2015 May Sacred Lessons _amended

8/9/2019 2015 May Sacred Lessons _amended

1/36 S T A T H A N A S I O S O F A L E X A N D R I A – A P O D O S I S O F T H E H O L Y M Y R R H B E A R E R S 2 M A Y 2 0 1 5 1

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

All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to theHoly Spirit, now and Forever, and unto the Ages of Ages. AmenRemembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed andGlorious Lady, Mary, Theotokos yet Ever Virgin, together with all theSaints. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our wholeLife to Christ our God. Amen.

2 M a y 2015 St Athanasios of Alexandria

Also the Feast of St Jeremiah, Holy Prophet of God – StPaphnutios the Abbot of Borov Monastery – St Euthymios, St Ignatios & St Akakios of Mount

Athos of Mount – St Makarios the Metropolitan & Hieromartyr of Kiev – St Bata the Persian –St Tamara, Queen of Georgia – St Nicephoros of Chios – St Panaretos of Cyprus – StGerasimos of Boldino – St Isidora, Holy Martyr – St Zosimas II of Kumurdo, Georgia

P A S C H A L H Y M N – T O N E ( 5 ) P L A G A L 1

H ristos Anesti, ek nekron, Thanato Thanaton patisas,Ke tis en tis mnimasin, Zoin harisamenos (3)

C hrist is Risen from the dead; By Death tramplingupon Death, and has bestowed Life to those in theTombs .(3)

F I R S T P A S C H A L A N T I P H O N – P S A L M 6 5 / 6 6 - T O N E 2

S T I H O S 1 : A lalazate to Kyrio pasa i Gi. T es Presvies tis Theotokou, Soter, Soson imas.

S T I H O S 2 : P salate di to Onomati Aftou - dote Doxan enenesi Aftou.

S T I H O S 3 : I pate to Theo, Os fovera ta Erga Sou. En to plithitis Dinameos Sou psefsonte Se i ehthri Sou.

S T I H O S 3 : P asa i Gi proskinisa tosan Si ke psalatosan Si,psalatosan di to Onomati Sou.

D oxa Patri ke Io ke Agio Pnevmati, ke nin ke ai ke istous Eonas ton eonon.

A min T es Presvies tis Theotokou, Soter, Soson imas.

V E R S E 1 : Shout to God, all the Earth!T hrough the Intercessions of the Theotokos, O

Saviour, Save us .V E R S E 2 : Sing now to His Name – give Glory to His Praise!V E R S E 3 : Say to God: How fearful at Thy Works; in the

magnitude of Thy Power, Thine enemies will lie toThee.

V E R S E 4 : Let all the Earth worship Thee, and sing to Thee;let them sing to Thy Name.

G lory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the HolySpirit, now and forever, and to the Ages of ages.

A menT hrough the Intercessions of the Theotokos, O

Saviour, Save us .S E C O N D P A S C H A L A N T I P H O N – P S A L M 6 6 / 6 7 – T O N E 2

S T I H O S 1 : O Theos ikterise imas ke Evlogise imas. Epifaneto prosopon Aftou ef imas, ke eleise imas.

S oson imas Iie Theou, O A N A S TA S E K N E K R O N psallontas Si: Allilouia!

S T I H O S 2 : T ou gnosne en ti Gi tin Odon Sou - en pasinEthnesi to Sotirion Sou.

S T I H O S 3 : E xomologisasthosan Si Lai, O Theos -exomologisasthosan Si Lai pantes.

S T I H O S 4 : E vlogise imas O Theos - ke fovithitosan Aftonpanta ta perata tis Gis.

S oson imas Iie Theou, O A N A S TA S E K N E K R O N psallontas Si: Allilouia!

D oxa Patri ke Io ke Agio Pnevmati, ke nin ke ai ke istous Eonas ton eonon.

A min

V E R S E 1 : May God be Gracious to us, and Bless us; mayHe cause His Face to shine upon us.

O Son of God, W H O A R O S E F R O M T H E D E A D , Save uswho sing to Thee: Alleluia

V E R S E 2 : That we may know Thy Way on the Earth - YourSalvation among the Gentiles.

V E R S E 3 : Let the Peoples give Thanks to Thee, O God – letall the Peoples praise Thee.

V E R S E 4 : May God Bless us – and let all the ends of theEarth fear Him.

O Son of God, W H O A R O S E F R O M T H E D E A D , Save uswho sing to Thee: Alleluia!

G lory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the HolySpirit, now and forever, and to the Ages of ages.

A men T H I R D P A S C H A L A N T I P H O N – P S A L M 6 7 / 8 8 – T O N E ( 5 ) P L A G A L 1

STIHOS Anastito O Theos, ke diaskorpisthitoan i ehthriaftou, ke figetosan apo prosopou aftou i misountesAfton.

H ristos Anesti, ek nekron, Thanato Thanaton patisas,Ke tis en tis mnimasin, Zoin harisamenos

STIHOS O s eklipi kapnos eklipetosan, os tikete kiros apoprosopou piros.

STIHOS O utos apolounte i amartoli apo prosopou tou Theou.Kei Dikei evfranthitosan.

STIHOS A fti i imera, in epiisen O Kyrios. Agalliasometha keevfranthomen en afti.

VERSE Let God Arise, and let His enemies be scattered, andlet those who hate Him flee from before His Face.

C hrist is Risen from the dead; By Death tramplingupon Death, And has bestowed Life to those in thetombs

VERSE A s smoke vanishes, so let them vanish, as wax melts before the fire.

VERSE So shall the sinners perish from the Sight of God.And let the Righteous be glad.

VERSE T his is the day the Lord made – let us greatly rejoiceand be glad therein.

I S O D I K O N – S M A L L E N T R A N C E H Y M N – T O N E 2

E n Ekklisies evlogite ton Theon, Kyrion ek Pigon Israil.Soson imas, Iie Theou, O Anastas ek nekron.

Bless God in the churches, let the Lord from the Fountainsof Israel. Save us, O Son of God, Who arose from thedead.


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A F T E R T H E S M A L L E N T R A N C E R E S U R R E C T I O N A P O L Y T I K I O N – T O N E 2

O te katilthes pros ton Thanaton, i Zoi i Athanatos, tote tonAdin enekrosas ti astrapi tis Theotitos. Ote de ke toustethneotas ek ton katahthonion anestisas, pase eDinamis ton Epouranion ekravgazon. Zoodota Hriste, OTheos imon, Doxa Si!

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

P A S C H A L A P O L Y T I K I O N - T O N E 2

E sfragismenou tou Mnimiatos, i Zoi ek Tafou anetilasHriste O Theos, ke ton thiron keklismenon, tis Mathitesepestis, i panton Anastasis. Pnevm evthes di’ afton

egkenizon imin, kata to Mega Sou Eleos.

O Life, Thou rose from the Sepulchre, even though theTomb was secured with a seal, O Christ God. Andalthough the doors had been bolted, Thou went to Thy

Disciples, O Resurrection of all. Through them ThouRenew a Right Spirit in us, accordingF E S T A L A P O L Y T I K I O N – H O L Y M Y R R H B E A R E R S– T O N E 2

T es Myroforis Ginexi, Para To Mnima Epistas, O AngelosEvoa: To Myra Tis Thanitis Iparhi Armodia, Hristos DeDiafthoras Edihthi Allotrios; Alla Kravgasate: Anesti OKyrios, Parehon To Kosmo To Mega Eleos!

T he Angel standing by the Tomb cried to theMyrrhbearing Women: Myrrh is fitting for the dead, butChrist has been shown to be a Stranger to corruption.But cry aloud: The Lord has Risen, granting theworld His Great Mercy!

F E S T A L A P O L Y T I K I O N – S T A T H A N A S I O S – T O N E 3

S tylos gegonas Orthodoxias, thiis dogmasin ipostirizon, tinekklisian Irarha Athanasie: to gar Patri ton IonOmoousion, anakirixas katishinas Arion. Pater Osie,Hriston ton Theon iketeve, dorisasthe imin to MegaEleos.

T hou became a Pillar of Orthodoxy, strengthening theChurch with Divine Dogmas, O Hierarch Athanasios.For by preaching that the Son is One in Essence withthe Father thou put Arius to shame. O VenerableFather, to Christ our God pray earnestly, entreatingthat Great Mercy be on us bestowed.

P A S C H A L K O N T A K I O N – H O L Y M Y R R H B E A R E R S– T O N E 2

T o Here tis Myroforis fthengxamenos, ton thrinon tispromitoros Evas katepafsas, ti Anastasi Sou Hriste OTheos. Tis Apostolis de tis Sis kirittin epetaxas. O SotirExanesti tou Mnimatos!

In saying: “ Rejoice !” to the Myrrhbearers, Thou allayed thelament of the First Mother, Eve, at Thy Resurrection, OChrist our God. And Thou ordered Thy Apostles toproclaim: “the Saviour has Risen from the Tomb!”

P R O K E I M E N O N – P R A Y E R O F A Z A R I A H – T O N E 4B lessed art Thou, O Lord God of our Fathers, for Thou art Praiseworthy and Exalted beyond measure unto the Ages.

F or Thou art Righteous in all Thou did for us, all Thou brought upon us and on Jerusalem, the Holy City of our Fathers... T H E E P I S T L E O F S T P A U L T O T H E H E B R E W S 1 3 : 7 - 1 6

Brethren: remember those who rule over you - those who spoke to you the Word of God. Consider the outcome of theirLives, and imitate their Faith.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings. It isGood that the heart be Strengthened by Grace – not by foods, which have not benefitted their adherents.

We have an Altar - from which those who serve the Tabernacle have no right to eat. The bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the Sanctuary by the High Priest as a Sacrifice for sin are burnt outside the Camp. Jesus alsosuffered in order to Sanctify the People through His own Blood, outside the gate. Therefore, let us go forth to Him

outside the Camp, to bear the abuse He endured. Here we have no Lasting City, but we seek that which is to come.Through Him then, let us continually offer up a Sacrifice of Praise to God – that is: the Fruit of lips that Confessed HisName.

Share what you have - do not neglect to do Good. Such Sacrifices are pleasing to God.T H E H O L Y G O S P E L A C C O R D I N G T O S T M A T T H E W 5 : 1 4 – 1 9

At that time, our Lord said to His Disciples: “You are the Light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor domen light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let you Light soshine before mankind, that they may see your Good Works and Glorify your Father Who is in Heaven.

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law and the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them.“Truly, I say to you: until Heaven and Earth pass away, not an iota, nor a jot, will pass from the Law until all is

accomplished. Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these Commandments and teaches mankind likewise, shallbe called ‘least’ in the Kingdom of Heaven. Those who do them and teach them shall be called ‘great’ in theKingdom of Heaven.”

T H E I N S P I R E D W I S D O M & T E A C H I N G S O F S T A T H A N A S I O S O F A L E X A N D R I A “He, the Life of all, our Lord and Saviour, did not

arrange the manner of His own Death lest He shouldseem to be afraid of some other kind. No.

“He accepted and bore upon the Cross a death inflicted byothers, and those other His special enemies, a death,which to them was supremely terrible and by no meansto be faced; and He did this in order that, by destroyingeven this Death, He might Himself be believed to be theLife, and the power of death be recognised as finallyannulled.

“A marvellous and mighty paradox has thus occurred, forthe Death, which they thought to inflict on Him asdishonour and disgrace has become the GloriousMonument to Death's defeat.”

“Even on the Cross He did not hide Himself from sight;rather, He made all Creation witness to the Presence ofits Maker.”

“He became what we are so that He might make uswhat He is.”

“Dead men cannot take effective action; their power ofinfluence on others lasts only until the grave.

“ Deeds and actions that energise others belong only tothe living.

“Well, then, look at the facts in this case.“The Saviour is working mightily among men - every day

He is invisibly persuading numbers of people all overthe world, both within and beyond the Greek-speakingworld, to accept His Faith and be Obedient to HisTeaching.

“Can anyone, in face of this, still doubt that He has Risenand Lives - or rather that He is Himself the Life ?

“Does a dead man prick the consciences of men...?”

“The Body of the Word, then, being a real human Body,in spite of its having been uniquely formed from aVirgin, was of itself mortal and, like other bodies,liable to Death.

But the Indwelling of the Word loosed it from this naturalliability, so that corruption could not touch It.

Thus is happened that two opposite Marvels took place at

once: the death of all was Consummated in the Lord'sBody;

yet, because the Word was in It, Death andCorruption were in the same Act utterlyabolished. ”


3/36 4 T H S U N D A Y A F T E R P A S C H A – S U N D A Y O F T H E P A R A L Y T I C O F B E T H E S D A – 3 M A Y 2 0 1 5 3


All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, andto the Holy Spirit, now and Forever, and unto the Ages of Ages.

AmenRemembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed andGlorious Lady, Mary, Theotokos yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints.

And let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christour God. Amen.

3 May 2015 Tone 3

4 t h Sunday After Holy Pascha Sunday of the Paralytic of Sheep’s Pool

Also the Feast of St Timothy the Reader & St Maura, his wife, Antinoes, Egypt - StTheodosios the Abbot of Kiev Far Caves Monastery, Founder of Coenobitic Monasticismin Russia – St Peter the Wonderworker & Bishop of Argos, Peloponnesos – Translation ofthe Dormition Icon of our All Holy Lady Theotokos from Constantinople to Kiev CavesMonastery – St Mamai of Georgia – St Michael & St Arsenios of Ulompo, Georgia - StEcumenios the Wonderworker of Trikala.

P A S C H A L A P O L Y T I K I O N - H O L Y P A S C H A

H ristos Anesti ek nekron, Thanato Thanaton patistas,ke tis en tis mnimasi, Zoin harisamenos! C hrist has Risen from the dead, by Death tramplingupon Death, and has bestowed Life to those in thetombs!

R E S U R R E C T I O N A P O L Y T I K I O N – T O N E 3

E vfrenestho 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 delivered us, and to the world He has grantedGreat Mercy.

P A S C H A L K O N T A K I O N – TO N E ( 8 ) P L A G A L 4

I ke en Tafo katilthes, Athanate, alla tou Adou kathiles tinDinamin. Ke anestis os Nikitis, Hriste O Theos, ginexiMyroforis fthegxamenos Herete, ke tis Sis Aposlis irinin

doroumenos, O tis pesousi parehon Anastasin.

A lthough Thou went down into the Tomb, O ImmortalOne, Thou brought down the dominion of Hades; andThou rose as Victor, O Christ our God; and Thou called

out: “ Rejoice !” to the Myrrh-Bearing Women, andgranted Peace to Thine Apostle, O Lord, Who to theFallen grant Resurrection.

R E S U R R E C T I O N G O S P E L 5 ; LU K E 2 4 : 1 2 – 3 5O U R R E S U R R E C T E DLO R D A C C O M PA N I E D A N D E N L I G H T E N E D S T C L E O P H A S & S T LU K E A L O N G T H E R O A D T OE M M A U S

R E S U R R E C T I O N P R O K E I M E N O N – P S A L M 4 6 / 4 7 – T O N E 3

P salate to Theo imon! Psalate!P anta Ethni krotisate hiras!

Sing praises to our God! Sing Praises!O all you Nations, clap your hands!

T H E A C T S O F T H E A P O S T L E S A C C O R D I N G T O S T LU K E 9 : 3 2 – 4 2S T T A B I T H A / D O R C A S I S B R O U G H T B A C K F R O M D E A T H

In those days, it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout the quarters, he went down also to the Saints who dwelt atLydda. There he found a certain man named ‘ Aeneas ,’ who had been bed-ridden for eight years, suffering from palsy.

And Peter said to him: “Aeneas: Jesus Christ makes Thee whole! Arise, and make Thy bed.” And he immediately arose.And behold! all who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and turned to the Lord.

And at Joppa there was a certain Disciple named ‘ Tabitha ,’ which is translated as ‘ Dorcas .’ She was full of Good Works andAlmsgiving, which she had done. And it came to pass in those days that she became ill and died. When they hadwashed her, they laid her in an upper chamber.

And due to the fact that Lydda was close to Joppa, and the Disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent two men tohim, requesting him to hasten to them. Peter arose and went with them.

When he arrived, they took him into the upper chamber. And all the widows stood around him, weeping, and showing himthe cloaks and garments that Dorcas had made while she was with them.

After putting them all outside, Peter knelt down, and prayed. And turning to the body, he said: “ Tabitha! Arise !”Sheopened her eyes, and when she beheld Peter, she sat up. He gave her his hand, and helped her up, and when he hadcalled the Saints and widows, he presented her to them, alive. And it became known throughout all Joppa; and many

believed in our Lord. Lydda is approximately 25 miles northwest of Jerusalem

and Sharon was a region north of Lydda along theMediterranean coastline.

THE TERM “S AINTS ” REFERRED TO ALL C HRISTIAN BELIEVERS , for all who believe in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ withtheir whole heart AND WHO ARE S ANCTIFIED BY THE HOLYSPIRIT ARE BY DEFINITION “S AINTS .”

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

St Peter was able to completely heal the paralysed Aeneas BY INVOKING THE A MAZING DIVINE HEALING POWER

OF OUR LORD THROUGH H IS HOLY N AME , WHICH CONTINUES INC HRIST ’S HOLY C HURCH TO THIS VERY DAY .

The Divine Signs or Miracles of the Holy Apostles of Christconvinced many witnesses and others who thenturned to the Lord.

THESE DIVINE SIGNS OR M IRACLES PROVE THE G REAT M ERCY ANDPOWER OF A LMIGHTY G OD – THUS CONFIRMING C HRIST ’S HOLYG OSPEL AND LEADING MANY SOULS TO SINCERE REPENTANCE

AND ETERNAL LIFE IN C HRIST .St Peter’s raising St Tabitha from the dead parallels

Christ’s raising the daughter of the Synagogue Ruler,Jairus, from death.


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T H E H O L Y G O S P E L A C C O R D I N G T O S T J O H N 5 : 1 – 1 5T H E P A R A L Y T I C A T T H ES H E E P ’ S P O O L I S H E A L E D A F T E R3 8 Y E A R S B Y O U RLO R D J E S U S C H R I S T

At that time our Lord Jesus went up to Jerusalem.There is in Jerusalem, by the Sheep Gate, a pool, which is called in Hebrew: ‘ Bethesda ,’ having five porches. In these lay a

great multitude of sick people: blind, lame and paralysed – waiting for the moving of the water. An Angel went down ata certain time into the pool and stirred up the water. Whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was madewell of whatever disease he had.

A certain man was there who had an infirmity for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that healready had been in that condition for a long time, He said to him: “Do you want to be made well?” The sick mananswered Him: “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am going, anothersteps down before me.” Jesus said to him: “ Rise. Take up your bed and walk.” And immediately the man was madewell, took up his bed and walked.

That day was the Sabbath. The Hebrews, therefore, said to him who was cured: “ It is the Sabbath! It is not lawful for you tocarry your bed!” He answered them: “He Who made me well said to me: ‘ Take up your bed and walk .’” They askedhim: “Who is the Man Who said to you: ‘ Take up your bed and walk ?’” But the one who was healed did not know Who itwas, for Jesus had withdrawn – a multitude being in that place.

Afterwards Jesus found him in the Temple and said to him: “Behold! You have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worsething come upon you.”

The man departed and told the Judeans that it was Jesus Who had made him well. This Divine Healing was the Third Sign or Miracle that St

John the Divine Apostle recorded in his Holy Gospel. IT EXEMPLIFIES THE DIVINE POWER OF C HRIST OUR LORD TO

RESTORE A PERSON TO WHOLENESS – TO FULL HEALTH , DESPITE THE DEGREE OF AFFLICTION .

The Feast, which is referred to, was the Old CovenantPentecost – also known as “ the Feast of Weeks ,” whichcelebrates the granting of the Divine Law – the TenCommandments of God – to St Moses on Mount Sinai.(THE REFERENCES TO THE LAW OF MOSES LATER IN THIS CHAPTERCONFIRM THIS INTERPRETATION OF OUR HOLY CHURCH FATHERS..)

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

The water for this high-ground pool came fromunderground springs and was used to wash theS ACRIFICIAL L AMBS before they WERE SLAUGHTERED ASBLOOD O FFERINGS FOR THE ATONEMENT AND FORGIVENESS OFSINS ACCORDING TO THE O LD C OVENANT L AW .

THE POOL OF BETHESDA FUNCTIONED AS A TYPE OF HOLYB APTISM :

UNDER THE O LD C OVENANT , ALTHOUGH A GREATMULTITUDE WAITED to enter the water for physicalhealing after an Angel of God had touched itand stirred it up, ONLY ONE PERSON WAS HEALED AT

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

WAS PART OF THE BLOOD S ACRIFICES of the Holy Temple ofJerusalem, since the sacrificial animals werecleansed in the water.

However, DIVINE G RACE WAS LIMITED TO THE FIRSTPERSON WHO ENTERED THE WATER – BUT NOT TO THEREST .

G OD ’S N EW C OVENANT B APTISM IS GRANTED TO ALL N ATIONS AS A DIRECT PARTICIPATION IN C HRIST ’S OWN S ACRIFICIALDEATH – WITHOUT THE M EDIATION OF HIS A NGELS .

Holy Baptism of the New (Bloodless) CovenantGRANTS US ALL HEALING OF THE BODY AND OF THEIMMORTAL SOUL ,

AS WELL AS THE D IVINE PROMISE OF ETERNALRESURRECTION OF THE BODY .

Furthermore, D IVINE G RACE OF THE N EW C OVENANT ISINEXHAUSTIBLE AND IS OFFERED TO ALL WHO SEEK IT .

According to St John Chrysostom, OUR L ORD J ESUSC HRIST SINGLED OUT THE MAN WHO HAD SUFFERED FORTHIRTY -EIGHT YEARS – PATIENTLY WAITING TO BE HEALED – IN ORDER TO TEACH US TO PERSEVERE AND TO HAVE

P ATIENCE , WHILE BEING A J UDGEMENT OR C ONDEMNATION AGAINST THOSE WHO LOSE HOPE OR P ATIENCE ALTOGETHER– THOSE WHO DESPAIR – WHO LOSE ALL HOPE AND F AITH ING OD ’S D IVINE PROVIDENCE because theircircumstances are not according to their own willand desires – and especially when we have onlyminor problems that can be easily resolved if wemake an effort to do so.

G OD DOES EVERYTHING IN H IS OWN TIME AND ACCORDING TOH IS OWN DIVINE W ILL BECAUSE ONLY HE KNOWS WHAT ISBEST FOR US AND HOW TO HELP US .

WE USUALLY HAVE TO CORRECT SOMETHING TO DO WITH OUROWN PERSONAL SPIRITUAL CONDITION BEFORE WE ARE ABLETO RECEIVE OR EXPERIENCE GOD’S DIVINE GRACE ANDMERCY:

WE NEED TO REPENT OUR SINS, TO HUMBLE OURSELVES, TOLEARN OBEDIENCE TO GOD, TO FORGIVE OTHERS, TO DOUNSELFISH AND LOVING (CHARITABLE) ACTS OF MERCYWITHOUT EXCEPTION, LEARN TO BE PATIENT, KIND, GENTLE,GENEROUS, DEVELOP A POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND TO FULFILALL OUR SACRED DUTIES AND COMMITMENTS WITH WILLINGAND EAGER HEARTS.

A LTHOUGH IT MAY SEEM STRANGE THAT OUR LORD ASKED THEP ARALYSED M AN IF HE WANTED TO BE HEALED , IT WAS AMOST RELEVANT QUESTION FOR SEVERAL REASONS

: It made public the fact that THE SICK MAN KEPT HISF AITH EVEN IN A SITUATION THAT WAS SEEMINGLYHOPELESS , for how could a paralytic ever be thefirst into the water?

Our Lord drew attention away from the water andtowards THE NEED WE ALL HAVE FOR THE HELP ANDENCOURAGEMENT OF OTHERS , WHICH IS FULFILLED INC HRIST H IMSELF , Who became Man in order toheal all ailing and fallen mankind.

N OT EVERYONE WHO IS ILL ACTUALLY DESIRES HEALING , forsadly, some prefer to remain infirm in order tohave an excuse or licence to complain, toavoid any responsibility for their lives, or tocontinue drawing the pity of others!

Although Mosaic Law did not specifically forbid the

carrying of burdens on the Sabbath, it was prohibitedand explicitly forbidden in Rabbinical Teachings.

JEREMIAH 17 : 23 The Lord said: “... if you will not hearMe so as to Sanctify the Sabbath Days, and bear noburdens, nor enter the gates of Jerusalem on theSabbath Days, then I will kindle a fire in her gates. Itwill consume the streets of Jerusalem and will notbe quenched.”

St Jeremiah the Holy Prophet of God delivered the Wordof the Lord which commanded that Israel stop

violating the Sabbath Day. The Reward forObedience to God is a gathering of the nations intoJerusalem to offer sacrifice and although this wasdone after the Exile, it was not completely fulfilleduntil the Gentiles joined the procession on the Day ofPentecost.

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

As is often the case in the Holy Gospel according to StJohn, “H EBREWS ” REFERS TO THE LEADERS - and not to thepeople in general – WHOSE MALICE IS QUITE EVIDENTBECAUSE THEY FOCUSED SOLELY ON THE “ VIOLATION ” OF THES ABBATH RATHER THAN ON THE G REAT M IRACLE OF THE LONG -SUFFERING P ARALYTIC .

THE GENUINE AND PROFOUND F AITH OF THE MAN ISDEMONSTRATED BY HIS IMMEDIATELY GOING TO THETEMPLE TO OFFER HIS HEARTFELT THANKSGIVING AND

W ORSHIP , instead of going home, or anywhere elseto show off his healed body.

Furthermore, ALL M IRACULOUS HEALINGS HAD TO BE CONFIRMED

BY THE TEMPLE PRIESTS , FOLLOWED BY VARIOUS C LEANSING AND S ACRIFICIAL RITES ACCORDING TO M OSAIC L AW .

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

Nevertheless, OUR SINS USUALLY LEAD DIRECTLY TO MOST OF THESUFFERING OF THIS WORLD – OUR OWN SUFFERING AND – EVEN


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WORSE - THE SUFFERING OF OTHERS DUE TO OUR SELFISH ORTHOUGHTLESS ACTIONS .

Christ’s dire warning: “Sin no more...” was NOT ONLY ADDRESSED TO THE HEALED MAN , BUT TO EACH AND EVERY ONEOF US !

SIN CAUSES SPIRITUAL DEATH , WHICH ONLY REPENTANCE CANRESOLVE BY RETURNING US TO SPIRITUAL LIFE IN C HRIST .

However, IF WE STUBBORNLY REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE , CONFESS AND REPENT OUR SINS THEY WILL DESTROY OURSOUL – leading to a far worse consequence thanany terrible, painful or disabling affliction of thebody!

Our only hope is to RESIST ALL TEMPTATION AND SIN BYBESEECHING THE LORD OUR G OD FOR HIS DIVINE STRENGTH

AND A SSISTANCE .THE HEALED P ARALYTIC DID NOT REPORT OUR LORD J ESUS TO THE

HEBREW LEADERS IN A MALICIOUS MANNER BUT AS A WITNESS OFC HRIST ’S A BSOLUTE G OODNESS , for even though thosemisguided leaders were only interested in the

violation of the Sabbath, the restored manemphasised that it was our Lord Jesus Who hadhealed him, without saying anything about carryinghis bed – i.e. WITHOUT BLAMING C HRIST FOR CAUSING HIM TOBREAK THE S ABBATH .

F O U R T H S U N D A Y A F T E R H O L Y P A S C H A – T H E P A R A L Y T I C O F B E T H E S D A Our Faith teaches us that Healing is Miraculous by whatever

means it occurs and by whatever means God brings it.Healing is, in a very great sense, a Sign, a Manifestation, of

the Kingdom of God, toward us.Sickness and death are the norm: tragic results of our

willing disobedience of God and our participation in theenvironment of sin we see and experience all around us.

But sickness and, ultimately, Death are the enemies ChristGod became Incarnate to destroy.

Christ rescues us from an otherwise eternal pattern ofsenseless sickness and death.

Instead, we’re invited to receive “ New Birth ” by Water andthe Spirit, to receive the Adoption of Sonship, New Lifein Christ.

We live toward dying, but Dying in Christ brings us toEternal Living because with Christ, those who have puton Christ, likewise become fellow Victors over sin andDeath.

So in this Light - in this Truth - we can see the twoexamples of Healing in today’s Scripture Readings asinterjections of the Kingdom of God in our sad,mundane, otherwise sin-sick and dying humanity.

Here, the Gospel loudly proclaims: “ True Healing comesfrom Christ, from the Creator of all life ;” and shoutsout to us: “Call on Christ who alone brings TrueHealing!”

It’s St Peter’s Communion ( Koinonia ) with Christ God thatenables him to be the means by which God Heals theParalytic and then raises the Woman of God - St Tabitha.

He tells the Paralytic: “Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you.”

There’s no doubt from whom the Healing comes, but thegreat thing is that the God of the Universe chooses amere man—and one who had just recovered fromdenying Him thrice—to communicate His Life - HisHealing to others.

In the Holy Gospel, it is, of course, Christ Himself in PersonWho Heals and in the second case, it is Christ WhoHeals through St Peter.

Either way, it is God Who is Glorified, but in the EpistleReading, we should be stopped in our tracks.

We’d expect God to Heal, but now His Healing was donethrough His Apostle - through His Church - that is:through His abiding Presence with us.

This is in fulfilment of what Christ said would happen afterthe Descent of the Holy Spirit: “ Most assuredly, I say to

you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he willdo also; and greater works than these he will do,because I go to My Father ” (JOHN 14:12 ).

In many of the Healings recorded in the Holy Gospels, theyare preceded by our Lord Jesus Christ Forgiving sins, bya step of Faith and Repentance.

This is so natural, so fitting: Only God can Forgive sins,only God can give and restore Life.

Our ultimate problem is not the weakness and infirmitiesof our physical bodies, as distressing, saddening, andlimiting as they may be.

Rather, it is our sin-sickness - our wilful removal ofourselves, our eternal souls - from True Life -Communion with God - that is most to be lamented.

After Healing the Paralytic of Bethesda, our Lord severelycautioned him: “Go and sin no more!”

Sin itself is understood in our Orthodox Faith as a sickness,for it is self-willed removal from the Light of Life.

Sin is our voluntarily or involuntarily ‘missing the Mark’[going off the Path ] to Glory to which we have been Called.

Our sin and disobedience - our rejection of God’sCommunion and Living in Christ - as individuals and ashuman beings, means we turn away from that Holy Life,

that Glory, and, in this sense, embrace Death. [ theabsence of God and all His Divine Goodness ]

The Paralytic of Bethesda lamented: “Lord, I have no manto put me into the pool when the water is stirred up…”

He had struggled with his infirmity and thedisappointment of not being Healed for 38 years!Imagine!

Yet, finally, his Faith in God drew our Lord and Saviour tohim and he was Healed - not only in body, but in soul aswell, for he was Divine Blessed with a personalEncounter with our Living God!

Our All Merciful and Loving God never leaves us alone tofend for ourselves.

He offers Himself to us – He offers us His Life - a New Life

through our sincere Repentance, which is the Cure forall ailments caused by sin.Our Most Compassionate God pours out His Divine Grace

and Love upon us through His Holy Church, for He hasgranted us all the essential Spiritual Tools or Medicinethat Comforts our sufferings, Strengthens ourweaknesses and Cures our illnesses.

It is entirely up to us if we wish to take full advantage ofthe Spiritual Benefits of the Divine Services, Prayers andHoly Mysteries – and every other Beneficial Aspect ofHis Holy Church.

Our Lord receives our Repentance through the HolyMystery of Repentance-Confession.

Furthermore, He Nourishes, Heals, Cleanses and Renews uswith the Medicine of Immortality of the Holy Mystery ofEucharist.

Consequently, we must honestly question ourselves: “ Howdo I prioritise my personal Holy Communion with myLord God ?”

“Do I strive to Live in Christ in all facets of my daily life so that I ceaselessly Struggle against temptation andsin, and every time I Fall, do I turn to God for Healing,Cleansing and Renewal in Christ , so that I may beSanctified and eventually Deified ?”

If we want that wonderful ‘ Fullness in Christ’ andcontinuous Spiritual Healing, we need Spiritual Growthand Strength.

We need to develop and maintain our personal Relationshipand Communion with the Lord our God.

Bearing that in mind, we must understand that Love –[Agape – Divine, Unconditional Love ] – cannot be forced onanyone but must be a personal desire – a totally freechoice of Divine Goodness that has infinite Blessingsand Joy.

The same principles apply to our Healing – and in fact, toall the Divine Blessings that God bestows so freely andabundantly on us.

For this reason, our Lord Jesus Christ’s question to theParalytic was indeed relevant – even after 38 long,painful and frustrating years: “Do you want to be madewell?”

We must ask ourselves the same vital question, and if wedo want that marvellous Spiritual or physical Healing,we are Blessed indeed for we can avail ourselves ofeverything that Christ’s Holy Church so freely andgenerously offers us.

If we refuse such Wondrous Divine Gifts then we surelyneed to Repent and change our stubborn attitude,seeking Spiritual Guidance and Help, for every human

being needs these in order to enjoy a fulfilled Life.We all need to turn to our Lord Jesus Christ Who alone is

able to Save us from Spiritual Death.We certainly have more than enough excuses to keep us

from that essential Spiritual Growth and Healing, whichprevents our participation in all the Wonders and


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Blessings and Joy of the Kingdom of God that we arealready so mercifully granted here and now.

Our stubborn excuses of: “I am too busy... I’ve got too manyother responsibilities... I’m afraid... I’m too proud... Godcan help others, but He can’t help me...” are just ways ofavoiding what we know we really do need, yet we arenot prepared to commit ourselves and prefer tocontinue doing ‘our own thing.’

The Truth - the Reality - is that we do not have to remaintrapped in the same dead-end habits.

Significantly, when Christ asked Paralytic of Bethesda if hewanted “...to be made well...” he responded by saying:

“Lord, I have no man to put me into the pool...” Our Lord then takes his attention away from the pool andreveals that Christ Himself is the Man – the God-Man -Who alone, and directly, Heals and Saves.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, physical sickness, diseaseand death can be Transfigured: “O Death, where is thysting? O Hades, where is thy victory?” (1 CORINTHIANS15:55)

In the same way, all our Spiritual Sickness can bepermanently Healed IN CHRIST - step by step.

Through the Sanctified Tools and Holy Mysteries of HisHoly Church, we have the means to conquer sin - to

bear the Cross of our personal Struggles and self-denial,which become the means of Deification through ourconstant Repentance and Prayers.

‘Church’ is meant to be more than just a ‘once-a-week

experience’ for us.As Orthodox Christians – Disciples of Christ – we aremeant to incorporate the Church – our Life in Christ -into all aspects of daily living.

For the Faithful Orthodox Christian, there is no distinctionor separation between our Relationship andCommunion with God and our participation in theChurch - in all Her Holy Services and Mysteries.

It is impossible to ‘have our Lord Jesus Christ’ without ourregular participation in all aspects of His Holy Church,

for our Lord Jesus is manifested to us through His HolyChurch - through the ‘Tools of Salvation’ that He hasimparted to us through His Holy Body (His Church) inHis Great Love for us.

Our True Life in Christ brings us ever closer to our TriuneGod – the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, andinterjects the Life, Joy and Hope of the Eternal HeavenlyKingdom into our midst.

We must guide and encourage each other to maintain ourRelationship with our Lord God, for that is the only wayto wage a Victorious Battle against the Evil One and allhis schemes for our destruction.

We must avail ourselves of everything that Christ impartsto us through His Holy Church: the Deifying Worship,Fellowship, Service, the Holy Mysteries, as well as all HisDivine Commandments and Teachings.

In this way only, our soul - like the suffering body of theParalytic - will be fully restored so that, like him, we willhave the Strength to take up our Cross, and followChrist all the way to the Eternal Kingdom of Heaven.

And as we regain our Likeness to Christ and are Glorifiedwith Him, our Love for God and our fellow mankind willcontinually increase.

We will find new ways to Love and Serve, therebymanifesting the Kingdom of God to the world around usso that God may be Glorified in us and through us:“Greater Works than these he will do in My Name ”

As Thou raised up the Paralytic of old, so raise up my soul,

paralyzed by sins and thoughtless acts; so that beingSaved I may sing to Thee: Glory to Thy Power, OCompassionate Christ! —K O N TA K I O N F O R T H E F E A S T

Edited & adapted by mpSermon by FATHER ROBERT MICLEAN ARCHANGELS ORTHODOX CHURCH

http://www.orthodoxannapolis.org/

S T J O H N C H RY S O S TO M O N C H R I S T ’ S C O M M A N D M E N T : “S I N N O M O R E . . . !” (P A R T 1)A fearful thing is sin - fearful, and the ruin of the soul,

for the mischief often - through its excess - hasoverflowed and attacked our body also.

For the most part - when our soul is diseased - we feelno pain.

However, if our body receives even a little hurt, we useevery exertion to free it from its infirmity, becausewe are sensible ( aware ) of the infirmity.

Therefore, God often permits punishment of our bodyfor the transgressions of our soul, so that by meansof the ‘scourging’ of the inferior part, the better partalso may receive some Healing.

Thus, too, among the Corinthians St Paul restored theadulterer - checking the disease of the soul by thedestruction of the flesh, and having applied the knifeto the body, so repressed the evil like some excellentPhysician employing external cautery for dropsy orspleen, when they refuse to yield to internalremedies. ( 1 CORINTHIANS VERSE 5 )

This also Christ did in the case of the Paralytic of

Bethesda - as He showed when He said: "Behold, thouart made whole. Sin no more, lest a worse thingcome unto thee!"

First, we learn from this that his paralysis had beencaused by his sins.

Secondly, we learn that the accounts of Hell Fire are to be believed.

And, thirdly, we learn that the Punishment is long – nay,endless – Eternal!

Where are those who dare to say: "I murdered in anhour... I committed adultery in a little moment oftime... and am I Eternally Punished?"

For behold that Paralytic had not sinned for as manyyears as he suffered, for he had spent a wholelifetime in the length of his Punishment - and O U RS I N S A R E N O T J U D G E D B Y T I M E , B U T B Y T H EN AT U R E O F O U R T R A N S G R E S S I O N S .

Besides this, we may learn another thing:Although we have suffered severely for our former sins,

I F W E A F T E RWA R D S FA L L I N TO T H E S A M E S I N S , W E S H A L L S U F F E R M U C H M O R E S E V E R E LY !

And with good reason – because those who are not made better - even by punishment - are afterwards led as

to still heavier ( more severe ) Chastisement for beinginsensible and despising ( contemptuous ).

The fault should of itself be sufficient to check and torender more sober those who once have slipped.

But when not even the addition of Punishment effects us,we naturally require more bitter Torments. (whichshould make us aware of and acknowledge our SpiritualCondition so that we sincerely Repent and return to God’sDivine Grace and Love as He desires us to do. mp)

Even in this temporary world, when - after Punishment -we fall into the same sins, we are Chastised yet moreseverely than before.

Therefore, ought we not to be exceedingly afraid andatremble when - having sinned - we have not beenpunished at all, but knowing that we will have toendure something irreparable ( and beyond our ability toRepent and receive Forgiveness – i.e. after our Repose )?

"And wherefore art not all thus Punished? For we seemany bad people ( who seem to be ) well in body,vigorous, and enjoying great prosperity ,” some may

well enquire.Nevertheless, let us not be confident.Let us mourn for those in this case most of all, since

those who suffered nothing in this life, will receiveEternal Condemnation hereafter.

(We are all going to be held accountable for our words, thoughtsand deeds because we will not fully comprehend until too late,the consequences - especially those that affected othersnegatively. mp)

As St Paul declared: "... now that we are Judged, we areChastened of the Lord, that we should not beCondemned with the world ... for the punishmentshere are for warning - there for vengeance ." (i.e.Retribution ) ( 1 CORINTHIANS 11: 32 )

Not all diseases and ailments proceed from sin, butmany of them are caused by sinful acts. ( theconsequences of which can indeed be vast, affecting greatmultitudes, as we witness these days! mp )

Some diseases are caused by various kinds of looseliving, since gluttony, intemperance, and sloth, cancause much suffering, and even death. (...to becontinued...)

http://orthodoxwayoflife.blogspot.com/search/label/Paralytic


7/36S T I R E N E T H E G R E A T H O L Y M A R T Y R O F T H E S S A L O N I K A 5 M A Y 2 0 1 5 7.


All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the HolySpirit, now and Forever, and unto the Ages of Ages. AmenRemembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and GloriousLady, Mary, Theotokos yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And letus commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God.

Amen.

5 May 2015 St Irene the Great Holy Martyr

of ThessalonikaApodosis of the Paralytic

Also the Feast of St Euthymios of Maditou – St Euphraim the New Holy Martyr of Nea Makri, Attika –St James the Abbot & Wonderworker of Zhelezny Bor, Kostoma (Uncovering of Holy Relics)


H ristos Anesti ek nekron, Thanato Thanaton patistas,ke tis en tis mnimasi, Zoin harisamenos!

C hrist has Risen from the dead, by Death tramplingupon Death, and has bestowed Life to those in thetombs!

F E S T A L A P O L Y T I K I O N - S T I R E N E T H E G R E A T M A R T Y R - T O N E 4 :

I rinis ton arhonta, ihnilatousa semni, Irinis Eponimos, diepipnias Theou, edihthis paneffime; si gar toupolemiou, tas enedras figousa, ithlisas iper fisin, osparthenos fronimi; dio Megalomartis Irini, irinin iminetise .

T he steps of the Prince of Peace, following O Noble One,the namesake of Peace, by the prompting of God,thou became O Most Blessed One; for having escapedthe snares of the devil, supremely thou contended, asa most prudent virgin; wherefore, O Great MartyrIrene, ask for Peace for all of us!

F E S T A L A P O L Y T I K I O N O F A F E M A L E H O L Y M A R T Y R

I Amnas Sou Iisou, krazi megali ti foni. Se Nimfie moupotho, ke Se zitousa athlo, ke sistavroume, kesinthaptome to Vaptismo Sou. Ke Pasho dia Se, osVasilefso Sin Si, ke thnisko iper Sou, ina ke ziso en Si.All’ os thisian amomon, prosdehou tin meta pothoutithisan Si. Aftis presvies, os eleimon, Soson tas psihasimon.

T hy Lamb, O Jesus, cries to Thee with a loud voice: O myBridegroom, Thee I Love; and seeking Thee I now suffereverything in search of Thee, and am crucified and

buried with Thee in Baptism; and suffer for Thy sake,so that I may reign with Thee, and give my life forThee, that I may Live with Thee; but accept as PureSacrifice, the one who desired to give her life for you.Through her Intercessions, O Most Compassionate,

Save our souls.P A S C H A L K O N T A K I O N – T O N E ( 8 ) P L A G A L 4

I ke en Tafo katilthes, Athanate, alla tou Adou kathiles tinDinamin. Ke anestis os Nikitis, Hriste O Theos, ginexiMyroforis fthegxamenos Herete, ke tis Sis Aposlis irinindoroumenos, O tis pesousi parehon Anastasin.

A lthough Thou went down into the Tomb, O ImmortalOne, Thou brought down the dominion of Hades; andThou rose as Victor, O Christ our God; and Thou calledout: “ Rejoice !” to the Myrrh-Bearing Women, andgranted Peace to Thine Apostle, O Lord, Who to theFallen grant Resurrection.

F E S T A L K O N T A K I O N - S T I R E N E T H E G R E A T M A R T Y R – T O N E 3

P arthenias kallesi, pepikilmeni Parthene, ke Martionstemmasi, Stefanothisa Irini, emati tou martiriouerrantismeni, thavmasi katastrafthisa ton iamaton,evsevos Martis edexo, vraveion Nikis tis Sis Athliseos.

Being fair adorned before with pure and virginal beauty,Thou became fairer still in Thy brave Contest, OVirgin; for when Thou, in Thine own spilt blood, wasstained and reddened, O Irene, Thou overthrewungodly error. Hence, Thou hast received the Prizes of

Thy Good Vict'ry from Thy Creator's right Hand. F E S T A L P R O K E I M E N O N – P S A L M 4 6 / 4 7 – T O N E 3

S ing praises to our God! Sing Praises!O all you Nations, clap your hands!

T H E A C T S O F T H E A P O S T L E S A C C O R D I N G T O S T LU K E 1 0 : 2 1 - 2 3In those days, Peter went down to the men who had been sent to him from Cornelius, and said: “ Behold ! I am he whom you

seek. For what reason have you come ?” They said: “ Cornelius the Centurion - a Just man who Fears God and who has agood reputation among all the Nation of the Judeans - was Divinely Instructed by a Holy Angel to summon Thee to hishouse, and to hear words from Thee .” And he invited them in and lodged them.

The next day Peter went away with them, and some Brethren from Joppa accompanied him. And the following day theyentered Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends.

As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshipped him. But Peter lifted him up, saying:“Stand up. I myself am also a man .” And as he spoke with him, he went in and found many who had come together.

He said to them: “ You know how unlawful it is for a Judean man to keep company with or to go to one of another Nation.“But God has shown me that I should not call any man ‘common,’ or ‘unclean.’ Therefore, I came without objection as soon as

I was sent for. So I ask: for what reason have you sent for me?”And Cornelius said: “ Four days ago I was Fasting until this hour; and at the Ninth Hour I prayed in my house, and behold! A

Man stood before me in bright clothing, and said: ‘Cornelius, Thy Prayers have been heard, and Thine Alms areremembered in the Sight of God. ’Send, therefore, to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is Peter. ’He is lodgingin the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea. ’When he comes, he will speak to Thee.’ So I sent to Thee immediately, andThou hast done well to come. Now, therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all things that were Commanded toThee by God.”


8/36S T I R E N E T H E G R E A T H O L Y M A R T Y R O F T H E S S A L O N I K A 5 M A Y 2 0 1 5 8.

BY MEANS OF A D IVINE V ISION , God had revealed to StPeter all the creatures, which the Israelites had beenforbidden to eat according to the Old CovenantDietary Laws, but which now, according to the NewCovenant, are permissible for our consumption, for

ALL THINGS CREATED BY G OD ARE G OOD ! (ACTS 10: 11 – 13) St Peter’s initial resistance to specific New Covenant

Laws shows how difficult it was for the first (Hebrew)Christians to accept and to put into practice, theDivine Teachings that CERTAIN O LD C OVENANT L AWS

WERE NO LONGER ESSENTIAL TO OUR SPIRITUAL W ELFARE ANDETERNAL LIFE .

The Divine Vision of formerly ‘ common’ or ‘ unclean’ creatures is A DIVINE DECLARATION THAT THE O LDC OVENANT D IETARY L AWS HAVE BEEN FULFILLED and thusare no longer necessary . (MARK 7:19)

More importantly, this Divine Vision also revealed thatG ENTILES , WHO WERE FORMERLY CONSIDERED TO BE‘UNCLEAN ’ AND THUS TO BE AVOIDED , by the Judeans, ARENOW C LEANSED BY THE M OST PRECIOUS , LIFE -GIVING BLOODOF C HRIST OUR LORD AND S AVIOUR , MAKING THEM EQUALPARTAKERS OF THE ETERNAL KINGDOM OF HEAVEN – THEETERNAL KINGDOM OF A GAPE (L OVE).

THIS DIVINE V ISION , FURTHERMORE , PREPARED ST PETER TORECEIVE C ORNELIUS AND HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS – and toteach them all the Divine Truth of Almighty God ashe had been taught by our Lord Jesus Christ, theEternal, Only Begotten Son and Word of God theFather.

And the most important Sacred Lesson of this Readingtoday, is to teach us – to remind us – that OUR LOVINGLORD G OD DESIRES ALL HUMANITY TO BE WELCOMED ANDJOYFULLY RECEIVED INTO HIS HOLY C HURCH – regardless

of heritage, social class, past sins or anything else –FOR WE ARE ALL ONE IN CHRIST JESUS – WE ARE ALLORTHODOX CHRISTIANS !

“T HE N INTH H OUR ” IS 15:00 (3 PM ), which is one of theTraditional Hours for Liturgical Prayer for both theJudeans and the early Christians (which theOrthodox Christians still follow to this day.)

These Hours of Liturgical Prayer were observed by bothHebrew and Gentile Christians – St Peter and StCornelius the Centurion.

“... A Man stood before me in bright clothing ..”signifies A HOLY V ISITATION OF AN A NGEL OF G OD – i.e. a

Holy Messenger of God. St Cornelius and his family and friends were eagerto hear the Teachings of Christ from His Holy Apostle,St Peter, for “... Faith comes by hearing ...”

All Faithful and devoted Disciples of Christ need tocontinuously hear and read the Holy Gospel, theHoly Scriptures and the Inspired Writings of our HolyChurch Fathers.

Let us always keep in mind what our Lord said withregard to His All Pure and Ever Blessed Mother: “...Blessed are those who hear and obey the Word ofGod!”

It takes the inseparable Holy Virtues of H UMILITY ANDO BEDIENCE to follow Her good example : TO HEAR ANDTO OBEY ALL OUR LORD ’ S T EACHINGS AND C OMMANDMENTS .

By doing so to the best of our ability, we will enjoy andbe abundantly Blessed with LIFE IN C HRIST .

TH E H O L Y G O S P E L A C C O R D I N G T O S T J O H N 7 : 1 - 1 3At that time, after these things, Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Judeans sought

to kill Him. The Judean’s Feast of Tabernacles was at hand. His Brothers, therefore, said to Him: “ Depart from hereand go into Judea, that Thy Disciples also may see the Works that Thou art doing, for no one does anything in secretwhile he himself seeks to be known openly. If Thou do these things, show Thyself to the world .” For even His Brothersdid not believe in Him.

Jesus said to them: “ My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready. The world cannot hate you, but it hatesMe because I testify of it that its works are evil. You go up to this Feast. I Am no yet going up to the Feast, for Mytime has not yet fully come.”

When He had said these things to them, He remained in Galilee. When His Brothers had gone up, then He also went up tothe Feast – not openly, but as it were, in secret. The Judeans sought Him at the Feast, and said: “ Where is He ?” Andthere was much complaining among the people concerning Him. Some said: “ He is Good! ” Others said: “No! On thecontrary, He deceives the people!” However, no one spoke openly of Him for fear of the Judeans.

This is an account of our Lord Jesus Christ’s visit toJerusalem for the Feast of the Tabernacles, whichcovered eight days.

At this Festival, during the last year of His earthly Life, ourLord Jesus taught in the Temple and attracted a greatdeal of public attention.

Some of the Judeans considered Him to be insane ormentally disturbed, while others believed Him to bethe long-awaited Messiah.

However, the Sadducees and Pharisees regarded ourLord Jesus Christ to be a major threat.

Thus, those who sought to kill Christ were the religious

leaders who were afraid of Him – but not the peoplein general who usually flocked to hear His DivineTruth and to witness His Divine Miracles.

The Feast of Tabernacles ( Succoth ) is an 8 day autumnharvest Festival, commemorating the time when theNation of Israel wandered in the wilderness of Sinaiand lived in tents, or ‘ tabernacles .’

Along with the great Feasts of Passover and Pentecost, theFeast of Tabernacles was one of the three mostimportant Festivals of Israel.

It included numerous blood sacrifices and celebrations,and later, the final day of this Feast also includeddrawing water from the Pool of Siloam, which wasmixed with wine and poured at the base of the Altar –both as Purification and in Remembrance of the Life-saving Water that flowed from the Rock, which St

Moses had struck with his rod. (EXODUS 17 : 1 – 7) It also included the lighting of huge lamps in the Outer

Courtyard of the Temple in Jerusalem. The reference to our Lord’s “ Brothers ,” meant, in fact,

his older cousins, who were the offspring of the elderly

St Joseph the Betrothed and his late wife, Salome, whohad been the sister of St Anna (mother of our LadyTheotokos.)

According to Old Covenant Law, these sons anddaughters of St Joseph the Betrothed and his late wife,Salome, were regarded as the legal ‘children’ of theEver Blessed Virgin Mary as well.

The Temple Priests Betrothed Her to Her aged Uncle, who was in Truth Her Guardian and Protector of HerSacred Vow of Chastity, which could never be broken.

A Betrothal was legal and binding, and no onequestioned the parentage of Christ, for God Himself

had chosen St Joseph as a Most Righteous and DevoutServant, who would fulfil his Sacred Duty as Guardianand Protector of our Lady and Her Divine Son, ourLord Jesus Christ.

His home was a safe haven for the other young Virgins who accompanied our Lady Theotokos, who hadfollowed Her example and also taken Vows of Chastityand Obedience to God.

It was customary to refer to close family members as‘brothers’ or ‘ sisters ,’ even though they were cousins orrelated through Marriage.

The Betrothal of St Joseph and our Lady was neverconsummated and She never bore another child.Later, our Lord Jesus entrusted Her care to Hisbeloved cousin, St John the Theologian and hisfamily, who protected Her and took care of Her until

She Reposed.Our Lord Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem very quietly and

unobtrusively – not like He would soon do on PalmSunday before His Great Passion.


9/36M I D P E N T E C O S T W E D N E S D A Y 6 M A Y 2 0 1 5 9.

G r e e k O r t h o d o x P a t r i a r c h a t e o f A l e x a n d r i a & A l l A f r i c aA r c h d i o c e s e o f G o o d H o p e All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, andto the Holy Spirit, now and Forever, and unto the Ages of Ages.

AmenRemembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed andGlorious Lady, Mary, Theotokos yet Ever Virgin, together with all theSaints. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life toChrist our God. Amen.

6 May 2015 Mid Pentecost

Also the Feast of St Job the Much Afflicted and Long-Suffering - St Seraphim ofLebadeia – St Michah, Disciple of St Seraphim of Radonezh - St Barbaros the Soldier, StBacchos, St Callimachos & St Dionysios of Morea - St Savvas. First Archbishop ofSerbia – St Barbaros the Repentant Thief of Thessaly




F E S T A L A P O L Y T I K I O N O F M I D – P E N T E C O S T – T O N E ( 8 ) P L A G A L 4 :M esousis tis Eortis, disosan mou tin psihin, efsevias potison

namata; oti pasi Sotir evoisas: O dispason erhesthopros me ke pineto. I Pigi tis Zois, Hriste O Theos imonDoxa Si.

Halfway to the Feast, refresh my thirsty soul with flowingStreams of Piety; for Thou, O Saviour, cried to all:Those who thirst, come to Me and drink! O Fountainof Life, Christ our God, Glory to Thee!

K O N T A K I O N O F M I D - P E N T E C O S T

T is Eortis tis nomikis mesazousis, O Ton apanton Piitis keDespotis, pros tous parontas eleges Hriste O Theos.Defte ke arisasthe, idor athanasias. Othen Siprospiptomen, ke Pistos ekvoomen. Tous iktirmous Soudorise imin. Si gar iparhis Pigi tis zois imon.

When the Paschal Feast was half-completed, O theCreator of all and their Master, Thou said to thosepresent, O Christ our God: Come to Me and drawnow, the Water that is Immortal. Wherefore, we falldown before Thee and cry out in Faith: Thy GreatMercies grant to us; for Thou art indeed, the Fount ofour lives.

F E S T A L P R O K E I M E N O N – P S A L M 5 2 : 3 2 – T O N E 1Sing Praises to our God! Sing Praises to our King!

Clap your hands, all your Nations! T H E A C T S O F T H E A P O S T L E S A C C O R D I N G T O S T LU K E 1 4 : 6 – 1 8

T H E C H U R C H O F C H R I S T I N I C O N I U M , G A L A T I AIn those days, the Apostles fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and the surrounding region, where they

preached the Gospel. And in Lystra a certain man was sitting, who had no strength in his feet– a cripple from hismother’s womb – who had never walked. This man heard Paul speaking.

Observing him intently, Paul saw that he had Faith to be Saved.With a loud voice he said: “Stand up straight on your feet!” And he leapt and walked around.

When the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language: “The gods have comedown to us in the likeness of men!” They called Barnabas ‘ Zeus ,’ and Paul, ‘ Hermes ,’ since he was the chief speaker. Thepriest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, took oxen and garlands to the gates, intending to sacrifice withthe multitudes.

Hearing this, the Apostles, Barnabas and Paul, tore their clothing and ran in among the multitude, crying out and saying:“Men! why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you so that youshould turn from these useless things to the Living God , Who made the Heavens, the Earth, the sea, and all things thatare in them - Who in bygone generations allowed all Nations to walk in their own ways.

“And He did not leave Himself without Witness, in that He did Good. From Heaven He granted us rain and fruitful seasons,filling our heart with food and gladness!”

And with these sayings, they could scarcely retain the multitudes from sacrificing to them. E X P L A N A T O R YN O T E S

According to St John Chrysostom, THE UNFITTING PRAISE OFTHE LYCAONIANS WAS “... A CONTRIVANCE OF THE DEVIL ...” WHOTRIED TO LEAD THE PEOPLE TO A NEW FORM OF IDOLATRY AS

WELL AS TRYING TO TEMPT ST P AUL AND ST B ARNABAS INTO THEFATAL SIN OF PRIDE AND ARROGANCE .

While St Paul preached Christ to the Hebrews by using theOld Testament, in Lycaonia he used a starting pointthat was most accessible and understandable to hisaudience.

THE PEOPLE ’S IMMEDIATE CHANGE FROM WORSHIPPING THE HOLY A POSTLES OF C HRIST TO PERSECUTING THEM SHOWS THEIR MOBMENTALITY , AND TEACHES US THAT A F AITH THAT IS BASED

SOLELY ON OBVIOUS M IRACLES IS FICKLE , WEAK AND UNSTABLEBECAUSE IT IS SO EASILY SHATTERED AND LOST .

We must have F AITH IN G OD DUE TO A DEEP , PERSONALCONVICTION AND LOVE OF G OD – SOMETHING THAT COMESNATURALLY ONLY FROM WITHIN OUR HEARTS AND SOULS BUT

WHICH CANNOT BE FORCED NOR TAUGHT .It is A NATURAL RESPONSE OF OUR SOUL , WHICH HAS COME FROM

G OD AND WHICH NEEDS TO RETURN TO HIM .TRUE F AITH IN G OD IS A DEEP -SEATED A CKNOWLEDGEMENT AND

RECOGNITION OF HIS D IVINE TRUTH AND A PERSONALCOMPULSION OR YEARNING TO LIVE EVERY MOMENT IN C HRIST .


10/3610. M I D P E N T E C O S T W E D N E S D A Y 6 M A Y 2 0 1 5

T H E H O L Y G O S P E L A C C O R D I N G T O S T J O H N 7 : 1 4 – 3 0O U R L O R D J E S U S C H R I S T T E A C H E S I N T H E T E M P L E A T M I D - P E N T E C O S T

At that time, about the middle of the Feast, Jesus went up into the Temple and taught. And the Judeans marvelled, saying:“How does this Man know letters, having never studied ?” Jesus answered them and said: “My Doctrine is not Mine, butHis Who sent Me. If anyone wills to do His Will, he shall know concerning the Doctrine - whether it is from God orwhether I speak on My own Authority. He who speaks from himself, seeks his own glory; but He Who seeks theGlory of the One Who sent Him, is True, and no unrighteousness is in Him.

“Did Moses not give you the Law? And none of you keeps the Law! Why do you seek to kill Me?”The people answered and said: “Thou hast a demon! Who is seeking to kill Thee?” Jesus answered and said: “ I did one Work, and you all marvel. Moses gave you Circumcision (not that it is from Moses,

but from the Fathers), and on the Sabbath you Circumcise a man. If a man receives Circumcision on the Sabbathso that the Law of Moses should not be broken, why are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well

on the Sabbath?“Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with Righteous Judgement!”Some of them who were from Jerusalem said: “ Is this not He Whom they seek to kill? And behold! He speaks boldly, and

they say nothing to Him! Do the Rulers know indeed that this is Truly the Christ? Yet we know where this Man is from.When the Christ comes, no one will know where He is from.”

Jesus cried out, as He taught in the Temple, and said: “You both know Me, and you know where I Am from! And I havenot come of Myself, but He Who sent Me is True, Whom you do not know! I know Him, for I Am from Him, and Hesent Me.”

They sought to take Him; and no one laid a hand on Him, for His Hour had not yet come.E X P L A N A T O R YN O T E S

THE SIMPLE DESIRE TO KNOW AND TO FOLLOW G OD ’S W ILL IS THEKEY TO UNDERSTANDING IT .

SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS COMES FROM UNWILLINGNESS TO KNOWG OD OR TO RECOGNISE HIS D IVINE A UTHORITY .

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

“R ID YOURSELF OF WICKEDNESS : the anger, the envy, and thehatred that have arisen in your hearts, withoutprovocation, against Me. T HEN YOU WILL HAVE NODIFFICULTY IN REALISING THAT M Y W ORDS ARE ACTUALLYTHOSE OF G OD . As it is, these passions darken yourunderstanding and distort sound judgement. I F YOUREMOVE THESE PASSIONS , YOU WILL NO LONGER BE AFFLICTED in this manner .”

By providing Old Testament examples of blameless violation of the Sabbath, our Lord Jesus Christdemonstrated to the Hebrews that THE L AW IS NOT

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

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

Humanly speaking, they thought of our Lord as beingfrom Nazareth, Galilee for they were unaware thatHE WAS ACTUALLY BORN AND SPENT HIS VERY EARLY YEARS INBETHLEHEM , BEFORE THE HOLY FAMILY ’S FLIGHT TO EGYPT .

Beyond that, they could not comprehend that C HRIST HASTRULY COME FROM OUR F ATHER IN HEAVEN , that He isETERNALLY BEGOTTEN OF G OD THE F ATHER , BEFORE ALL

AGES , and thus His Divine Origin remained unknownto them as well.

C HRIST ’S “HOUR ” IS A REFERENCE TO THE EXACT MOMENT OF HISSUFFERING AND DEATH , FOR HE IS LORD OVER ALL TIME ,

WHICH IS A D IVINE A UTHORITY POSSESSED BY A LMIGHTY G OD ALONE .

O UR LORD AND S AVIOUR VOLUNTARILY – ACCORDING TO H ISDIVINE W ILL – WENT TO HIS P ASSION AND DEATH – andexclusively according to His own timing – certainlynot according to the plots and schemes of wickedmen.

M I D - P E N T E C O S T – LI V I N G I N T H E LI G H T O F T H E R E S U R R E C T I O N M E T R O P O L I T A N I G N A T I O S O F A R T A

Christ is Risen! Indeed He has Risen!Dearly Beloved: Risen mankind – those who believe in the

Glorious Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour, JesusChrist – live with the unwavering Hope of our ownResurrection and are not afraid of Death, do not giveway to the power of evil and sin, are not frustrated bythe many hurdles, failures and challenges of thistemporary life and do not consider the many, deviousmethods of the evil one.

We Believe, Hope and Struggle.We are guided by the Divine Truth of the Resurrected One

and we are Illuminated by the Light of His GloriousResurrection.

We are Sanctified, Redeemed and Deified by the SanctifyingGrace of the Holy Mysteries of the Church of Christ.

We become filled by Divine Grace when we have a vibrantand Living Presence of Christ in our soul.

This is why as Faithful Disciples of Christ we are Joyful,Peaceful and Serene.

However, we are also capable of being Defenders of ourFaith – Soldiers of Christ - with much respect,Sacrificial Love and Offerings for others.

As True and Faithful Christians, our Life in Christ shouldreveal to others and testify to the Unique Splendour ofthe Resurrection.

My Beloved: unfortunately, however, we do not all believein our Risen Lord Jesus Christ.

We do not all walk in the Glorious, Divine Light of HisResurrection and that is why so many of us suffer.

Families are dissolving; corruption dominates our world;materialism and atheism are overwhelming.Our younger generations are increasingly being led

towards the destructive consequences of violence,drugs, frustration, hopelessness, abject despairand, finally suicide!

We are surrounded by countless other threats that willinevitably result in tragic conclusions – both now and inEternity.

Let us therefore, allow our Resurrected Lord and Saviour,Jesus Christ - the Eternal, Only Begotten Son and Wordof God the Father - be our Loving Shepherd Who willProtect us, Lead us, Nurture and Strengthen us so thatwe may live confidently in the Divine Light of HisGlorious Resurrection and even now, be able to enjoy aPeaceful and Creative Resurrected Life in Christ.

Adapted by MP: Translated by John Sanidopoulos, ‘ Mystagogy’ –from His Eminence’s 2014 Paschal Encyclical.

http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2014/04/living-in-light-of-resurrection-of.html

“The Holy Spirit, out of Compassion for our weakness, comes

to us even when we are impure. And if He finds ourintellect truly praying to Him, He enters it and puts toflight the whole array of thoughts and ideas circlingwithin it, and He arouses it to a longing for SpiritualPrayer.”

“Prayer is a request for what is Good, offered by the devout

of God. But we do not restrict this request simply towhat is stated in words… We should not express ourPrayer merely in syllables, but the Power of Prayershould be expressed in the moral attitude of our soul andin the Virtuous Actions that extend throughout our life…This is how you pray continually — not by offeringPrayer in words, but by joining yourself to God through

your whole way of Life, so that your Life becomes onecontinuous and uninterrupted Prayer.”


11/361S T S U N D A Y A F T E R P E N T E C O S T – 1 S T O F S T M A T T H E W – A L L S A I N T S S U N D A Y - 3 0 J U N E 2 0 1 3 11


All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the HolySpirit, now and Forever, and unto the Ages of Ages. AmenRemembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and GloriousLady, Mary, Theotokos yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And letus commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God.

Amen.

8 May 2015S t J o h n t h e D i v i n e T h e o l o g i a n , E v a n g e l i s t

& B e l o v e d A p o s t l e o f C h r i s t Also the Feast of St Arsenios the Great of Rome – St Arsenios the Lover of Labour of Kiev Far CavesMonastery of the Dormition – St Pimen the Faster, Great Ascetic of Kiev Far Caves Monastery – StTamara, Holy Queen of Georgia




F E S T A L A P O L Y T I K I O N O F M I D – P E N T E C O S T – T O N E ( 8 ) P L A G A L 4 :

M esousis tis Eortis, disosan mou tin psihin, efsevias potisonnamata; oti pasi Sotir evoisas: O dispason erhesthopros me ke pineto. I Pigi tis Zois, Hriste O Theos imonDoxa Si.

Halfway to the Feast, refresh my thirsty soul with flowingStreams of Piety; for Thou, O Saviour, cried to all:Those who thirst, come to Me and drink! O Fountainof Life, Christ our God, Glory to Thee!

F E S T A L A P O L Y T I K I O N - S T J O H N T H E D I V I N E T H E O L O G I A N & A P O S T L E O F C H R I S T

A postole Hristo to Theo igapimene, epitahinon, rise laonanapologiton. Dehete se prospiptonta, O epipesonta tostithi katadexamenos. On iketeve, Theologe, ke epimononnefos ethnon diaskedase, etoumenos imin irinin, ke toMega Eleos.

O Apostle, Speaker of Divinity, the Beloved of ChristGod, hasten and deliver Thy people powerless inargument; for He on Whose Bosom Thou leantaccepts Thee as an Intercessor. Beseech Him, on our

behalf for Peace and His Great Mercy.F E S T A L K O N T A K I O N O F M I D - P E N T E C O S T

T is Eortis tis nomikis mesazousis, O Ton apanton Piitis keDespotis, pros tous parontas eleges Hriste O Theos.Defte ke arisasthe, idor athanasias. Othen Siprospiptomen, ke Pistos ekvoomen. Tous iktirmous Sou

dorise imin. Si gar iparhis Pigi tis zois imon.

When the Paschal Feast was half-completed, O theCreator of all and their Master, Thou said to thosepresent, O Christ our God: Come to Me and drawnow, the Water that is Immortal. Wherefore, we fall

down before Thee and cry out in Faith: Thy GreatMercies grant to us; for Thou art indeed, the Fount ofour lives.

T H E F I R S T U N I V E R S A L E P I S T L E O F S T J O H N T H E D I V I N E 1 : 1 – 7TH E I N C A R N A T I O N O F T H E W O R D & S O N O F G O D

Brethren, that which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our own eyes, which we havelooked upon, and with our hands have touched, concerning the Word of Life.

And the Life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that Eternal Life that was with theFather and which was manifested to us – that which we have seen and heard, we declare to you, so that you also mayhave Fellowship with us.

And truly, our Fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ.And these things we write to you so that your Joy may be full.And this is the Message that we have heard from Him and declare to you, for God is Light and in Him is no darkness at all.If we say that we have Fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practise the Truth.If we walk in the Light as He is in the Light, we have Fellowship with one another, and the Blood of Jesus Christ His Son

cleanses us from all sin.

Contrary to heretics who claim communion directly withGod through “spiritual” (non-material) means, ST J OHNTHE D IVINE THEOLOGIAN AND BELOVED A POSTLE OF C HRISTTAUGHT US C OMMUNION WITH G OD THROUGH HIS INCARNATESON – ESPECIALLY WITH REGARD TO THE HOLY EUCHARIST –the Body and Blood of Christ – where the physicality ofChrist is repulsive to the heretics.

The term “ we ” is a reference to THE HOLY A POSTLES OF C HRIST WHOSE TESTIMONY IS TRUE – unlike that of the falseapostles.

W HILE ST J OHN THE D IVINE THEOLOGIAN MADE A DISTINCTIONBETWEEN D IVINE REVELATION (“... which was from thebeginning... the Word of Life...” AND HUMAN SENSORYPERCEPTION (“... heard... seen... looked upon...touched ...”), HE HAD NO PROBLEM CONNECTING THEM .

N OTE ST J OHN ’S CLARITY OF TEACHING WITH REGARD TO C HRIST ’STWO N ATURES : DIVINE “... from the beginning... the Wordof Life. ..” AND HUMAN : “... heard... seen... touched .”

When St John mentioned “... which was from thebeginning ...” he touched upon THE G ENERATION

WITHOUT BEGINNING OF G OD THE SON W HO IS C O -EXISTENT WITH G OD THE F ATHER .

“Was ” therefore, indicates ETERNITY W ITHOUT BEGINNING , JUST AS G OD THE W ORD HIMSELF , THE SON OF G OD , BEINGO NE WITH G OD THE F ATHER IN REGARD TO EQUALITY OFSUBSTANCE , IS ETERNAL AND UNCREATED .

That THE W ORD AND SON OF G OD ALWAYS EXISTED is signifiedby the words: “ In the beginning was the Word...”

THE D IVINITY OF OUR LORD J ESUS C HRIST WAS REVEALED IN H ISLIFE ON EARTH – ESPECIALLY THROUGH H IS D IVINETEACHING AND M IRACLES .

“Koinonia ” is FAR MORE THAT SIMPLY FELLOWSHIP . IT IS OURPERSONAL PARTICIPATION WITH OTHER BELIEVERS IN THE LIFEOF C HRIST . ( W E LIVE IN C HRIST .)

“Fellowship with us ,” refers to C OMMUNION – ESPECIALLYEUCHARISTIC C OMMUNION – WITHIN THE HOLY , A POSTOLICC HURCH OF C HRIST .

IT WAS INCONCEIVABLE TO ST J OHN THE DIVINE THAT THE HOLYC HURCH OF C HRIST COULD NOT BE O NE AND UNITED OR THATFELLOWSHIP COULD NOT BE FOUNDED UPON HOLY DOCTRINE – THE THEOLOGICAL IMPLICATION OF “... W ITH THE F ATHER ANDWITH H IS S ON , J ESUS C HRIST ...” A ND ON THE HOLYM YSTERIES /S ACRAMENTS – THE LITURGICAL IMPLICATION OFK OINONIA .


12/3612. S T J O H N T H E B E L O V E D A P O S T L E , T H E O L O G I A N A N D E V A N G E L I S T 8 M A Y 2 0 1 5

For St John the Divine Theologian, LIGHT IS DIVINE ENERGYMANIFESTED OR REVEALED AS TRUTH – G OD ’S TRUTH – TRUEDOCTRINE /T EACHING , V IRTUE AND HOLINESS – TRUEBEHAVIOUR – AND C OMMUNION WITH G OD IN HIS HOLYC HURCH – TRUE SPIRITUALITY .

THE STRONGEST OF ALL W EAPONS AGAINST SPIRITUALD ARKNESS IS OUR LOVE FOR G OD – A STRONG , VIBRANTRELATIONSHIP WITH G OD .

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

1. Union with God is indifferent to s in!THE TRUTH IS THAT F AITH MUST BE EVIDENCED BY G OOD W ORKS –

F AITH MUST PRODUCE PURITY - “PRACTISE THE TRUTH ” – WHERETRUTH IS A RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH G OD MANIFESTED IN AHOLY AND RIGHTEOUS LIFE IN C HRIST . AND F AITH MUST SEEKFORGIVENESS AND C LEANSING OF SIN – “... the Blood ofJesus Christ... Cleanses us from all sin.”

2. Sin does not exist!THE TRUTH IS THAT SIN DOES MOST CERTAINLY EXIST , AND THE

PRACTISE OF REPENTANCE -C ONFESSION IS THE ESTABLISHEDBASIS FOR SPIRITUAL G ROWTH TOWARDS RIGHTEOUSNESS

3. One in union with God cannot sin!The Truth is THAT ALTHOUGH WE CONTINUALLY SIN TO A GREATER

OR LESSER DEGREE , WE SHOULD MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO RESISTTEMPTATION AND STRIVE CONSTANTLY TO REPENT THE SINS WECOMMIT .

SALVATION IN C HRIST IS A CONTINUOUS PROCESS , in part towardsTheosis – i.e REGAINING OUR LIKENESS TO G OD IN W HOSEIMAGE AND LIKENESS WE WERE CREATED – meaning that we

DEVELOP SPIRITUAL STRENGTH THAT RESISTS TEMPTATIONS .THE ENTIRE PURPOSE OF THIS LIFE IS TO REGAIN - TO THE BEST OF OUR

ABILITY - OUR LIKENESS TO GOD SO THAT WE ARE FITTING CITIZENSFOR HIS ETERNAL KINGDOM OF LOVE .

T H E H O L Y G O S P E L O F S T J O H N 1 9 : 2 5 - 2 8 & 2 1 : 2 4 - 2 5TH E C A R E O F TH E E V E R BL E S S E D TH E O T O K O S & C O N F I R M AT I O N O F TH E TR U T H O F ST J O H N ’S HO LY G O S P E L

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

When Jesus therefore saw His Mother, and the Disciple whom He Loved standing by, He said to His Mother: “Woman:behold Thy Son!” He said to the Disciple : “Behold, thy Mother!” And from that hour that Disciple took her into hisown home.

After this, Jesus – knowing that all things are now accomplished – that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said: “I thirst!”...This is the Disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is True.And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which, if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world

itself could not contain the books that would be written.AmenIn this passage, which is read on the Feast of St John the

Divine Theologian and Apostle of Christ, SEVERALIMPORTANT TRUTHS CONCERNING THE E VER BLESSEDTHEOTOKOS – THE E VER V IRGIN M OTHER OF G OD , M ARY – AREEVIDENT :

By calling the Ever Blessed Theotokos “ Woman ,” OURLORD USED A TERM OF DIGNITY AND AFFECTION . Contraryto certain modern usages, this is a Sacred Title inHoly Scripture. It is an address conveying deeprespect and distinction.

By saying to St John, His Beloved Apostle: “ Behold thyMother !” OUR LORD SYMBOLICALLY ESTABLISHED THE A LLPURE V IRGIN M ARY ’S ROLE AS MOTHER OF ALL F AITHFULD ISCIPLES OF C HRIST IN EVERY GENERATION .

IF OUR E VER BLESSED L ADY HAD HAD OTHER NATURALCHILDREN , C HRIST WOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO PLACE HER INTHE CARE OF ST J OHN AND HIS FAMILY – their close andmost trusted relatives.

He would not have insulted other siblings.However, the “ sons ” and “ daughters ” who are mentioned

in conjunction with the Blessed Virgin are in fact hercousins – the children of her late aunt Salome (sister ofSt Anna) and her legal guardian, St Joseph theBetrothed.

W HEN THE TEMPLE PRIESTS PLACED THE YOUNG , PUBESCENT M ARYINTO THE PROTECTIVE GUARDIANSHIP OF ST J OSEPH THEBETROTHED , HE WAS IN HIS LATE EIGHTIES AND WAS A MOSTRIGHTEOUS MAN WHOM THE PRIESTS KNEW COULD BE TRUSTEDTO PROTECT THE CHASTITY OF THE YOUNG MAIDEN AND HERFELLOW VIRGIN COMPANIONS .

SHE HAD TAKEN A V OW OF C HASTITY FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD andbecause V OWS WERE SO S ACRED AND COULD NOT BE BROKEN ,God chose her elderly uncle to protect her and take

care of her since her own family had long sincepassed away.

SHE IS OBLIQUELY REFERRED TO IN THE HOLY G OSPELS AS BEING“THE MOTHER OF J OSES ” OR J AMES , OR J UDE , etc.

The children of St Joseph the Betrothed and his late wife,Salome, were St James the Just ( Adelphotheos ), Jude,Joses, St Salome, (mother of St John the DivineTheologian and Apostle and St James (the Lesser)and Holy Myrrh-bearer) and another daughter whosename is uncertified.

So, until her repose in Peace, several years later, the EverBlessed Theotokos lived with her cousin, Salome, andher family.

THE A POSTOLIC TEACHING THAT THE E VER BLESSED V IRGIN

THEOTOKOS MAINTAINED HER V OW OF C ELIBACY THROUGHOUTHER LIFE IS CONFIRMED BY C HRIST ’S ACTION .

C HRIST DEMONSTRATED BY HIS OWN EXAMPLE THAT WE MUST“... EVEN TO OUR LAST BREATHE ...” SHOW EVERY CARE FOROUR PARENTS .

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

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

ST J OHN THE D IVINE THEOLOGIAN AND A POSTLE OF C HRIST HAD ALSO TAKEN A V OW OF C ELIBACY AND REMAINED CELIBATE HISENTIRE LIFE , HAVING DEVOTED HIMSELF ENTIRELY TO THE HOLYSERVICE OF G OD .

He was the only Holy Apostle of Christ to eventuallyrepose peacefully – over 100 years of age, while theothers had all suffered Holy Martyrdom.

S T J O H N T H E B E L O V E D A P O S T L E O F C H R I S T St John was called "the Theologian " because of his lofty

Teaching concerning the Eternal, Only Begotten Son andWord of God.

His father was a Galilean fisherman ‘Zebedee’ and hismother was ‘Salome’ a daughter of St Joseph theBetrothed and his late wife, Salome, a sister of St Annaand thus the cousin of our Lady Theotokos.

His brother was St James (the Younger.)Our Lord Jesus Christ Loved all His Disciples, but He had a

particular Love for St John, who was the youngest of theApostles, and who was a devout, pious, innocent, pureand chaste young man, aflame with boundless Love anddeepest respect for his Divine Teacher, which is why heis referred to as "... the Disciple whom Jesus Loved ."

By Divine Grace, St John shone longer than all the otherApostles on the horizon of the Apostolic Age, finallyReposing in Peace at the beginning of the secondcentury.

Our Lord powerfully and clearly expressed His particularLove of and trust in St John during the final momentsof His Earthly Life, when, from the Cross, He honouredhim with the protection and care of His Most Pure andHoly Mother, and then He presented St John to Her as atrustworthy and respectful son, thereby confirming Hisgreat respect for St John, as though saying: "Only to thyLove, My Beloved Disciple, do I entrust My Most PreciousTreasure. Care for Her as a son, for Thou art worthy ofthat Kinship."

By taking upon himself that great and Holy Task of a son'scare for the Ever Blessed Virgin Mary, St John whollydevoted himself to the fulfilment of that lofty

responsibility.St John left Palestine only after the Dormition of ourLady, Theotokos (circa 47).

Edited & adapted by mp :http://www.roca.org/OA/154/154d.htm


13/36 5 T H S U N D A Y A F T E R H O L Y P A S C H A – S U N D A Y O F T H E S A M A R I T A N W O M A N 1 0 M A Y 2 0 1 5 13


All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, andto the Holy Spirit, now and Forever, and unto the Ages of Ages.

AmenRemembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed andGlorious Lady, Mary, Theotokos yet Ever Virgin, together with allthe Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our wholeLife to Christ our God. Amen.

10 May 2015 Tone 4 5 t h Sunday After Holy Pascha

Sunday of the Samaritan Woman(St Photini/Svetlana)

Also the Feast of St Simon Zealotes the Apostle of Cana, Galilee – St Symeon, Bishop of Vladimir & Suzdal, author of ‘Kiev Caves Paterikon’, Abbot of Kiev Caves Monastery – StPhiladephos, St Alphaeus, St Cyprianos, St Onesimos, St Erasmos & 14 other Holy Martyrs

of Sicily – St Hesychios of Antioch – St Isidora, Blessed Fool for Christ of Tabenna, Egypt – St Thais of Egypt – StComgall “Father of Monks” of Bangor, Ireland – St Laurence of Megareos – St Nicholas of Myra (Translation of HolyRelics)


H ristos Anesti ek nekron, Thanato Thanaton patistas,ke tis en tis mnimasi, Zoin harisamenos! C hrist has Risen from the dead, by Death trampling

upon Death, and has bestowed Life to those in thetombs!

R E S U R R E C T I O N A P O L Y T I K I O N – TO N E 4

T o 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.

F E S T A L A P O L Y T I K I O N O F M I D – P E N T E C O S T – T O N E ( 8 ) P L A G A L 4 :

M esousis tis Eortis, disosan mou tin psihin, efsevias potisonnamata; oti pasi Sotir evoisas: O dispason erhesthopros me ke pineto. I Pigi tis Zois, Hriste O Theos imon

Doxa Si.

Halfway to the Feast, refresh my thirsty soul with flowingStreams of Piety; for Thou, O Saviour, cried to all:Those who thirst, come to Me and drink! O Fountain

of Life, Christ our God, Glory to Thee!P A S C H A L K O N T A K I O N – TO N E ( 8 ) P L A G A L 4

I ke en Tafo katilthes, Athanate, alla tou Adou kathiles tinDinamin. Ke anestis os Nikitis, Hriste O Theos, ginexiMyroforis fthegxamenos Herete, ke tis Sis Aposlis irinindoroumenos, O tis pesousi parehon Anastasin.

A lthough Thou went down into the Tomb, O ImmortalOne, Thou brought down the dominion of Hades; andThou rose as Victor, O Christ our God; and Thou calledout: “ Rejoice !” to the Myrrh-Bearing Women, andgranted Peace to Thine Apostle, O Lord, Who to theFallen grant Resurrection.

R E S U R R E C T I O N G O S P E L 7 - J O H N 2 0 : 1 – 1 0ST PE T E R & ST J O H N F I N D T H E F O L D E DM A N D Y L I O N ( F A C E - C L O T H) & T H E A B A N D O N E D, E M P T Y SH R O U D

A T T H E D E S E R T E DTO M B O F O U R RE S U R R E C T E DLO R D F E S T A L P R O K E I M E N O N – P S A L M 1 0 3 / 1 0 4 - T O N E 4

O Lord, how manifold art Thy Works. Thou hast created them all in Wisdom!Bless th

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