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
Christ is Risen!
May 8th, 2011 • 3rd Sunday of Pascha • Sunday of the Myrrhbearers Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian
Ven. Arsenius the Great (449-450). Ven. Arseny the Lover-of-Labor (14th c.) and Pimen the Ascetic, of the Kiev Caves (Far Caves—12th c.). St. Emilia, mother of Sts. Basil the Great, Macrina, Naucratius, Peter of Sebaste and Gregory of Nyssa.
Announcements
May God grant Many Years to all the mothers of this parish, especially Linda who celebrates her Namesday today. Remember the members of the Lynn and Beal family as they visit Greece this Summer. Fr. Basil will begin teaching a study of Corinthians this Wednesday after a brief ten minute Compline service at 4 p.m. Week Schedule Mon, 5/9 Tues, 5/10 Wed, 5/11 Thurs, 5/12 Fri, 5/13 Sat, 5/14 Sun, 5/15 No Services
Matins 8 a.m.
Compline 4 p.m.
Matins 8 a.m.
Matins 8 a.m.
Vespers 4 p.m.
Divine Liturgy, 10 a.m.
Acts 6:87:5,47-60
Acts 8:5-17
Acts 8:18-25
Acts 8:26-39
Acts 8:40-9:19
Acts 9:20-31
Acts 9:32-42
John 4:46-54
John 6:27-33
John 6:35-39
John 6:40-44
John 6:48-54
John 15:17-16:2
John 5:1-15
St. Ethelhard of Canterbury
Martyr Glykeria
St Serapion the Ascetic
Sunday of the Paralytic
St. Christopher/ Prophet Isaiah
1 Cor. 4:9-16
Heb. 7:26-8:2
Matt 13:54-58
Matt 5:14-19
Apostle Simon the Zealot
Sts. Cyril & Methodius
Service times are subject to change. Please check with Fr. Basil if in any doubt.
This Week’s Fasts Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Great Vespers “Lord, I Call”
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.
sunday (Tone 2)
Lead forth my soul from prison, that I may confess Thy name!
Come, let us worship the Word of God, begotten of the Father before all ages, and incarnate of the Virgin Mary! Having endured the Cross, He was buried as He Himself desired and having risen from the dead, He saved me, an erring man.
The Myrrhbearers came early to Your tomb, O Christ, seeking to anoint Your most pure Body. Enlightened by the Angel’s words, they proclaimed the joyous news to the Apostles: “The Leader of our salvation has been raised; He has captured death, giving the world eternal life and great mercy!”
St. John the Theologian (Tone 1)
The righteous await me, till Thou shalt reward me.
From the morning watch even to the night, let Israel hope in the Lord!
Christ our Savior nailed to the Cross the bond against us, He voided it and destroyed the dominion of death. The beholder of ineffable revelations, the recounter of We fall down before His Resurrection on the third day. the highest mysteries of God, the son of Zebedee who Out of the depths have I cried unto Thee, O Lord; O Lord, set down in writing the Gospel of Christ, hath taught hear my voice! us to theologize concerning the Father, Son and the With the Archangels, let us praise the Resurrection of Holy Spirit. Christ! He is our Savior, our Redeemer! He is coming For with the Lord there is mercy and with Him is plenteous with awesome glory and mighty power to judge the redemption, and He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities. world which He made. The beholder of ineffable revelations… Sunday of the
Myrrhbearers (Tone 2)
O praise the Lord, all ye nations, praise Him, all ye people!
Let Thine ears give heed to the voice of my prayer!
The harp of heavenly songs played by God, the recorder of mysteries, the divinely eloquent mouth, doth beautifully chant the hymn of hymns; for moving his lips as though they were strings, and using his tongue as a plectrum, he prayeth that we be saved.
Early in the morning, the Myrrhbearing Women brought spices to the tomb of the Lord. They found the stone unexpectedly rolled away, and they asked among themselves: “Where are the seals of the tomb? Where are Pilate’s guards?” The radiant Angel came to For His mercy hath been confirmed upon us and the truth of the wondering women and proclaimed to them: “Why the Lord remaineth forever. do you seek, weeping, the Life Who gives life to the Proclaiming with thy thunderous tongue the hidden human race? Christ our God has risen from the dead Word of Divine Wisdom, O beloved of God, thou ever as almighty, granting us incorruption, life, enlighten- criest out, continually moving thy lips: “In the beginment and great mercy!” ning was the Word!” and thou instructest every man in the knowledge of God. If Thou observest transgression, Lord, O Lord, who shall stand? For with Thee is propitiation.
O women disciples, why do you mix myrrh with tears? The stone is gone; the tomb is empty; corruption is destroyed by life! The seals witness that the guards have watched in vain. Mortal nature has been saved by the flesh of God. Hell is wailing. Go with joy, and proclaim to the Apostles: “Christ has slain death as the first-born of the dead. He awaits you in Galilee!”
Sunday of the
Myrrhbearers (Tone 6)
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit…
The Myrrhbearing Women reached Your tomb and saw the seals of the tomb broken. They wept as they did not find Your most pure body: “Who has stolen our hope? Who has taken the dead One, naked and anointed, the sole consolation of His Mother? How can the Life of the dead have died? How can the Capturer of hell have been buried? But arise in three days as You said, O Savior, and save our souls!”
~3~
Dogmatikon (Tone 2)
he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
The shadow of the Law passed when Grace came. As the Bush burned, yet was not consumed, so the Virgin The first Catholic Epistle of John (4:20-5:5) gave birth, yet remained a Virgin. The Righteous Sun My beloved, if a man say, I love God, and hateth his has risen instead of a pillar of flame! Instead of Moses, brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother Christ, the Salvation of our souls. whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, Old Testament Readings That he who loveth God love his brother also. the Theologian St. John The first Catholic Epistle of John (3:21-4:6)
My beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and everyone that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits Aposticha whether they are of God: because many false prophets sunday (Tone 2) are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit Thy Resurrection, O Christ our Savior, has enlightof God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is ened the whole universe, recalling Thy creation. Glory come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that conto Thee, O Almighty Lord! fesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye Pascha have heard that it should come; and even now already Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered; let those who hate Him flee from before His face! is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and Today, a sacred Pascha is revealed to us: a new and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in holy Pascha, a mystical Pascha, a Pascha worthy of you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: veneration, a Pascha which is Christ the Redeemer, a therefore speak they of the world, and the world blameless Pascha, a great Pascha, a Pascha of the faithheareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God ful, a Pascha which has opened to us the gates of Paraheareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Heredise, a Pascha which sanctifies all the faithful. by know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. The first Catholic Epistle of John (4:11-16)
As smoke vanishes so let them vanish; as wax melts before the fire!
Come from that scene, O women bearers of glad tidMy beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love ings, and say to Zion: “Receive from us the glad tidone another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we ings of joy, of Christ’s Resurrection! Exult and be glad, love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is and rejoice, O Jerusalem, seeing Christ the King, perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, Who comes forth from the tomb like a bridegroom in and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And procession!” we have seen and do testifY that the Father sent the Son So the sinners will perish before the face of God. But let the to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess righteous be glad! that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and ~4~
The myrrh-bearing women, at the break of dawn, drew near to the tomb of the Life-giver. There they found an Angel sitting upon the stone. He greeted them with these words: “Why do you seek the Living among the dead? Why do you mourn the Incorrupt amid corruption? Go, proclaim the glad tidings to His disciples!” This is the day which the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!
darkness. The earth quaked in fear at the sight. The veil of the Temple was torn in two. Now I see You willingly submit to death for our sake. How shall I bury You, O my God? How can I wrap You in a shroud? How can I touch Your most pure body with my hands? What songs can I sing for Your exodus, O compassionate One? I magnify Your Passion. I glorify Your burial, and Your holy Resurrection, crying, ‘O Lord, glory to You!’”
Pascha of beauty, the Pascha of the Lord, A Pascha worthy of honor has dawned for us. Pascha! Let us em- Troparia sunday (Tone 2) brace each other joyously! Pascha, ransom from afflicWhen Thou didst descend to death, O Life Immortal, tion! For today, as from a bridal chamber, Christ has Thou didst slay hell with the lightning flash of Thy shown forth from the tomb, and filled the women with divinity. And when from the nether regions Thou joy saying: “Proclaim the glad tidings to the Apostles!” didst raise the dead, all the powers of heaven cried out: St. John the Theologian (Tone 6) O Giver of Life, Christ our God, Glory to Thee. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit…
O Apostle of Christ, Evangelist and divine Teacher, you were an initiate of ineffable things. You made teachings plain to the faithful, as you thundered forth to us: “In the beginning was the Word!” Casting aside the words of heretics who said: “He was not!” You were openly the bosom friend and beloved, like the prophet Isaiah, and Moses, who saw God. As you have boldness before Him, never cease to pray for our souls! Sunday of the
Myrrhbearers (Tone 5)
Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
St. John the Theologian (Tone 2)
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit…
Beloved Apostle of Christ our God, hasten to deliver a defenseless people! He who allowed you to recline on His breast, receives you as you bow before Him. Implore Him, John the Theologian, to dispense the persistent threat from the heathens, entreating for us peace and great mercy!
Resurrectional Dismissal Theotokion (Tone 2) Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Joseph, together with Nicodemus, took You down from For our sake Thou wast born of the Virgin and endured the Tree, Who clothe Yourself with light as with a gar- crucifixion, O Good One, destroying death by death ment. He gazed on Your body – dead, naked, and unbur- and revealing the Resurrection as God. Do not despise ied, and, in grief and tender compassion, he lamented: the work of Thy hand! Reveal Thy love for mankind, O “Woe is me, my sweetest Jesus! A short while ago, the sun Merciful One! Accept the Theotokos who is praying for beheld You hanging on the Cross, and it hid itself in us, and save the despairing people, O our Savior!
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hen you are praying alone, and your spirit is dejected, and you are wearied and oppressed by your loneliness, remember then, as always, that God the Trinity looks upon you with eyes brighter than the sun; also all the angels, your own Guardian Angel, and all the Saints of God. Truly they do; for they are all one in God, and where God is, there are they also. Where the sun is, thither also are directed all its rays. Try to understand what this means.” St. John of Kronstadt (1829–1908) ~5~
Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom Beatitude Verses
St. John the Theologian
Blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake.
sunday
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Truly your theologian’s tongue was like the pen of a We offer Thee the voice of the thief and cry aloud to swift writer, writing well true knowledge and a brand new law, O Theologian, on the tables of our hearts. Thee; ‘Remember us, O Savior in Thy kingdom.’
Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
We bring Thee the Cross for the forgiveness of offences. As a skilled husbandman, wither up at their roots the plants of impiety, glorious Apostle, and plant in my For us hast Thou accepted it, O Lover of mankind. soul the fear of God, which makes the fair fruit of virBlessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. tues thrive. We venerate, O Master, Thy tomb and Thy rising, Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit… through which Thou hast delivered the world from The One who came forth from a Virgin clearly named corruption, O lover of mankind. you her son. With her implore that all who do what is Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, well-pleasing may be named sons of God by adoption. for they shall be filled. By Thy death, O Lord, death has been swallowed up, Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. and by Thy resurrection, Savior, has the world been From you, O all-blameless, God was made known to saved. mortals in the likeness of flesh. Ever implore him, O All-holy, to slay the destructive thoughts of our flesh. Sunday of the
Myrrhbearers
Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy.
Troparia
When you arose, O Christ, the bars and gates of Hell sunday (Tone 2) were smashed, and the bonds of death immediately When Thou didst descend to death, O Life Immortal, untied, through fear of your might. Thou didst slay hell with the lightning flash of Thy diBlessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. vinity. And when from the nether regions Thou didst When you arose, O Christ, the bars and gates of Hell raise the dead, all the powers of heaven cried out: ‘O were smashed, and the bonds of death immediately Giver of Life, Christ our God, Glory to Thee.’ untied, through fear of your might. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
St. Joseph of Arimathea (Tone 2)
The noble Joseph, when he had taken down Your most Joseph, who received God, come, stand with us and pure Body from the Tree, wrapped it in fine linen and cry, ‘He has risen, Jesus the Redeemer, who raised anointed it with spices, and placed it in a new tomb. Adam in his compassion!’ But You rose on the third day, O Lord, granting the Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, world great mercy. for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Sunday of the Myrrhbearers (Tone 2) Let the twelve Disciples rejoice with us, with the Myrrhbearing women, with Joseph and Christ’s other Dis- The angel came to the myrrhbearing women at the tomb and said: ‘Myrrh is fitting for the dead, but ciples, men and women. Christ has shown Himself a stranger.’
~6~
St. John the Evangelist (Tone 2) Beloved Apostle of Christ our God, hasten to deliver a defenseless people! He who allowed you to recline on His breast, receives you as you bow before Him. Implore Him, John the Theologian, to dispense the persistent threat from the heathens, entreating for us peace and great mercy!
Kontakia
St. John the Evangelist (Tone 2)
pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
St. John the Evangelist
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit‌
The first Catholic Epistle of John (1:1-7) Who shall declare your greatness, O virgin disciple, for you pour forth wonders and are a source of healings, That which was from the beginning, which we have and pray for our souls as theologian and friend of Christ. heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Sunday of the Myrrhbearers (Tone 2) Word of1ifc; (for the life was manifested, and we have Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eterYou commanded the Myrrhbearers to rejoice, O Christ nal life, which was with the Father, and was manifestGod. By Your Resurrection, You stopped the lamentation ed unto us;) that which we have seen and heard declare of Eve, the first mother. You commanded them to preach we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: to Your Apostles: The Savior is risen from the tomb. and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto Prokeimenon you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message Sunday of the Myrrhbearers (Tone 6) which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, O Lord, save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance! that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If Vs: To Thee, O Lord, will I call; O my God, keep Thou we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in not silent toward me! darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one the Evangelist St. John (Tone 8) with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son Vs: Their sound is gone forth into all the earth, and cleanseth us from all sin. their sayings to the ends of the universe.
Epistle Reading Sunday of the
Alleluia Verses Sunday of the
Myrrhbearers
Myrrhbearers (Tone 8)
O Lord, Thou hast been gracious to Thine land; Thou The Acts of the Holy Apostles (6:1-7) In those days, when the number tof the disciples was hast turned back the captivity of Jacob. multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians Vs: Mercy and truth have met, righteousness and peace against the Hebrews, because their widows were ne- have kissed each other. glected in the daily mlnlstratlon. Then the twelve St. John the Evangelist (Tone 1) called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of Vs: The heavens will confess Thy wonders, O Lord; God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye Thy truth in the church of the saints. out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. And the saying
~7~
Gospel Reading Sunday of the
Myrrhbearers
astonishment had come upon them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
The Gospel according to St. Mark (15:43-16:8)
St. John the Evangelist
At that time, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected The Gospel according to St. John (19:25-27; 21:24-25) member of the council, who was also himself look- At that time, standing by the cross of Jesus were his ing for the kingdom of God, took courage and mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. Clopas, and Mary Mag’dalene. When Jesus saw his And Pilate wondered if he were already dead; and mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing summoning the centurion, he asked him whether near, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your he was already dead. And when he learned from son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your the centurion that he was dead, he granted the mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her body to Joseph. And he bought a linen shroud, and to his own home. taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud, and laid him in a tomb which had been This is the disciple who is bearing witness to these hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a stone against things, and who has written these things; and we the door of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary know that his testimony is true. But there are also many other things which Jesus did; were every one the mother of Joses saw where he was laid. of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, could not contain the books that would be written. and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And Theotokion very early on the first day of the week they went to Pascha the tomb when the sun had risen. And they were say- The Angel cried to the Lady, full of grace: “Rejoice, ing to one another, “Who will roll away the stone O pure Virgin! Again, I say: ‘Rejoice, thy Son is risfor us from the door of the tomb?” And looking up, en from His three days in the tomb! With Himself they saw that the stone was rolled back; for it was He has raised all the dead.’” Rejoice, O ye people! very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white Shine, shine, O New Jerusalem! The glory of the robe; and they were amazed. And he said to them, Lord has shone on thee! Exult now, and be glad, O “Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who Zion! Be radiant, O pure Theotokos, in the Resurwas crucified. He has risen, he is not here; see the rection of thy Son! place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you.” And they went out and fled from the tomb; for trembling and
H
owever hard I try, I find it impossible to construct anything greater than these three words, ‘Love one another’ —only to the end, and without exceptions: then all is justified and life is illumined, whereas otherwise it is an abomination and a burden.” Mother Maria of Paris (1891–1945) ~8~
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Sunday of the Myrrhbearers
The Sunday of Myrrh-bearing Women falls on the second Sunday following Pascha. The Myrrh-bearers had brought funeral spices and ointments to finish commiting Christ’s body to the grave. They were the first to see the empty tomb and were instructed by the risen Lord to bring the joyful news to the apostles. Sts. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus are also commemorated on this day. There are eight women who are generally identified as the myrrh-bearers. Each of the four Gospels gives a different aspect of the roles of these eight women at the cross and at the tomb on Easter morning, perhaps since the eight women arrived in different groups and at different times. The eight are: •
Mary Magdalene
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Mary, the Theotokos (the Virgin Mary)
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Joanna
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Salome
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Mary the wife of Cleopas (or Alphaeus)
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Susanna
•
Mary of Bethany
•
Martha of Bethany
Of the eight, the first five are the more prominent and outspoken. The last three are included according to tradition. Five of these women were also very wealthy; the women of means were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, and Mary and Martha of Bethany.
A confusing aspect in Gospel references to these women is that two of the Marys had a son named James. Mary, the wife of Alphaeus, was the mother of James, one of the Twelve Apostles; the Virgin Mary was the step-mother of James, the Lord’s brother (Matthew 13:55, Galatians 1:19). In Western tradition, James, the son of Alphaeus, and James, the Lord’s brother, have sometimes been identified as the same person. In Eastern tradition, James, the Lord’s brother was Bishop of Jerusalem from 30-62 AD and never left the vicinity of Jerusalem. He is the James who rendered the decision of the council of Jerusalem in 48 AD (Acts 15:13-19). Eastern Tradition links James, the son of Alphaeus, with evangelism abroad, especially in Egypt where he was martyred. One helpful tip that can clear up the confusion between these two Marys is the passage that refers to the Virgin Mary as the mother of James and Joseph (Matthew 13:55). This Joseph is also called Barsabas, Justus, and Judas (Acts 1:23 and 15:22). Therefore, in Matthew 27:56, the women looking on from afar at the cross were Mary Magdalene, the Virgin Mary (that is, Mary the mother of James and Joseph), and Salome (the wife of Zebedee and the Virgin Mary’s step-daughter).
Matthew refers to Mary Magdalene and “the other Mary,” who is probably the Virgin Mary also from the context (Matthew 27:61 and 28:1). Such Church Fathers as St. Gregory of Nyssa and St. Gregory Palamas support this interpretation. Similarly, St. Gregory of Nyssa identifies “Mary, the mother of James” (Mark 16:1 and Luke 24:10) as the Virgin Mary also. These eight women had been together a lot during Jesus’ three-year public ministry. Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, and others (Luke 8:3) are described as providing for Jesus out of their possessions (that is, acting as deaconesses). These same women had faithfully followed him from Galilee and had come up with him to Jerusalem (Matthew 27:55, Mark 15:40-41, and Luke 23:55). ~9~
The Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian
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The Church commemorates St John on this day because of the annual pilgrimage to his grave. When St John was more than one hundred years old, he took seven of his disciples and went to a spot outside the city of Ephesus. There he told them to dig a grave in the form of a cross. Then he climbed into the grave and told his disciples to cover him with earth. Later, the grave was opened and the saint’s body was not there. Each year on May 8 a red dust would arise from the grave which the faithful collected in order to be healed of their illnesses. St John’s main Feast is on September 26.
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Sts. Cyril and Methodios
Born in Thessalonica, Saint Methodios was a military man before becoming a monk on Mount Olympus. His brother Constantine, known as the Philosopher because of his erudition, was Librarian at the Church of the Holy Wisdom in Constantinople; he later became a monk with the name of Cyril. The Emperor Michael sent him with his brother Methodios to the Khazars in response to their petition for teachers to expound to them the Christian Faith.
On their way, they stayed in Cherson, where they recovered from the Black Sea the relics of Saint Clement of Rome. Later, they were called by Prince Rostislav of Moravia to instruct his people in the Orthodox Faith (Saint Rostislav died a martyr’s death and is celebrated Oct. 15). The Saints devised an alphabet for the Slavs, and used it to translate the Greek books into the language of the people. In their apostolic labours throughout the Balkans, the holy brothers were slandered by certain Germanic bishops who opposed the use of the vernacular in the church services. Summoned to court at Rome in 867, they presented their Slavonic translations to Pope Adrian II, who received them with love and full approval. Two years later, Saint Cyril reposed in Rome on February 14 and was buried in the Church of Saint Clement. Saint Methodios was made Bishop of Moravia, but at the intrigues of certain Latin clergy, was cast into prison by the “Holy Roman Emperor” (the Germanic Emperor of the West), where he was cruelly tormented for some three years. In 874, through the defence of Pope John
VIII, he was freed and made Archbishop of Moravia. Because he reproved the lax morals of the German priests in Moravia, he was soon accused of heresy by them, and was forbidden to celebrate the Liturgy in Slavonic. Summoned to Rome again in 879, he was completely exonerated and allowed once again to use the Slavonic tongue for the divine services. He reposed on April 6, 885. Troparia in the Fourth Tone Since ye were equal in character to the Apostles, and teachers of the Slavic lands, O divinely-wise Cyril and Methodios, pray to the Lord of all to strengthen all nations in Orthodoxy and unity of thought, to convert and reconcile the world to God, and to save our souls. Kontakion in the Third Tone Let us honour our sacred pair of enlighteners, who, by translating the divine writings, have poured forth for us a well-spring of divine knowledge from which we draw abundantly even unto this day: We call you blessed, O Cyril and Methodios, ye that stand before the throne of the Most High and intercede fervently for our souls.
~10~
The Orthodox Faith > Doctrine > The Symbol of Faith
Jesus Christ The fundamental confession of Christians about their Master is this: Jesus Christ is Lord. It begins in the gospel when Jesus himself asks his disciples who they think that He is: (Ps 110). If David thus calls him Lord, how is he his son?”
But who do you say that I am? Simon Peter replied, “ You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God” (Matt 16:16). Jesus is the Christ. This is the first act of faith which men must make about Him. At His birth, the child of Mary is given the name Jesus, which means literally Saviour (in Hebrew Joshua, the name also of Moses’ successor who crossed the Jordan River and led the chosen people into the promised land). “You will call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matt 1:21; Luke 1:31). It is this Jesus who is the Christ, which means the Anointed, the Messiah of Israel. Jesus is the Messiah, the one promised to the world through Abraham and his children.
And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions (Matt 22:41-46). After Jesus’ resurrection, inspired by the same Holy Spirit who inspired David, the apostles and all members of the Church understood the meaning of his words. Jesus is the Christ. And the Christ is the Lord. This is the mystery of Jesus Christ the Messiah, namely that He is the One and Only Lord, identified with the God Yahweh of the Old Testament.
We saw already how Yahweh was always called Adonai, the Lord, by the people of Israel. In the Greek Bible the But who is the Messiah? This is the second question, very word Yahweh was not even written. Instead, where one also asked by Christ in the gospels-this time not to the word Yahweh was written in Hebrew, and where the his disciples, but to those who were taunting him and Jews said Adonai, the Lord, the Greek Bible simply wrote trying to catch him in his words. “Who is the Messiah?” Kyrios—the Lord. Thus, the Son of David, which was anhe asked them, not because they could answer or really other way of saying the Messiah, is called Kyrios, the Lord. wished to know, but in order to silence them and to begin the inauguration of “the hour” for which he had For the Jews, and indeed for the first Christians, the come: the hour of the world’s salvation. term Lord was proper to God alone: “God is the Lord and has revealed Himself unto us” (Ps 11:8). Now while the Pharisees were This Lord and God is Yahweh; and gathered together, Jesus asked it is Jesus the Messiah as well. them a question saying, “What For although Jesus claims that do you think of the Christ (i.e., “the Father is greater than I” ( Jn the Messiah)? Whose Son is he? 14:28), he claims as well: “I and the Father are one” ( Jn 10:30). They said to him, “The Son of David.” Believing in “One Lord Jesus Christ” is the prime confession of He said to them, “How is it then faith for which the first Christians that David, inspired by the were willing to die. For it is the Spirit, calls him Lord, sayconfession which claims the ing The Lord said to my Lord, identity of Jesus with the Most sit at my right hand till I put High God. thy enemies under thy feet” ~11~
A Romanian monk feeding the pigeons. St. Luke Orthodox Christian Church 1415 Woodstock Ave. Anniston, AL 36207