitable man and a money-lover met one another,and the latter called the former unintelligible.

7. He who has conquered this passion has cut out care; buthe who is bound by it never attains to Pure Prayer.

8. The beginning of love of money is the pretext ofAlmsgiving, and the end of it is hatred of the poor.

So long as he is collecting, he is charitable, but whenthe money is in hand, he tightens his hold.

9. I have seen how men of scanty means enrichedthemselves by living with the poor in spirit, andforgot their first poverty.7

10. A Monk (or Disciple of Christ) who loves money is a

stranger to idleness and hourly remembers the wordof the Apostle: ...Let an idle man not eat8... and:...These hands of mine have ministered to me and tothose who were with me9.

This is the Sixteenth Struggle. He who has won this Victoryhas either obtained Love or cut out care.

ON E NE C E S S I T Y - HU M I L I T Y

Our Lord Jesus Christ said: Truly, I say to you: unless youare converted and become as little children, you will byno means enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore,whoever humbles himself as this little child, is thegreatest in the Kingdom of Heaven."(MATTHEW 18:3-4)

As we proceed through the Lenten Fast that is a Gift of theChurch to help us grow spiritually, it is SpirituallyBeneficial to contemplate these Wise Words of ourSaviour when asked ...who is the greatest.

But what does it mean to be humble and how do we humbleourselves?

The Orthodox Study Bible defines Humility as follows:Humility - without which there is no Virtue at all - is theacknowledgement of Divine Grace, and the constantdenial of mankinds achievement.

This reminds us that whenever we think we haveaccomplished anything by our own efforts, it actuallyreveals our lack of True Humility!

We must always acknowledge and believe - that DivineGrace is enables us to fulfil all our good, worthy andsuccessful words, thoughts and deeds, which meansthat we live in constant Prayer and worship i.e. wemust always LIVE IN CHRIST!

Worldly events occur very quickly and we act instinctivelymost of the time. When things go the way we intendedthem, and we are overwhelmed by pride, we need toacknowledge and confess the True Source of thoseachievements!

Our only pride should be in our willingness to confess andbe ever grateful for God's Divine Grace in all things thatare truly according to His Divine Will and Plan.

Humility and Obedience demand Faith our deep belief inGod - and that all that is Good and Beneficial onlycomes from Him Divine Grace working through us.

Faith is the unique Foundation for Spiritual Life, and whenit is weak, we easily succumb to ego-centred pride without any Humility and Obedience.

We must nurture and struggle to attain our Spiritual Lifealways encourage children and others as well.

God granted us many different talents that we must

increase in order to fulfil His Divine Will throughout ourdaily life.(The Jesus Prayer is a Prayer of Humility that will lead us to

ceaseless Prayer.)http://orthodoxwayoflife.blogspot.co.za

7Cf. Matthew 5:382 Thessalonians 3:109Acts 20:34


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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. Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glorious Lady, Maria,

Theotokos, yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole

Life to Christ our God. Amen.

Tone (5) Plagal 1 17 April 201646thSunday After Pentecost 9thSunday of Triodion5thSunday of Great Lent St Mary of Egypt

Also the Feast of St Symeon, St Abdechalas, St Ananias the Presbyter, St Usthazanes, St

Phusikos, St Askitrea & St Azades the Eunuch of Persia - St Agapitos of Rome - St Adrian & St

Makarios of Corinth - St Akakios of Melitene -St Zosimas the Abbot of Solovki - St Alexander

the Abbot of Svir Monastery (Uncovering of Holy Relics) St Agapitos, Bishop of Rome

RE S U R R E C T I O N GO S P E L 2 - MA R K 1 6 : 1 8

RE S U R R E C T I O N AP O L Y T I K I O N - TO N E ( 5 ) PL A G A L 1

Ton sinanarhon Logon Patri ke Pnevmati, ton ek ParthenouTehthenta is Sotirian imon, animnisomen, Pisti, keProskinisomen. Oti ivdokise sarki anelthin en to Stavroke Thanaton ipomine ke egire tous tethneotas en tiEvdoxo 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. For itwas His Good Pleasure to ascend the Cross in theFlesh, and to Suffer Death, and through His ownGlorious Resurrection to raise the dead.

FE S T A L AP O L Y T I K I O N ST MA R Y O F EG Y P T

En Si Miter akrivos diesothi to kat ikona; lavousa gar tonStavron, ikolouthiasas to Hriste, ke prattousa edidaskes,iperoran men sarkos, parerhete gar; epimilisthe depsihis, pragmatos athanatou; dio ke meta Angelosinagallete, 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.

SE A S O N A L AP O L Y T I K I O N TH E O T O K O S

Prostasia ton Hristianon akateskhinte, mesitia pros ton

Piitin ametathete, mi Paridis, amartolon Deiseon fonas,alla profthason os Agathi, is tin voithian imon, tonPistos kravgazonton Si: Tahinon is Presvian, kespefson is ikesian, i prostatevousa ai, Theotoke, tonTimonton Se.

OProtector of the Christians unashamed, Mediator to the

Creator Immovable: despise not, the pleading voices ofthose in sin, but hasten O Good One, to the aid of allwho in Faith cry out to Thee: hasten ThineIntercession, and present Thy Supplication, OTheotokos who always protects those who honourThee!

PR O K E I M E N O N PS A L M 7 5 TO N E ( 8 ) PL A G A L 4

Pray to the Lord our God and render Thanks to Him!

God is known in Judea His Name is Great in Israel.

TH E EP I S T L E O F ST PA U L T O T H E HE B R E W S 9 : 1 1 - 1 4TH E HE A V E N L Y HO L Y SA NC T U A R Y & TH E DI V I N E L I T U R G 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 heifers, sprinkled upon the unclean Sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shallthe Blood of Christ - Who through the Eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God - Cleanse our consciencefrom dead works, to Serve the Living God?!

In contrast to the Old Covenant Hebrew High Priest, CHRISTOUR SAVIOUR IS OUR ONLY HIGH PRIEST OF GODS NEWCOVENANT.

Christ entered the Heavenly Sanctuary once for all i.e.HIS ONE PERFECT AND ULTIMATE BLOOD SACRIFICE COVERS

ALL THE SINS COMMITTED BY ALL HUMAN BEINGS FOR ALL TIME

THROUGHOUT HUMAN HISTORY AND FOREVER!

Christ was our High Priest THE DIVINE,PERFECT OFFERERWHO OFFERED HIS OWN PERFECT,SINLESS BLOOD THE

DIVINE PERFECT OFFERING WHICH IS ABLE TO HEAL THE

ENTIRE CORRUPTION OF ALL HUMANITY FOR ALL TIME AND

NEEDS NEVER BE REPEATED EVER AGAIN!

His Most Precious Blood Offering RESTORES EACH AND EVERYONE OF US HUMAN BEINGS throughout history TO OURPROPER,FORMER SACRED RELATIONSHIP WITHALMIGHTY GOD.

CHRISTS SACRIFICE PURIFIES CLEANSESour conscience andREINSTATES US AS HOLY OR SANCTIFIED BEINGS who are

DRAWN CLOSER TO ALMIGHTY GOD THROUGH CORRECTLITURGICALWORSHIP serve the Living God together

with our COMMITMENT TO CONSTANT REPENTANCE of ourhabitual sins.

Because we continue to use our God-given free will toindulge our wilful and selfish flesh rather than to obeythe Spiritual Guidance of our Holy Conscience thelittle Remnant or Voice of God within us WE MUSTCONSTANTLY STRIVE AND STRUGGLE TO RESIST TEMPTATION

AND RESOLVE OUR SINS AS SOON AS WE FALL INTO A STATE OF

SPIRITUAL DEATHby means of sincere Repentance anda determined effort to return to Spiritual Life and socontinue our Spiritual Journey in the Divine Footstepsof our Lord and Saviour.

NO SPIRITUAL PROGRESS IN CHRIST IS POSSIBLE WITHOUTCONSTANTWATCHFULNESS AND STRUGGLE.

Those who erroneously believe that the mere acceptanceof our Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour willguarantee us Eternal Life are seriously deceivingthemselves because that implies that our Struggle forTheosis (Spiritual Perfection) has been achieved.


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However, OUR SPIRITUAL STRUGGLE THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIREPREPARATORY PERIOD BEFORE ETERNITY IS AN ONGOINGSACRED MISSION THAT IS ONLY ENDED AT OUR VERY LAST

BREATH.

Christ our Lord emphasised the fact that FAITH WITHOUTGOOD WORKS AND SPIRITUAL STRUGGLE DOES NOT BENEFIT

ANYONE and is actually be mere lip-service AN EMPTYTYPE OF FAITH WITHOUT ANY SUBSTANCE!

LIFE IN CHRIST MEANS A PERSONAL COMMITMENT TO ALL FACETS

OF CHRISTIAN FAITH AND WORSHIP not simply a fewselected portions of the whole Faith according to theluke-warm manner we choose to follow Him.

A GENUINE LIFE IN CHRIST IS our most determined effort - ADEDICATED OR SACRED COMMITMENT TO GOD, which iscompelled by our utter Love for Almighty God and adesire to please Him in all ways possible: Let it beaccording Thy Will, O Lord!

Tragically, in this day and age, a large majority of ourfellow sinners have been deceived by false teachingsof Spiritual Wolves who lead Gods Lost Sheep evenfurther astray and then consume them with their liesand duplicity luring them with baited hooks thathave a miniscule drop of Truth just enough to enticethem and by telling them whatever they want tohear pleasing or pleasuring people rather than

OBEYING THE DIVINEWILL OF GOD which REQUIRESwhatthey lack LOVE,HUMILITY AND OBEDIENCE TO GOD!

The DEAD WORKSthat St Paul often cautions us against is areference to all human activity in and of this fallenage when we participate in acts of mortality,immorality and corruption EVERYTHING THAT ALIENATESAND EXILES US FROM THE DIVINE PRESENCE AND GRACE OF OURLOVING AND BENEVOLENT GOD.

Liturgically speaking, dead works include the actions ofOLD COVENANT TYPE OF WORSHIP, WHICH ARE NO LONGER

REQUIRED OF US AS CHRIST HAS FULFILLED EVERYTHING

REQUIRED OF THOSE OLD LAWS.

OUR COMMITMENT TO GOD REQUIRES US TO FULFIL HIS NEWCOVENANT: TO LOVE GODwith all our mind, with allour heart, with all our strength and with all oursoul,AND TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS MUCH AS HE LOVES US unconditionally and completely, withoutexception! and this includes all the TenCommandments as well!

THE NEW COVENANT OF GOD IS A COVENANT OF ETERNALLOVE and so WE WILL BE JUDGED ACCORDING TO EVERYWORD, THOUGHT AND DEED COMPELLED AND FULFILLED

WITHAGAPE DIVINE LOVE a difficult Sacred Task Toachieve until our very last breath!

HO L Y GO S P E L AC C O R D I N G T O ST MA R K 1 0 : 3 2 4 5OU R LO R DS TH I R D PR O P H E C Y C O N C E R N I N G HI S PA S S I O N

At that time, they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and our Lord Jesus had gone before them; and they wereamazed. And as they followed, they were afraid, for He had taken the Twelve aside again and had begun to tellthem 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 to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles; and they will mock Him and spit on Him,

and kill Him. And the third day He will Rise again.

And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, went to Him and asked: Teacher, we want Thee to do for us whatever weask. He said to them: What do you want Me to do for you? They said to Him: Grant us that we may sit - one onThy right hand side and the other on Thy left - in Thy Glory. Jesus said to them: You do not know what you ask.

Are you able to drink from the Cup from which I drink, and be Baptised with the Baptism with which I AmBaptised? They answered: We are able.

Jesus said to them: You will indeed drink the Cup from which I drink, and with the Baptism with which I AmBaptised you will be Baptised. But to sit on My right hand side and on My left is not Mine to grant, since it is for

those for whom it is prepared.

And when the ten heard about it, they were greatly displeased with James and John.Jesus called them to Himself and said to them: You know that those who are considered Rulers over the Gentiles lord

it over them, 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 desire to be first shall be slave of

all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to Serve and to give His Life as a Ransom for many.

Our Lord Jesus Christs Revelations of His approachingPassion were intended to encourage and strengthenHis Holy Apostles and Faithful Disciples for theterrifying Events with which they would all too soon beconfronted.

THE DIVINE PROPHECIES OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST ALSOCONFIRM THE TRUTH AND REALITY THAT HE APPROACHED

HIS TERRIBLE PASSION ACCORDING TO HIS OWNWILL AND

HIS OWN TIMING.

Our Lord Jesus pointed out that ANY QUEST FOR TEMPORALPOWER AND GLORY IS UNFITTING FOR A FAITHFUL DISCIPLE OF

CHRIST and it only exposes an earthly

misunderstanding of the Eternal Kingdom of God.St Matthew noted that the Mother of Zebedees sonsactually asked for the great Honour for her belovedsons to be seated on either side of Christ in His EternalGlory, but THE FACT THAT OUR SAVIOUR USED THE PLURALTERM YOU SHOWS THAT HE KNEW WHO REALLY SOUGHT THIS

DIVINE FAVOUR FROM HIM.However, a True Disciple of Christ should BE READY TO

SACRIFICE EVEN FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS IF THEY PREVENT US

FROM FULFILLING OUR SACRED DUTY TO GOD OR IF THEY

IMPEDE OUR SPIRITUAL GROWTH IN CHRIST JESUS.

Our Lord Jesus referred to His Crucifixion as a Cup, andHis Death as Baptism. His unjust Crucifixion like a common criminal was

regarded as a Cup since HE DRANK OF ITVOLUNTARILY FREELY AND WILLINGLY FOR THE

ETERNAL BENEFIT OR SALVATION OF ALL MANKINDFOREVER.

his Death was regarded as Baptism since HE WASFULLY IMMERSED IN IT,WHILE IT CLEANSED THE ENTIRE

HUMAN RACE AND RENEWED THE ENTIRE CREATION.

Furthermore, THE PROPHECY OF CHRIST CONCERNING ST JOHNAND ST JAMES participating in the same Cup and

Baptism 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 the beginning tothe end of their Holy Gospel Mission on earth.

Although our Lord Jesus Christ told the two Apostles thatthe places of Great Honour in the Eternal Kingdom ofGod are not His to grant, it does not mean that He hasno Divine Authority, but rather that SUCH DIVINE FAVOURSARE NOT HIS TO GRANT ARBITRARILY TO ANYONE.

Instead HE WOULD GRANT THEM TO THOSE FOR WHOM ALMIGHTYGOD HAS PREPARED THEM: BY THEWILL OF GOD THE FATHER,

THROUGH GOD THEWORD AND SON,AND BY THE ACTION AND

ABILITIES MADE POSSIBLE BY GOD THE HOLY LIFE-GIVING

SPIRIT.With regard to being seated as equals to Christ on His

right and left hand side in Gods Eternal, HeavenlyKingdom, St John Chrysostom taught us that NO ONE NO ORDINARY HUMAN BEING - COULD POSSIBLY OCCUPY SUCH

AN ELEVATED DIVINE POSITION!

However, according to the Depiction of our God-InspiredHoly Icons, THE HIGHEST PLACES OF HONOUR THAT HAVE BEENGRANTED TO HUMAN BEINGS BELONG TO THE EVER BLESSED,ALL

PURE AND MOST HOLY THEOTOKOS (THE MOST BLESSED

AMONGST ALL WOMEN) AND ST JOHN THE BAPTIST AND

FORERUNNER TO CHRIST OUR SAVIOUR (THE GREATEST HOLYPROPHET EVER BORN OF WOMEN)BUT THEY ARE NEVER SEATED

AND THEY STAND IN PERFECT HUMILITY AND OBEDIENCE AT

EITHER SIDE OF OUR ENTHRONED LORD AND MASTER, JESUSCHRIST having dedicated their entire earthly lives tothe Service of Almighty God with all due Humility andObedience, as well as many other Virtues as well THETWO MOST PERFECT HUMAN ROLE MODELS WE COULD EVER WISH

TO IMITATE TOGETHER WITH OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR.The phrase for many, is an Aramaic expression

meaning for all.


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4 6T H SU N D A Y AF T E R PE N T E C O S T 9T H O F TR I O D I O N 5T H O F L E N T SU N D A Y O F ST MA R Y O F EG Y P T CO M M I T T I N G SI N S A N D CO M M I T T I N G T O GO D: ASE R M O N O N ST. MA R Y O F EG Y P T

Orthodox Christianity records many accounts ofConversion Experiences.

Throughout her long history the Church hascommemorated thousands of men and women Saintswhose former unethical and undesirable lifestyleswere Transformed into a wholesome ChristianExistence of Submission and Obedience to the Will of

God.By God's Grace, the one-time Rulers, persecutors, Tax

Collectors, prostitutes, thieves, and murderers, today

make up our Canon of Saints.This Reality bears witness to the Church's raison d'tre

the reason why our Lord established His Holy Churchwithin the fallen world.

The Church is God's ultimate vehicle for Transformingpeople's lives.

The Church's main Purpose is to Heal, Sanctify, and Saveall Believers.

In Orthodox Theology, the Church is properly called the"Redeemed Community" of Christ Jesus - a Union ofsinners constantly Struggling and growing towardGod's Eternal Kingdom, of which the Church offersonly a glimpse.

To suggest that the Church exists only for the Holy andWorthy is to undermine its whole nature - if not toridicule Christ, Who came into this world to Savesinners, and Who established the Church to continuethis Ministry of Conversion and Salvation.

TH E L I F E O F ST MA R Y O F EG Y P T :

The Saints of the Church come right out of the ranks of ussinners.

On this Fifth Sunday of Great Lent, the Church remembersand honours one such sinner turned Saint: St Mary ofEgypt.

Her life is Extraordinary, to say the least!St Mary was an individual who represented a cross-

section of the immoral, fallen world of her day - awoman whose powerful Conversion Experience froma life of prodigality to a Life of Holiness and Purity hasbeen the focus of much admiration among OrthodoxChristians.

St Mary lived during the fourth century. At the tenderage of twelve, she relocated with her parents to theprominent metropolitan city of Alexandria, in Egypt,where she lived on her own for seventeen years as aloathsome prostitute.

So enveloped was the young Mary in her sexual sins thatmany times out of desperation, she sought out clientsfor herself without requesting any payment in return.Her fellow citizens looked down on her lowliness as aharlot and treated her with the utmost disrespect.Mary in turn resented her accusers, living inseclusion, and realizing that she was wilfully throwingher life away.

Until one day... A group of Christians had gathered toembark on a Holy Pilgrimage to Jerusalem for thesolemn Feast of the Elevation of the Holy, Life-giving

Cross.Driven by curiosity, Mary followed the group.When the Alexandrian Christians arrived in Jerusalem,

they immediately went to the great Church of the HolyResurrection, which is Christendom's Most SacredChurch that is built over the sites where our Lord wascrucified Golgotha - and buried, including the cavewherein the Holy Life-giving Cross of our Saviour, plusthe others had been hidden for centuries beforebeing uncovered by order of St Helena the Empress.

As Mary reached the great doors of the church, aninvisible Power prevented her from stepping over thethreshold!

All the multitudes of pious worshipers went past her oneither side, but no matter how much she tried, she

could not enter!As Mary peered into the church, she see how all theChristians fell to their knees in the Holy Presence ofthe Precious and Life-Giving Cross of Christ, as it wasraised and processed out of her sight.

Then her tearful, frightened gaze fell upon an Icon of ourEver Blessed Lady, the All Pure Virgin Theotokos, andimmediately, Mary also dropped to her knees in deep

contrition, weeping uncontrollably for all the sins shehad committed.

Suddenly, the Grace and Great Mercy of our Lord wasgranted to this profoundly Repentant sinner, and StMary was able to enter the church, where she spent along time venerating the Holy Cross of our Lord andall the other Holy Things within.

Before departing, St Mary stood before that first Holy Iconshe had beheld, and she solemnly vowed to our LadyTheotokos that she would dedicate the remainder of

her days to God through her ceaseless Repentance.Having been gifted with a few meagre coins by amysterious stranger, she purchased a few small breadrolls before leaving Jerusalem and setting off for theJordan River.

On the banks of that great river, St Mary received HolyBaptism and partook of her first Holy Eucharist andthen she entered the desert, where she lived in allpiety, humility, and poverty for 47 years.

For almost half a century, St Mary engaged herself instrenuous Fasts, and prayed to God unceasingly,Repenting her former promiscuous life, and praisingAlmighty God Whose Great Mercy and Compassion,which she had experienced for the first time inJerusalem, had made her painfully aware of theseriousness of her Spiritual Condition, and had Saved

her.Towards the end of her Life, St Mary met a Monastic Priest

St Zosimas to whom she related her entire life story but without revealing her name to him.

Before they departed from each other, she besought himto return once again during Great Lent, so that shecould receive Holy Eucharist.

This he did the following year, and once again, shebegged him to return the next year.

When he duly returned he at first could not find her, andthen he found she had Reposed in Peace, but hadwritten her name and the date of her Repose in thehard desert sand.

Miraculously, her Holy Relics were Incorrupted andissued the sweet fragrance of Sanctity.

St Zosimas struggled to dig a suitable grave for St Mary,and then suddenly a huge lion appeared, whichterrified him, but it went meekly to St Mary, gentlylicked her feet, and then began to dig the hardground with his large, powerful paws.

St Zosimas thanked God for sending the lion to help himprepare the grave, and after he had finished all theFuneral Prayers and Hymns, and had interred St Maryof Egypt, the lion turned away and wandered off.

According to her scrawled message, St Mary hadReposed in the Lord on 1 April, which was shortlyafter she had so joyfully received the Holy Eucharisthe had administered to her the previous year!

TH E SI G N I F I CA N CE O F T H E L I F E O F ST MA R Y O F EG Y P T Two aspects of St Mary of Egypt 's Life stand out and are

worth noting.

First, St Mary's complete immersion in her sins made hercognizant of just how serious her Spiritual State was.

Second, God's full-force Transformation of St Mary madeher abundantly aware of just how much God Lovedher, and how much she desired to follow Christ andserve Him.

St Mary's overwhelming, enslaving sins had made heraware of just how serious her Spiritual State was.

Like most harlots and people of ill repute in her day, StMary had no time (and made no time) for personalmeditation and Inner Spiritual Assessment.

She offered herself from one man to the next, blinded byher transgressions and Spiritual Enslavement.

She never realised that she was Spiritually Ill andSpiritually Dead!

She did not understand that there was something really

wrong with her, until the Consequences of herimmoral lifestyle blatantly confronted her preventing her from setting a foot upon HallowedGround preventing her from crossing the thresholdinto the Holy Temple of God.

At that frightening moment of absolute Perception, herheart was pierced to its very depths by the


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excruciating pain of knowing that her wickednesshad not only corrupted so many other souls, but thatshe herself had stood before the Gates of Hades -and in that instant, she so clearly understood whatwas truly worthy, pure and priceless.

St Mary's sudden Discernment of that overpoweringwickedness and the inestimable, exquisite SpiritualTreasure being offered to her - became themotivating force behind her Holy Conversion.

That Moment that Spiritual Awakening - proved to beher greatest Blessing, for the severity of her immorality the depth of her Spiritual Death - and the

immediacy of her Repentance and Conversion whichgrants us Spiritual Life - was reinforced and impactedupon her heart and soul!

If St Mary of Egypt had only sinned occasionally, andcontinually Repented, although again committingthe same, habitual sins, her Conversion Process notonly may have been merely lukewarm, but also maynever have occurred at all!

A little sprinkle of rain will not cause a person to runinside for shelter, but a violent downpour willcertainly do so!

Thus St Mary of Egypt had Experienced the consequencesof that torrential "downpour" of sins thatunrelenting, terrifying storm in her Spiritual Life affecting who we all really are i.e. our immortalsoul.

By the Grace of our All Merciful and Loving Lord, shesought Holy Refuge by turning to our Lady Theotokosand beseeching Divine Forgiveness and SpiritualGuidance, and thus was Redeemed by theIntercessory Prayers of our Beloved Panagia the AllHoly, Most Compassionate Mother of our Lord andSaviour, Jesus Christ.

Consequently, we must never surrender to the deadlytemptations of gossip and condemnation by judgingand criticizing others because - believe it or not -they, too, may very well be our future Saints just likeSt Mary of Egypt!

Our Lord Gods Holy Transformation of St Mary of Egyptrevealed His Infinite Love for her for all sinners,especially those who are Repentant.

Furthermore, for the very first time St Mary of EgyptExperienced the full Force of AGAPE that Divine,Unconditional, Infinite Lovethat is a Holy Mystery tous, but which we, too - having been created in theDivine LIKENESSof God - are taught strive for.

Our Lord God often reveals His Divine Love and Power tous in a physical, materialistic way - in a way Heknows will appeal to and be understood byphysically-minded people.

Before our Lord Jesus Christ spoke to people's souls, Heknew that He had to reveal and make His Powerknown to us on a purely physical level, by Healingand performing His Divine Miracles.

The Divine Power of our One True and Living God wasrevealed to St Mary of Egypt by that terrifyinginvisible Force that had physically prevented her

from crossing over the threshold of the Holy Church ofthe Resurrection in Jerusalem, while seeing everyoneelse able to do so!

For St Paul that great Holy Apostle of Christ to theGentiles God revealed Himself by means of ablinding Light on the road to Antioch .

For St Mary and St Martha of Bethany the sisters of StLazaros that Divine Power was shown to them by the(healthy) physical Resurrection of their belovedbrother, who had been buried for four days andwhose body had already begun to decompose!

In each Unique Circumstance, the Witnesses of theseDivine Miracles did not simply become physically orSpiritually Healed.

Instead, a deep Faith and total Devotion to the Lord ourGod, which had been dormant in them, became aliveand drew them into a far deeper Relationship,Understanding and Love for God!

As our Lord Jesus Christ said with regard to St Lazaros:"This sickness is not unto death, but for the Glory of

God, that the Son of Man may be Glorified through

it."(JOHN 11:4)Our Saviour also performed the Miracle of Creating eyes

with His Divine Saliva and clay, for the man bornwithout eyes, for the Glory, Honour and Worship ofGod. (JOHN 9:3)

God's Love is Mysteriously manifested through the ActionsHe takes in the life of mankind Actions thatsometimes appear to be quite harsh in order toinduce and awaken deeper Faith in Almighty God,and thereby effecting within them physical andSpiritual Healing.

My dear Brethren: today our Holy Church reminds us of StMary of Egypt who is an amazing Example ofRepentance and Conversion.

The Life of St Mary of Egypt consisted of two necessaryextremes, which led her to her Holy Transformation:i.e. her utter immorality her wilful sinfulness - andGod's Sublime Revelation at the doors of the Holy

Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem.Sometimes such extremes are Blessings in disguise - us

sinners blindly and wilfully going one way while Godwaits ever patiently for us to reach a point when Hecan shock us Spiritually Awake and return us to TrueLife Life in Christ.

Our Loving God is always able to Redeem us by turningour lost, misguided and dangerous circumstancesinto a New Life in Christ.

The instant we Encounter the Lord our God, we becomevery different - and our heart and soul is filled withHis Divine Love, which motivates us to joyfully strive tofulfil His Will in all things.

Indeed, as we slowly get closer to the Lord our God, wewill often also be confronted by evil and a variety of

challenges.However, the more tightly we cleave to our Saviour,resting in the Assurance of His Divine Love and GreatMercy, we will never be tempted to abandon Him, norsurrender to the deceptions of the evil one.

Like the Prodigal Son at the lowest point of our life when we do eventually come to our senses, we know- without any fear or doubt - that we can still return toour Loving and Merciful Heavenly Father, by meansof our genuine Repentance-Confession and His DivineForgiveness.

Our Path towards Eternity like that of St Mary of Egypt is a very long, difficult and Narrow Path.

Nevertheless, having linked arms with all our Brethren inChrist - gaining and giving Encouragement,Guidance and Love to one another - we Journey

together along It with Spiritual Joy and Confidence,knowing that no matter what obstacle tries to blockour way or what deceptive demon tries to misguide ordistract us It is the most direct and only Path to theEternal Kingdom of God the Heavenly Kingdom ofEternal Love.

Amen.SE R M O N B Y FA TH E R ST E L Y I O S MU K S U R I S

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

H T T P : / /A M P H I L O C H I O S. B L O G S P O T . C O. Z A/ 2011 /04 / S E R M O N -O N-S T-

M A R Y -O F-E G Y P T . H T M L

ST PE T E R O F DA M A S C U S PU T I N T O PR A C T I S E W H A T W E R E A D A N D A R E T A U G H T

Our Holy Church Fathers kept the Commandments.Their successors wrote them down, but we haveplaced their books on the shelves.

And even if we want to read them, we do not have theapplication to understand what is said and to put itinto practise.

We read them either as something incidental, or becausewe think that by reading them we are doingsomething great, thus growing full of pride.

We do not realize that we incur greater Condemnation ifwe do not put into practise what we readAnd we should always remember what our Lord said

about the servant who knew his Masters Will butfailed to carry it out! (CF. LUKE 12:47)KINDLY NOT E: THERE ARE NO SAL UT AT IO NSTO OUR LAD Y

THEOTOKOS THIS COMING FRIDAY.HOWEVER, ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE YOUR HOLY WEEK BOOK

FOR NEXT WEEK!STARTING PAL M SUNDAY NIGHT.


13/18SA T U RD A Y O F T H E RA I S I N G O F ST LA Z AR O S O F BE T H A N Y (A N D T H E FE A S T O F ST GE O R G E T H E GR E A T MAR T Y R)23 AP R I L 2016 13


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. Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glorious

Lady, Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one

another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.

23 April 2016Saturday of the Raising of St Lazaros of BethanyAlso the Feast of St George the Great Holy Martyr & Trophy Bearer, St Alexandrathe Empress (wife of the wicked, God-hating Diocletian), St Anatolios & St

Protoleon, soldier witnesses & converts, - St Lazaros of Bulgaria

T R I O D I O N AP O L Y T I K I O N - SA T U R D A Y O F T H E RA I S I N G O F ST LA Z A R O S TO N E 1

TR I O D I O N KO N T A K I O N OF SA T U R D A Y OF TH E RA I S I N G OF ST LA Z A R O S - TO N E 2

I panton Hara, Hristos i Alithia, to Fos i Zoi, tou kosmou iAnastasis, tis en gi pefanerote, ti Aftou Agathotiti, kegegone Tipos tis Anastaseos, tis pasi Parehon Thianafesin.

Christ, the Joy of all, the Truth, the Light, the Life, theResurrection of the world, in His Goodness, appearedto those on Earth; and He became the Model of theResurrection, by granting Divine Remission to all.

IN S T E A D OF TH E TR I S A G I O N HY M N:

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

Doxa Patri, ke Io, ke Agio Pnevmati ke nin ke Ai ke istous eonas ton eonon.

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

As many as have been Baptised into Christ, have put onChrist: Alleluia! [3]

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the HolySpirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

AmenHave put on Christ: Alleluia!

Power/Strength

As many as have been Baptised into Christ, have put onChrist: Alleluia!

PR O K E I M E N O N ST LA Z A R O S SA T U R D A YPS A L M 2 6 - TO N E 3

Kyrio Fotismos mou ke Sotir mou.Kyrios Iperaspistis tis Zois mou.

The Lord is my Light and my Saviour!

The Lord is the Defender of my Life...!TH E EP I S T L E O F ST PA U L T O T H E HE B R E W S 1 2 : 2 8 1 3 : 8

T H E P U R I T Y O F T H E C H R I S T I A N C O M M U N I T Y Brethren: Since we are receiving a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have Grace, by which we may serve God

acceptably 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 bodyalso. 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 can mankinddo to me?

Remember those who rule over you - who have spoken the Word of God to you, whose Faith you follow - consideringthe outcome 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 AND

IMPERFECT.

THE FINAL CONSUMMATION OF THE ETERNAL KINGDOM OF GOD IS

UNSHAKABLE AND INDESTRUCTIBLE AND ENDURES FOREVER FOR

ALL ETERNITY AND EVERYTHING OF ETERNITY IS EVERLASTING,

UNCHANGEABLE AND IMPERISHABLE.

That is why we must prepare ourselves throughout thislifetime to BECOME WORTHY SPIRITUAL CITIZENS OF GODSETERNAL KINGDOM OF LOVE, PEACE AND JOY BY MEANS OF

ALL THE SPIRITUAL TOOLS WITH WHICH CHRIST OUR LORD AND

SAVIOUR HAS PROVIDED US ALL HIS DIVINE COMMANDMENTSAND 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 TO

WORSHIP HIM IN AN ACCEPTABLE MANNER, with properReverence and Godly Fear.

(DIVINE GRACE THAT ENABLES US TO DO THE WILL OF GOD WITH HUMBLE

OBEDIENCE IS BESTOWED ON US BY GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT.mp)

PRACTICAL BROTHERLY LOVE IS TO BE SHOWN TOWARDS ALLFELLOW CHRISTIANS AND DISCIPLES OF CHRIST andESPECIALLY TOWARDS THE LOWLY,THE POWERLESS,AND ALL

VICTIMS OF CRUELTY AND INJUSTICE.

Strangers are travellers (visitors) in need of ChristianHospitality.

THE HOSPITALITY OFABRAHAM THE ANCIENT PATRIARCH IS A GOOD

EXAMPLE TO US: he never ate a meal unless he hadothers with whom to share it.

The day came when he hosted three very special Visitors the Holy Trinity at the Oaks of Mamre - where They leftTheir three wooden Staffs/Rods of Cypress, Cedar and

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 toNiki ti tou Thanatou voomen: Osanna en tisIpsistis, Evlogimenos O erhomenos en OnomatiKyriou.

O Christ our God, before Thy Passion, Thou raised Lazarosfrom the dead to confirm the common Resurrection for all.Therefore, we carry the Symbols of Victory as did theYouths, and we cry out to Thee, the Victor over Death:"Hosanna in the Highest. Blessed is He Who comes in theName of the Lord!"


14/1814. SA T UR D A Y OF T HE RA I S I N G O F ST LA Z AR O S O F BE T H A N Y (A N D T HE FE A S T O F ST GE O R G E T H E GR E A T MA R T Y R) 23 AP R I L 2016

Pine imbedded in the sand, which grew into a mostunique Tree.(GENESIS 18 : 1 8 & 19: 1 3)

When King Solomon was building his first great Temple inJerusalem centuries later, the Trinity Tree was cut downbut the wood was never used and merely thrown aside,until the Crucifixion of Christ when He was forced to carrythe heavy cross-bar (not the whole cross) as part of Hispublic humiliation and punishment, before being nailedat the wrists to it.

The cross-bar was then fastened to the upright pole whichwas secured in a hole in the rock on Golgotha whichstill exists to this day. MP

St Paul urged us to apply all the Divine Commandmentsand Teachings of Christ our Lord and Saviour, to ourdaily life, treating others with Compassion, Kindnessand Respect, just as we would like to be treatedourselves.

Furthermore, we must always remember that OUR LORDJESUS CHRIST AND HIS DIVINE TRUTH NEVER CHANGE AND

ARE ALWAYS APPLICABLE TO THIS PREPARATORY PERIOD

BEFORE ETERNITy

TH E HO L Y GO S P E L AC C O R D I N G T O ST JO H N 1 1 : 1 4 5O U R L O R D J E S U S C H R I S T I S T H E R E S U R R E C T I O N A N D T H E L I F E

At that time, a certain man was sick - Lazaros of Bethany, th

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2016 April Sacred Lessons