St. LukeDiocese Orthodox Christian Church of the South, Orthodox Church in America The Rev. Father Basil Henry, Priest 1415 Woodstock Ave. • Anniston, Alabama • www.stlukeanniston.org/ basilncana@yahoo.com • (256) 235-3893
Sunday, March 6, 2011 • 41st Sunday after Pentecost
Sunday of Cheesefare • Holy Forty Martyrs of Sebaste [transferred]
The 42 Martyrs of Ammoria in Phrygia, including Constantine, Aetius, Theophilus, Theodore, Melissenus, Callistus, Basoes, and others (845). Monkmartyrs Conon and his son Conon, of Iconium (270-275). Martyrs Cyriacus and 12 companions, who suffered under Diocletian in Augsburg (ca. 304). The uncovering of the Precious Cross and the Precious Nails by Empress St. Helen (326). St. Arcadius, monk ofCyprus (361), and his disciples Julian and Bulius. St. Fridolin, abbot, enlightener of the Upper Rhine (5th-6th c.). Translation to Vladimir (1230) of the relics of Marryr Abraham of the Bulgars on the Volga (1229). St. Job (Joshua in schema) of Anzersk Island (Solovki) (1720). Icons of the Most Holy Theotokos “Chenstokhovskaya” (Poland) and “Blessed Heaven” (Moscow).
Announcements
After today Orthodox Christians fast from meat & dairy products until Holy Pascha. After Divine Liturgy we will have Forgiveness Sunday Vespers. Don’t forget to set your clocks ahead an hour next weekend so you don’t get to church late. Please note Presanctified Liturgies will begin this Wedenesday and will be celebrated every Wednesday during Lent.
The cover photo is of the the Russian Orthodox Chapel-Monument of the Resurrection of Our Lord in Dachau, Germany.
This Week’s Service Schedule & scripture readings Monday, 3/7
Great Canon 8 a.m.
Isaiah 1:1-20
Genesis 1:1-13
Prov. 1:1-20
Tuesday, 3/8
Great Canon 8 a.m.
Isaiah 1:19-2:4
Genesis 1:14-23
Prov. 1:20-33
Wednesday, 3/9
Great Canon 8 a.m.
Isaiah 2:3-11
Genesis 1:24-2:3
Prov. 2:1-22
Thursday, 3/10
Great Canon 8 a.m.
Isaiah 2:11-21
Genesis 2:4-19
Prov. 3:1-18
Friday, 3/11
Akathist 8 a.m.
Isaiah 3:1-15
40 Martyrs of Sebaste
Vespers 4 p.m.
Saturday, 3/12
St. Theodore Saturday
Sunday, 3/13
Sunday of Orthodoxy
Presanctified 4 p.m.
Hours 9:40 a.m.
Divine Liturgy 10 a.m.
Genesis Prov. 2:20-3:20 3:19-34
Heb. 1:1-12
2 Tim. 2:1-10
Mark John 2:23-3:5 15:17-16:2
Hebrews 11:24-26,32-12:2
John 1:43-51
Service times are subject to change. Please check with Fr. Basil if in any doubt.
This Week’s Fasts Sunday Cheesefare
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Great Fast
Friday
Saturday
“Lord, I Call”
Great Vespers sunday (Tone 8)
From the morning watch even to the night, let Israel hope in the Lord!
Out of the depths have I cried unto Thee, O Lord; O Lord, hear my voice!
For with the Lord there is mercy and with Him is plenteous redemption, and He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
O Paradise, garden of delight and beauty, dwellingWe offer to Thee, O Christ, our evening song and rea- place made perfect by God, unending gladness and sonable service, for Thou didst will to have mercy on eternal joy, the hope of the Prophets and the home of the saints, by the music of Thy rustling leaves beseech us by Thy Resurrection. the Creator of all to open to me the gates which my The righteous await me, till Thou shalt reward me. sins have closed, that I may partake of the Tree of Life Lord, Lord, do not cast us away from Thy face! For and Grace, which was given to me in the beginning! Thou didst will to have mercy on us by the Resurrection. Lead forth my soul from prison, that I may confess Thy name!
40 Martyrs of Sebaste (Tone 2)
Rejoice, O holy Zion! Mother of the churches, the The holy martyrs bravely endured their present sufferabode of God! For you were the first to receive remis- ing; they rejoiced in things hoped for but not yet seen. sion of sins by the Resurrection. They said to each other: “By stripping off our garments Let Thine ears give heed to the voice of my prayer! we have put off the old man. The winter is cold and The Word of God the Father, begotten before the ages, bitter, but Paradise will be warm and sweet. The freezin the latter times willed to be incarnate of the Virgin ing is painful, but the reward will bring us joy. Let us and endured crucifixion unto death. He has saved not be defeated, O brothers! We suffer a little, but mortal man by His Resurrection. Christ will crown us with the laurel of victory. He is our God and the Savior of our souls.” Sunday of
Forgiveness (Tone 6)
O praise the Lord, all ye nations, praise Him, all ye people!
If Thou observest transgression, Lord, O Lord, who shall stand? For with Thee is propitiation.
The Lord took a handful of dust from the earth. He breathed into it, and created me, a living man. He made me lord and master of all things on earth; truly I enjoyed the life of the Angels. But Satan the deceiver tempted me in the guise of a serpent; I ate the forbidden fruit and forfeited the glory of God. Now I have been delivered to the earth through death. O my compassionate Lord, call me back to Eden!
The holy martyrs threw their clothes aside; fearlessly they entered the lake and encouraged one another: “Remember that our fallen nature has been deprived of Paradise! Let us care nothing for our corruptible flesh today! The serpent once deceived us, handing over our bodies to death; now let us win Resurrection for all! Let us scorn the ice and cold; let us hate our flesh, and Christ will crown us with the laurel of victory! He is our God and the Savior of our souls.”
For Thy name’s sake have I waited upon Thee, O Lord; my soul hath waited upon Thy word; my soul hath hoped in the Lord.
For His mercy hath been confirmed upon us and the truth of the Lord remaineth forever.
When the Enemy tempted me, I disobeyed Thy com- The holy martyrs accepted their torments with joy. They mand, O Lord. I exchanged the glory of my mortal body hurried to the frozen lake as to a comforting bath. They for shame and nakedness. Now I must wear garments of said: “We will not fear the bitter cold. Only let us esskins and fig leaves; I am condemned to eat the bread of cape Gehenna’s flames! Let a foot be burned, that it may bitter hardship in the sweat of my brow. The earth is rejoice eternally! Let a hand be lost, offered to the Lord cursed and brings forth thorns and husks for me. O in sacrifice! Let us not refuse death in the flesh! EmLord, Thou has taken on flesh from the Virgin in the brace death, and Christ will crown us with the laurel of victory! He is our God, and the Savior of our souls.” fullness of time; call me back and restore me to Eden!
~3~
Sunday of
Forgiveness (Tone 6)
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit…
Adam sat before the gates of Eden, bewailing his nakedness and wept: “Woe to me! I have listened to wicked deceit; I have lost my glory, and now am driven away! Woe to me! My open-mindedness has left me naked and confused! No longer will I enjoy your delights, O Paradise; no longer can I see my Lord, my God and Creator. He formed me from dust, and now to the dust I return! I beg Thee, O compassionate Lord: Have mercy on me who have fallen!”
Dogmatikon (Tone 8)
Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
foolish they seemed to have died, and their departure was thought to be an affliction, and their going from us to be their destruction; but they are at peace. For though in the sight of men they were punished, their hope is full of immortality. Having been disciplined a little, they will receive great good, because God tested them and found them worthy of himself; like gold in the furnace he tried them, and like a sacrificial burnt offering he accepted them. In the time of their visitation they will shine forth, and will run like sparks through the stubble. They will govern nations and rule over peoples, and the Lord will reign over them for ever. Those who trust in him will understand truth, and the faithful will abide with him in love, because grace and mercy are upon his elect, and he watches over his holy ones.
The King of Heaven, because of His love for man, appeared on earth and dwelt with men. He took flesh from the pure Virgin and after assuming it, He came forth from her. The Son is one: in two natures, yet one Wisdom of Solomon Person. Proclaiming Him as perfect God and perfect The righteous live for ever, and their reward is with Man, we confess Christ our God! Entreat Him, O un- the Lord; the Most High takes care of them. Therewedded Mother, to have mercy on our souls! fore they will receive a glorious crown and a beautiful diadem from the hand of the Lord, because with his Old Testament Readings right hand he will cover them, and with his arm he 40 Martyrs of Sebaste will shield them. The Lord will take his zeal as his Prophecy of Isaiah whole armor, and will arm all creation to repel his enLet all the nations gather together, and let the peoples emies; he will put on righteousness as a breastplate, assemble. Who among them can declare this, and show and wear impartial justice as a helmet; he will take us the former things? Let them bring their witnesses to holiness as an invincible shield, and sharpen stern justify them, and let them hear and say, It is true. “You wrath for a sword, and creation will join with him to are my witnesses,” says the LORD, “and my servant fight against the madmen. Shafts of lightning will fly whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe with true aim, and will leap to the target as from a me and understand that I am He. Before me no god was well-drawn bow of clouds, and hailstones full of formed, nor shall there be any after me. I, I am the wrath will be hurled as from a catapult; the water of LORD, and besides me there is no savior. I declared the sea will rage against them, and rivers will relentand saved and proclaimed, when there was no strange lessly overwhelm them; a mighty wind will rise god among you; and you are my witnesses,” says the against them , and like a tempest it will winnow them LORD. “I am God, and also henceforth I am He; there away. Lawlessness will lay waste the whole earth, and is none who can deliver from my hand; I work and who evil-doing will overturn the thrones of rulers. can hinder it?” Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “For your sake I will send to Listen therefore, O kings, and understand; learn, O Babylon and break down all the bars, and the shouting judges of the ends of the earth. Give ear, you that rule over multitudes, and boast of many nations. For your of the Chalde’ans will be turned to lamentations. dominion was given you from the Lord, and your sovWisdom of Solomon ereignty from the Most High, who will search out The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and your works and inquire into your plans. no torment will ever touch them. In the eyes of the
~4~
Aposticha
sunday (Tone 8)
Descending from heaven to ascend the Cross, the Eternal Life has come for death to raise those who are fallen; to enlighten those in darkness! O Jesus, our Savior and illuminator, glory to Thee!
40 Martyrs of Sebaste (Tone 6)
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit…
The Lord hath become King; with beauty hath he clothed himself.
We glorify Christ, who rose from the dead! He accepted the human body and soul, and freed both from suffering. His most pure soul descended to hell, which He spoiled. His holy body did not see corruption in the tomb. He is the Redeemer of our souls! For He hath established the world, which shall not be moved.
In psalms and songs we glorify Thy Resurrection from the dead, O Christ! By it, Thou hast freed us from the tortures of hell, and as God hast granted eternal life and great mercy. Holiness belongeth to Thy house, O Lord, unto length of days!
O Master of all, incomprehensible Creator of heaven and earth! By Thy suffering on the Cross Thou hast Sunday of
gained passionlessness for me! Accepting burial and arising in glory, Thou didst resurrect Adam with Thyself by Thine almighty hand! Glory to Thy rising on the third day! By it Thou hast granted us eternal life and cleansing of sins as the only Compassionate One!
Faithful, let us praise the forty passion-bearing martyrs in hymns! Singing in harmony let us cry out to them saying: “Rejoice, O athletes of Christ: Hesychius, Meliton, Heraclius, Smaragdus and Domnus; Euonicus, Valens and Vivianus; Claudius and Priscus! Rejoice, Theodulus, Euthychius and John, Xantheas, Hilianus, Sisinius, Cyrion, Angius, Aetius and Flavius! Rejoice, Acacius, Ecditius, Lysimachus, Alexander, Elias and Candidus, Theophilus, Dometian and Gaius with the Godly Gorgonius! Rejoice, Leontius and Athanasius, Cyril and Sacerdon, Nicholas and Valerius, Philoctichion, Severian, Chudion and Aglaius! Thou hast boldness before Christ our God, most honored martyrs. Beseech Him earnestly that those who keep thy most precious memory with faith may be saved!”
Forgiveness (Tone 6)
Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Adam ate the forbidden fruit and was driven from Paradise. He sat outside, weeping bitterly: “Woe to me! What will become of me, a worthless man? I disobeyed one command of my Master, and lost every good thing! O holy Paradise, planted for me by God, and closed by the weakness of Eve, grant that I may once again gaze on the flowers of your gardens!” The Savior said to him: “I do not wish the death of My creation! I desire that all should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth, for him who comes to Me I shall never cast out!”
Troparia
sunday (Tone 8)
Thou didst descend from on high, O Tenderhearted One. Thou didst accept the threeday burial to free us from our passions. O Lord our life and resurrection, Glory to Thee.
40 Martyrs of Sebaste (Tone 1)
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit…
Through the sufferings which Thy Holy Forty Martyrs endured for Thy sake, O Lord, we beseech Thee, O Lover of mankind: Heal all of our infirmities!
Resurrectional Dismissal Theotokion (Tone 1) Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
When Gabriel announced to thee, O Virgin, “Rejoice,” with that word the Master of all was incarnate in thee, O holy Ark. As the righteous David said, thy womb became more spacious than the heavens, bearing thy Creator. Glory to Him Who took abode in thee! Glory to Him Who came from thee! Glory to Him Who freed us by being born of thee! ~5~
Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom Beatitude Verses
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
sunday
How exceedingly radiant and majestic is the power of the Cross, O Christ, which plaiteth crowns for the Forty Martyrs by means of their adversaries! For havRemember us, O Christ, Savior of the world, as Thou ing passed through fire and water, they cry out in inhast remembered the thief upon the cross. And make corruption: ‘Blessed art Thou, the God of our Fathers.’ us all worthy of Thy heavenly kingdom, O Thou Who alone art compassionate. Sunday of Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Forgiveness
Blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Hearken, O Adam, and rejoice with Eve, for He Who formerly stripped you both and took thee captive O Savior, in Thy compassion Thou hast clothed me in through beguilement, is laid low by the cross of Christ. Eden with a divinely woven garment; but, persuaded by the devil, I neglected Thy commandment and was Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. stripped naked in my wretchedness. Our Savior, having been nailed by Thine own will upon Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in the tree, Thou hast destroyed the curse of the tree that heaven. lay on Adam and as Thou art compassionate, Thou hast O miserable soul, thou hast departed far from God given those in Thine image a dwelling place in Paradise. through thy carelessness; Thou hast been deprived of the Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, delight of Paradise and parted from the angels; thou hast for they shall be filled. been led down into corruption. How art thou fallen! Today Christ is risen from the tomb giving all the faithGlory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit… ful incorruption and He gives back joy to the women Almighty God, have mercy and take pity on the work bearing myrrh: After the Passion, the Resurrection! of Thy hands. I have cut myself off from the choir of 40 Martyrs of Sebaste Thine angels; but I entreat Thee, loving Lord, reject Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy. me not. The author of evil delightedly seized him that fell away Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. from the band of the Forty, as he had seized wretched O Mary chosen by God, Queen of the world, thou hast Judas from the Twelve, and man from Eden. borne the Lord who is King of all and Redeemer. I am Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. a prisoner and an exile from the glory of Paradise: I Being impudent, the tyrant devil raveth in vain; for entreat thee, call me back. even as before with the thief and Matthias, so is the evil one now torn asunder at the calling of the guard. Troparia
sunday (Tone 8)
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Foolish and worthy of lamentation is he that utterly Thou didst descend from on high, O Tenderhearted failed to attain either to this life here or to that yonder; One. Thou didst accept the three-day burial to free us for he was undone by fire, and to fire that is unquench- from our passions. O Lord our life and resurrection, Glory to Thee. able hath he departed.
40 Martyrs of Sebaste (Tone 1) Through the sufferings which Thy Holy Forty Martyrs endured for Thy sake, O Lord, we beseech Thee, O Lover of mankind: Heal all of our infirmities! ~6~
Kontakia
Having risen from the tomb, Thou didst waken the dead and didst raise Adam and Eve danceth for joy at Thy resurrection; and the limits of the world festival for Thy rising from the dead, O greatly Merciful One.
not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
40 Martyrs of Sebaste (Tone 6)
40 Martyrs of Sebaste
Having left every military array of the world, ye cleaved unto the Master in the heavens, O forty passion-bearers of the Lord; for having passed through fire and water, O blessed ones, as is meet ye received glory from the heavens, and a multitude of crowns.
Brethren, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, nen are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own ‘leasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
sunday (Tone 8)
Hebrews 12:1-10
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit…
Sunday of
Forgiveness (Tone 6)
Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
O Master, Teacher of wisdom, Bestower of virtue, Who teaches the thoughtless and protects the poor, strengthen and enlighten my heart! O Word of the Father, let me not restrain my mouth from crying to Thee: “Have mercy on me, a transgressor, O merciful Lord!”
Prokeimenon
Sunday (Tone 8)
Pray ye, and render unto the Lord our God. Vs: In Judah God is known; in Israel great is His Name
40 Martyrs of Sebaste (Tone 5) Vs: Thou, O Lord, shalt keep us and guard us from this generation and forevermore.
Epistle Reading
Sunday
Romans 13:11-14:4
Brethren, now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envymg. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to folfil the lusts thereof.
Alleluia Verses
Sunday (Tone 6)
Vs: It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to Thy Name, O Most High. Vs: To declare Thy mercy in the morning, and Thy truth by night.
40 Martyrs of Sebaste (Tone 4)
Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to Vs: Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Sing doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he may of His Name, give glory to His praise! eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. Let ~7~
Gospel Reading
Sunday
Matthew 6:14-21
The Lord said: ““If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. “And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.””
40 Martyrs of Sebaste Matthew 20:1-16
The Lord said this parable: “For the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he
sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the market place; and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing; and he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. And on receiving it they grumbled at the householder, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you, and go; I choose to give to this last as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ So the last will be first, and the first last.”
Please note Holy Communion is reserved for Orthodox Christians who have prepared themselves beforehand. All are welcome to receive the blessed bread and Father’s blessing after services.
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Forgiveness Sunday (Cheese-Fare Sunday)
Today is called “Forgiveness Sunday.” It received this name from the pious Orthodox Christian custom at Vespers of asking each other’s forgiveness for discourtesy and disrespect. We do so, since in the forthcoming fast we will approach the sacrament of Penance and ask the Lord to forgive our sins, which forgiveness will be granted us only if we ourselves forgive each other. “If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”(Matt. 6. 14, 15) ~8~
Yet it is said to be extremely difficult to forgive discourtesy and to forget disrespect. Perhaps our selfish nature finds it truly difficult to forgive disrespect, even though in the words of the Holy Fathers it is easier to forgive than to seek revenge. (St. Tikhon of Zadonsk after St. John Chrysostom) Yet everything in us that is good is not accomplished easily, but with difficulty, compulsion and effort. “The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.”(Matt. 11. 12) For this reason we should not be discouraged at the difficulty of this pious act, but should rather seek the means to its fulfillment. The Holy Church offers many means towards this end, and of them we will dwell on the one which most corresponds to the forthcoming season of repentance.
Pharisees who brought the woman caught in adultery to Christ were forced to depart, when their conscience spoke out, accusing them of their own sins. (John 8. 9) Unfortunately, brethren, we do not like to acknowledge our transgressions. It would seem natural and easy for a person to know his own self, his own soul and his shortcomings. This, however, is actually not so. We are ready to attend to anything but a deeper understanding of ourselves, an investigation of our sins. We examine various things with curiosity, we attentively study friends and strangers, but when faced with solitude without extraneous preoccupation even for a short while, we immediately become bored and attempt to seek amusement. For example, do we spend much time examining our own conscience even before confession? Perhaps a few minutes, and once a year at that. Casting a cursory glance at our soul, correcting some of its more glaring faults, we immediately cover it over with the veil of oblivion until next year, until our next uncomfortable exercise in boredom.
“Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see my o w n transgressions and not to judge my brother.” The source of forgiving our neighbors, of not judging them, is included in seeing (acknowledging) our sins. “Imagine,” says a great pastor, who knows the heart of man, Father John of Kronstadt, “picture the multitude of your sins and imagine how tolerant of them is the Master of your life, while Yet we love to observe the sins of others. Not you are unwilling to forgive your neighbor even considering the beam in our own eye, we take the smallest offense. Moan and bewail your notice of the mote in our brother’s eye. (Matt. 7. 3) foolishness, and that obstruction within you will Speaking idly to our neighbor’s detriment, vanish like smoke, you will think more clearly, mocking and criticizing him are not even often your heart will grow calm, and through this you considered sins but rather an innocent and amusing will learn goodness, as if not you yourself had pastime. As if our own sins were so few! As if we heard the reproaches and indignities, but some had been appointed to judge others! “There is one other person entirely, or a shadow of yourself.” Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy”? God. (Lessons on a Life of Grace, p. 149) (James 4. 12) “Who art thou to judge another’s He who admits his sinfulness, who through servant? It is before his own master that he stands experience knows the weakness of human nature or falls.” (Rom. 14. 4) “Thou hast no excuse, O and its inclination toward evil, will forgive his man, whoever thou art who judgest. For wherein neighbor the more swiftly, dismissing transgressions thou judgest another, thou dost condemn thyself. and refraining from a haughty judgment of others’ For thou who judgest dost the same things thyself.” sins. Let us remember that even the scribes and (Rom. 2. 1) “Examine yourselves, whether you are ~9~
in the faith; put yourselves to the test.” (2 Cor. 13. 5) The pious ascetics provide a good example of this. They turned their minds to themselves, meditated on their own sins and avoided judging their neighbors at all costs. One pious starets, noticing that his brother had committed a sin, sighed and said, “Woe is me! As he sinned today, so will I tomorrow.” And the following is a story about another ascetic, Abba Moses. A monk committed a sin. The brethren, who had assembled to decide his case, sent for Abba Moses, but the humble starets refused to attend the council. When the rector sent for him a second time, he appeared, but in quite a striking manner. He had taken an old basket, filled it with
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sand and was carrying it on his back. “What does this mean?” asked the monks, catching sight of him. “See how many sins I bear behind me?” answered Moses, pointing to the heap of sand. “I don’t see them, yet I have come to pass judgment upon another.” So therefore, brethren, following the example of the ascetics, upon observing others’ sins, we should consider our own sins, regard our own transgressions and not judge our brother. And should we hold anything against him, let us pardon and forgive him, that our merciful Lord may forgive us also. St. Tikhon, Enlightener of North America
40 Holy Martyrs of Sebaste
The martyrdom of the Holy 40 Martyrs of Sebasteia is a powerful lesson in Christian faith, perseverance, sacrifice, and friendship. The story of this martyrdom begins in the early part of the 4th century when the persecution of Christians was still active. There were 40 soldiers of the Roman army who possessed sincere faith in Jesus Christ. When it was realized that they would not deny their belief in the Lord, they were brought to trial before their commander who threatened to have them discharged from the military dishonorably. One of the soldiers responded: “Do not take only our military status, but also our bodies; nothing is dearer or of greater honor to us than Christ our God.”
Following a number of failed attempts to torture them, they were finally stripped, tied, and thrown into a lake. It happened to be wintertime and the temperature was extremely cold. To tempt the soldiers to deny Christ, the torturers lit fires near the lake to entice them to deny Christ. One soldier actually did come out of the water and headed for the fire, but before he could get there, he died. During the night, a light from heaven came down and heated the lake and warmed these Christian witnesses.
At the same time, thirty-nine crowns were sent from heaven and rested upon each of them. One of the soldiers torturing them saw this and, moved by this event, confessed the Christ as Lord and Savior and joined the others in the lake. A fortieth crown appeared and descended upon him at that very moment. In the morning, the commander was furious when he learned of the events and ordered that their legs be broken and they be thrown back into the lake. On the third day following their drowning, the martyrs appeared to the local bishop and told him to search beneath the water and recover their relics. In the middle of the night, the bishop, along with his priests, went to the lake where they found the relics glowing in the water and, gathering them together, they gave them a proper burial. ~10~
The Orthodox Faith > Doctrine > The Symbol of Faith
Faith Faith is the foundation of Christian life. It is the fundamental virtue of Abraham, the forefather of Israel and the Christian Church. “Abraham believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness” (Gen 15:6). Jesus begins his ministry with the same command for faith.
always belong together and which may never be opposed to each other or separated from each other.
Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God and saying, “The time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mk 1:15).
In the first place one cannot believe anything which he does not already somehow know. A person cannot possibly believe in something he knows nothing about. Secondly, what one believes in and trusts must be reasonable. If asked to believe in the divinity of a All through his life Jesus was calling for faith; faith cow, or to place one’s trust in a wooden idol, one would in himself, faith in God his Father, faith in the Gosrefuse on the basis that it is not reasonable to do so. pel, faith in the Kingdom of God. The fundamental Thus, faith must have its reasons, it must be built upon condition of the Christian life is faith, for with faith knowledge, it must never be blind. Thirdly, knowledge come hope and love and every good work and every itself is often built upon faith. One cannot come to good gift and power of the Holy Spirit. This is the knowledge through absolute skepticism. If anything is doctrine of Christ, the apostles, and the Church. known at all, it is because there exists a certain faith in In the Scriptures faith is classically defined as “the as- man’s knowing possibilities and a real trust that the obsurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things jects of knowledge are really “showing themselves” and not seen” (Heb 11:1). that the mind and the senses are not acting deceitfully. Also, in relation to almost all written words, particuThere are basically two aspects to faith; one might larly those which relate to history, the reader is called even say two meanings of faith. The first is faith “in” to an act of faith. He must believe that the author is someone or something, faith as the recognition of telling the truth; and, therefore, he must have certain these persons or things as real, true, genuine, and knowledge and certain reasons for giving his trust. valuable; for example, faith in God, in Christ, in the Holy Trinity, in the Church. The second is faith in the Very often it is only when one does give his trust and sense of trust or reliance. In this sense, for example, does believe something that one is able to “go further,” one would not merely believe in God, in his existence, so to speak, and to come finally to knowledge of his goodness, and truth; but one would believe God, trust own and to the understanding of things he would his word, rely upon his presence, depend securely and never have understood before. It is true to say that with conviction upon his promises. For Christians certain things always remain obscure and meaningboth types of faith are necessary. One must believe less unless they are viewed in the light of faith which in certain things with mind, heart, and soul; and then then provides a way of explaining and understanding live by them in the course of everyday life. their existence and meaning. Thus, for example, the phenomena of suffering and death would be underFaith is sometimes opposed to reason, and belief to stood differently by one who believes in Christ than knowledge. According to Orthodoxy, faith and reaby one who believes in some other religion or phison, belief and knowledge, are indeed two different losophy or in none at all. things. They are two different things, however, which ~11~
Faith is always personal. Each person must believe for himself. No one can believe for another. Many people may believe and trust the same things because of a unity of their knowledge, reason, experience and convictions. There can be a community of faith and a unity of faith. But this community and unity necessarily begins and rests upon the confession of personal faith. For this reason the Symbol of Faith in the Orthodox Church—not only at baptisms and official rituals of joining the Church, but also in common prayers and in the Divine Liturgy—always remains in the first person. If we can pray, offer, sing, praise, ask, bless, rejoice, and commend ourselves and each other to God in the Church and as the Church, it is only because each one of us can say honestly, sincerely, and with prayerful conviction: “Lord, I believe...”—adding, as one must, the words of the man in the gospel—“... help thou my unbelief ” (Mk 9:24). In order for our faith to be genuine, we must express it in everyday life. We must act according to our faith
and prove it by the goodness and power of God acting in our lives. This does not mean that we “tempt God” or “put God to the test” by doing foolish and unnecessary things just for the sake of seeing if God will participate in our foolishness. But it does mean that if we live by faith in our pursuit of righteousness, we can demonstrate the fact that God will be with us, helping and guiding us in every way. For faith to grow and become stronger, it must be used. Each person should live according to the measure of faith which he has, however small, weak and imperfect it might be. By acting according to one’s faith, trust in God and the certitude of God’s presence is given, and with the help of God many things which were never before imagined become possible. The series The Orthodox Faith is intended to provide basic, comprehensive information on the faith and the life of the Orthodox Church for the average reader. The author is Fr. Thomas Hopko, Dean Emeritus of St. Vladimir’s Seminary, Crestwood, NY.
“P
rayer can accomplish all things. It is possible for any of us lacking in natural talent to obtain through prayer supranatural gifts. Where we encounter a deficiency of rational knowledge we should do well to remember that prayer, independently of man’s intellectual capacity, can bring a higher form of cognition. There is the province of reflex consciousness, of demonstrative argument; and there is the province where prayer is the passageway to direct contemplation of divine truth.” Archimandrite Sophrony [1896-1993] (His Life is Mine, Chapter 6; SVS Press pg. 56)
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An elder in Valaam Monastery reads by the lake.
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