Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the First Tone

Although the stone was sealed by the Jews, and the soldiers guarded Your most pure body, You arose on the third day, O Savior, giving life to the world. For this reason, the heavenly powers cried out to you, O Giver of Life: Glory to Your resurrection, O Christ! Glory to Your kingdom! Glory to Your dispensation, only Lover of Mankind!

ان الحجر لما ختم من اليهود ، وجسدك الطاهر حُفظ من الجند ، قمت في اليوم الثالث ايها المخلص ، مانحاً العالم الحياة فلذلك قوات السماوات هتفوا اليك ياواهب الحياة : المجد لقيامتك ايها المسيح ، المجد لملكك ، المجد لتدبيرك يامحب البشر وحدك.

Apolytikion for Sun. of Orthodoxy in the Second Tone

We worship Thine immaculate icon, O Good One, asking the forgiveness of our failings, O Christ our God; for of Thine own will Thou wast well-pleased to ascend the Cross in the flesh, that Thou mightest deliver from slavery to the enemy those whom Thou hadst fashioned. Wherefore, we cry to Thee thankfully: Thou didst fill all things with joy, O our Saviour, when Thou camest to save the world.

Apolytikion for the Church in the Fourth Tone

As the deliverer of captives and defender of the poor, healer of the infirm and champion of kings, victorious great martyr George intercede with Christ our God for our souls salvation.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Eighth Tone

To you, Theotokos, invincible Defender, having been delivered from peril, I, your city, dedicate the victory festival as a thank offering. In your irresistible might, keep me safe from all trials, that I may call out to you: "Hail, unwedded bride!"

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Fourth Tone. Daniel 3.26,27.
Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers.
Verse: For you are just in all you have done.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 11:24-26, 32-40.

Brethren, by faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to share ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered abuse suffered for the Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he looked to the reward.

And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets -- who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign enemies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and scourging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, ill-treated -- of whom the world was not worthy -- wandering over deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

And all these, though well attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had foreseen something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

البروكيمنون. Fourth Tone. دانيال 3: 26-27.
مبارك أنت يارب إله آبائنا
Verse: لأنك عدل في كل ما صنعت

فصل من رسالة بولس الى العبرانيين 11: 24-26 32-40.

يَُّا إِخْوَة، بِالإِيمَانِ مُوسَى لَمَّا كَبِرَ أَبَى أَنْ يُدْعَى ابْنَ ابْنَةِ فِرْعَوْنَ، مُفَضِّلاً بِالأَحْرَى أَنْ يُذَلَّ مَعَ شَعْبِ اللهِ عَلَى أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُ تَمَتُّعٌ وَقْتِيٌّ بِالْخَطِيَّةِ، حَاسِباً عَارَ الْمَسِيحِ غِنًى أَعْظَمَ مِنْ خَزَائِنِ مِصْرَ، لأَنَّهُ كَانَ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى الْمُجَازَاةِ.وَمَاذَا أَقُولُ أَيْضاً؟ لأَنَّهُ يُعْوِزُنِي الْوَقْتُ إِنْ أَخْبَرْتُ عَنْ جِدْعُونَ، وَبَارَاقَ، وَشَمْشُونَ، وَيَفْتَاحَ، وَدَاوُدَ، وَصَمُوئِيلَ، وَالأَنْبِيَاءِ، الَّذِينَ بِالإِيمَانِ قَهَرُوا مَمَالِكَ، صَنَعُوا بِرّاً، نَالُوا مَوَاعِيدَ، سَدُّوا أَفْوَاهَ أُسُودٍ، أَطْفَأُوا قُوَّةَ النَّارِ، نَجَوْا مِنْ حَدِّ السَّيْفِ، تَقَّوُوا مِنْ ضُعْفٍ، صَارُوا أَشِدَّاءَ فِي الْحَرْبِ، هَزَمُوا جُيُوشَ غُرَبَاءَ، أَخَذَتْ نِسَاءٌ أَمْوَاتَهُنَّ بِقِيَامَةٍ. وَآخَرُونَ عُذِّبُوا وَلَمْ يَقْبَلُوا النَّجَاةَ لِكَيْ يَنَالُوا قِيَامَةً أَفْضَلَ. وَآخَرُونَ تَجَرَّبُوا فِي هُزُءٍ وَجَلْدٍ، ثُمَّ فِي قُيُودٍ أَيْضاً وَحَبْسٍ. رُجِمُوا، نُشِرُوا، جُرِّبُوا، مَاتُوا قَتْلاً بِالسَّيْفِ، طَافُوا فِي جُلُودِ غَنَمٍ وَجُلُودِ مِعْزَى، مُعْتَازِينَ مَكْرُوبِينَ مُذَلِّينَ، وَهُمْ لَمْ يَكُنِ الْعَالَمُ مُسْتَحِقّاً لَهُمْ. تَائِهِينَ فِي بَرَارِيَّ وَجِبَالٍ وَمَغَايِرَ وَشُقُوقِ الأَرْضِ. فَهَؤُلاَءِ كُلُّهُمْ، مَشْهُوداً لَهُمْ بِالإِيمَانِ، لَمْ يَنَالُوا الْمَوْعِدَ، إِذْ سَبَقَ اللهُ فَنَظَرَ لَنَا شَيْئاً أَفْضَلَ، لِكَيْ لاَ يُكْمَلُوا بِدُونِنَا.

Gospel Reading

Sunday of Orthodoxy
The Reading is from John 1:43-51

At that time, Jesus decided to go to Galilee. And he found Philip and said to him, "Follow me." Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael, and he said to him, "We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!" Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Jesus answered him, "Because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You shall see greater things than these." And he said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man."

Sunday of Orthodoxy
يوحنا 1: 44-51

⁴⁴ في ذلك الزمان كَانَ فِيلُبُّسُ مِنْ بَيْتِ صَيْدَا، مِنْ مَدِينَةِ أَنْدَرَاوُسَ وَبُطْرُسَ. ⁴⁵فِيلُبُّسُ وَجَدَ نَثَنَائِيلَ وَقَالَ لَهُ: ((وَجَدْنَا الَّذِي كَتَبَ عَنْهُ مُوسَى فِي النَّامُوسِ وَالأَنْبِيَاءُ يَسُوعَ ابْنَ يُوسُفَ الَّذِي مِنَ النَّاصِرَةِ)). ⁴⁶فَقَالَ لَهُ نَثَنَائِيلُ: ((أَمِنَ النَّاصِرَةِ يُمْكِنُ أَنْ يَكُونَ شَيْءٌ صَالِحٌ؟)) قَالَ لَهُ فِيلُبُّسُ: ((تَعَالَ وَانْظُرْ)).⁴⁷ وَرَأَى يَسُوعُ نَثَنَائِيلَ مُقْبِلاً إِلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ عَنْهُ: ((هُوَذَا إِسْرَائِيلِيٌّ حَقّاً لاَ غِشَّ فِيهِ)). ⁴⁸قَالَ لَهُ نَثَنَائِيلُ: ((مِنْ أَيْنَ تَعْرِفُنِي؟)) أَجَابَ يَسُوعُ وَقَالَ لَهُ: (( قَبْلَ أَنْ دَعَاكَ فِيلُبُّسُ وَأَنْتَ تَحْتَ التِّينَةِ، رَأَيْتُكَ)). ⁴⁹ أَجَابَ نَثَنَائِيلُ وَقَالَ لَهُ: (( يَا مُعَلِّمُ، أَنْتَ ابْنُ اللَّهِ! أَنْتَ مَلِكُ إِسْرَائِيلَ!)) ⁵⁰أَجَابَ يَسُوعُ وَقَالَ لَهُ : ((هَلْ آمَنْتَ لأَنِّي قُلْتُ لَكَ إِنِّي رَأَيْتُكَ تَحْتَ التِّينَةِ؟ سَوْفَ تَرَى أَعْظَمَ مِنْ هَذَا!)) ⁵¹وَقَالَ لَهُ: (( الْحَقَّ الْحَقَّ أَقُولُ لَكُمْ: مِنَ الآنَ تَرَوْنَ السَّمَاءَ مَفْتُوحَةً، وَملاَئِكَةَ اللَّهِ يَصْعَدُونَ وَيَنْزِلُونَ عَلَى ابْنِ الإِنْسَانِ)).

Wisdom of the Fathers

Peter, when after so many miracles and such high doctrine he confessed that, "Thou art the Son of God" (Matt. xvi. 16), is called "blessed," as having received the revelation from the Father;

St. John Chrysostom

Homily 21 on John 1, 1. B#58, pp. 72, 73, 4th Century

... while Nathanael, though he said the very same thing before seeing or hearing either miracles or doctrine, had no such word addressed to him, but as though he had not said so much as he ought to have said, is brought to things greater still.

St. John Chrysostom

Homily 21 on John 1, 1. B#58, pp. 72, 73, 4th Century

Saints and Feasts

March 24

Sunday of Orthodoxy

For more than one hundred years the Church of Christ was troubled by the persecution of the Iconoclasts of evil belief, beginning in the reign of Leo the Isaurian (717-741) and ending in the reign of Theophilus (829-842). After Theophilus's death, his widow the Empress Theodora (celebrated Feb. 11), together with the Patriarch Methodius (June 14), established Orthodoxy anew. This ever-memorable Queen venerated the icon of the Mother of God in the presence of the Patriarch Methodius and the other confessors and righteous men, and openly cried out these holy words: "If anyone does not offer relative worship to the holy icons, not adoring them as though they were gods, but venerating them out of love as images of the archetype, let him be anathema." Then with common prayer and fasting during the whole first week of the Forty-day Fast, she asked God's forgiveness for her husband. After this, on the first Sunday of the Fast, she and her son, Michael the Emperor, made a procession with all the clergy and people and restored the holy icons, and again adorned the Church of Christ with them. This is the holy deed that all we the Orthodox commemorate today, and we call this radiant and venerable day the Sunday of Orthodoxy, that is, the triumph of true doctrine over heresy.

March 25

Annunciation of the Theotokos

Six months after John the Forerunner's conception, the Archangel Gabriel was sent by God to Nazareth, a town of Galilee, unto Mary the Virgin, who had come forth from the Temple a mature maiden (see Nov. 21). According to the tradition handed down by the Fathers, she had been betrothed to Joseph four months. On coming to Joseph's house, the Archangel declared: "Rejoice, thou Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women." After some consideration, and turmoil of soul, and fear because of this greeting, the Virgin, when she had finally obtained full assurance concerning God's unsearchable condescension and the ineffable dispensation that was to take place through her, and believing that all things are possible to the Most High, answered in humility: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word." And at this, the Holy Spirit came upon her, and the power of the Most High overshadowed her all-blameless womb, and the Son and Word of God, Who existed before the ages, was conceived past speech and understanding, and became flesh in her immaculate body (Luke 1:26-38).

Bearing in her womb the Uncontainable One, the blessed Virgin went with haste from Nazareth to the hill country of Judea, where Zacharias had his dwelling; for she desired to find Elizabeth her kinswoman and rejoice together with her, because, as she had learned from the Archangel, Elizabeth had conceived in her old age. Furthermore, she wished to tell her of the great things that the Mighty One had been well-pleased to bring to pass in her, and she greeted Elizabeth and drew nigh to her. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, she felt her six-month-old babe, Saint John the Baptist, prophesied of the dawning of the spiritual Sun. Immediately, the aged Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and recognized her as the Mother of her Lord, and with a great voice blessed her and the Fruit that she held within herself. The Virgin also, moved by a supernatural rejoicing in the spirit, glorified her God and Savior, saying: "My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour," and the rest, as the divine Luke hath recorded (1:39-55)

March 29

Mark, Bishop of Arethusa

Saint Mark was Bishop of Arethusa in Syria. In the days of Saint Constantine the Great, Saint Mark, moved with divine zeal, destroyed a temple of the idols and raised up a church in its stead. When Julian the Apostate reigned, in 361, as the pagans were now able to avenge the destruction of their temple, Saint Mark, giving way to wrath, hid himself; but when he saw that others were being taken on his account, he gave himself up. Having no regard to his old age, they stripped him and beat his whole body, cast him into filthy sewers, and pulling him out, had children prick him with their iron writing-pens. Then they put him into a basket, smeared him with honey and a kind of relish of pickled fish, and hung him up under the burning sun to be devoured by bees and wasps. But because he bore this so nobly, his enemies repented, and unloosed him.

Upcoming Schedule

Monday, March 25 - The Announciation of the Theotokos

9am Orthros

10am Divine Liturgy

Wenesday March, 27

6pm Presanctified Litrugy

Friday, March 29

6pm Akathist II

Saturday, March 30

2pm Lenten Education Series - Meaning and Preparation of Holy Bread (prosfora)

5pm Vespers

Sunday, March 31 - Sunday of Gregory of Palamas (2nd Sunday of Lent)

9am Orthros

10am Divine Liturgy

(Western Easter is this Sunday)

Pastor's Ponderings

Let us rejoice on this First Sunday of Lent, the Sunday of Orthodoxy. The Sunday we commerate the restoration of the use of Holy images (icons) within our sacred temples, in our homes and at sacred worship. The following is from Vespers for today:

Though uncircumscribable, O Lord, in Thy divine nature, yet when Thou becamest flesh in the last days, Thou didst deign to be circumscribed. For when Thou tookest flesh * Thou didst also take on its whole nature with its properties. Wherefore, depicting that likeness of Thine image, O Sovereign Lord, we kiss it, off’ring relative worship and are raised up to love of Thee. And there from we draw forth the grace of healings, truly following in the Apostles’ traditions that they received from Christ our God.

The key of veneration of icons is "relative worship" that is to say we venerate or honor the holy images as our devotion redounds to the one depicted such as Our Lord, the Theotokos or the saint. Knowing that our prayerful reverence towards icons is relative keeps us from idolatry. This pricinple relative worship can be applied during this Lenten season to see where in our lives we are in a relative or rigth relationship with God, our neighbor and ourselves. As we look at our interactions with others we can see if we are in right relationship and if not to seek to repents and rebalance.

Good strength for a blessed Lent! Fr. Ephraim

Memorials, Celebrations and Happenings

Please make an effort to come to as least one Wednesday or Friday evening during Lent for the Presanctified Liturgy in the middle of the week and for the Akathist hymn to the Theotokos on Fridays.

Thank you for your patience during the painting project! It is anticipated to last for the next two Sundays.

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