Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa

Archdiocese of Good Hope

All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and
unto the Ages of ages. Amen. Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glorious
Lady, Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one
another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.

1 September 2017
Beginning of the Liturgical Year (7527) - The Indiction
Also the Feast of St Symeon the Studite & his devout Mother, St Martha, of Cilicia - St Ammoun
the Deacon & the 40 Ascetic Virgin Martyrs of Heraclea, Thrace St Joshua Son of Nun St
Callista, St Evodos & St Hermogenes, Sibling Martyrs of Nicomedia St Meletios the New of
Cappadocia - St Evanthia St Ethalas, Deacon, of Persia

FESTAL APOLYTIKION OF THE INDICTION TONE 2

O pasis Dimiourgos tis Ktiseos, O kerous ke hronous en ti
idia exousia themenos, Evlogison ton Stefanon, tou
eniaftou tis Hristotitos Sou, Kyrie, filatton en Irini tous
Vasilis ke tin Polin Sou, Presvies tis Theotokou, Mone
Filanthrope.
O Creator of all the Universe, who have placed times and
seasons under Thine own Authority; Bless, O Lord,
the Crown of this year of Thy Kindness, keeping in
Peace Thy Kings and Thy City; by the Intercessions of
the Theotokos, O Only True Friend of mankind.

FESTAL OF THE EVER BLESSED THEOTOKOS

Here, Keharitomeni Theotoke Parthene. Ek Sou gar Hail, O Theotokos Virgin Full of Grace: for from Thee has
anetilen O Ilios tis Dikeosinis, Hristos O Theos imon, shone forth the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God,
Fotizon tous en skoti. Evfrenou ke si Presvita Dikee, giving Light to those in darkness. Be glad also, Thou
dexamenos en agkales ton elevtherotin ton psihon Righteous Elder, for Thou hast received in Thine arms
imon, harizomenon imin ke tin Anastasin the Deliverer of our souls, Who bestows upon us
Resurrection.
FESTAL APOLYTIKION OF ST SYMEON THE STYLITE - TONE 1
Ipomonis Stilos gegonas, zilosas tou propatoras Osie, ton Thou became a Pillar of Patience, and the Ancient Fathers
Iob en tis pathesi ton Iosif en tis pirasmis ke tin ton Thou equalled and rivalled; Thou rivalled Job in
Asomaton Politian iparhon en somatic. Symeon Patir Sufferings, Joseph in Temptations, and the Lifestyle of
imon Osie, Presveve Hristo to Theo, sothine tas Psihas the Incorporeals while in the flesh. Therefore, O our
imon. Righteous Father, Symeon, Intercede with Christ God to
Save our souls!
F E S T A L K O N T A K I O N O F T H E I N D I C T O S - TONE 4
O ton Eonon Piitis ke Despotis - Thee ton olon iperousie O Eternal Creator and Master - O God of all, transcending
ontos, tin eniafsion Evlogison periodon, Sozon to Elei all that exists: we earnestly entreat, that in Thine
Sou, to apiro Iktirmon, pantas tous latrevontas, Si to Infinite Mercy, Thou will Bless the year, and Save all
mono Despoti, ke ekvoontas Fovo Litrota: EVFORON PASI who worship Thee Who art our Only Master, and we cry
TO ETOS HORIGISON. out in Fear: O Redeemer: GRANT US A HEALTHY,
PROSPEROUS YEAR.
PROKEIMENON PSALM 146 & 134 - TONE 4
Great is our God, and Great is His Strength.
Praise the Lord, for He is Good.
THE FIRST EPISTLE OF ST PAUL TO ST TIMOTHY 2: 1 7
FAITH FULNESS IN PRAYER
My Son, Timothy: I exhort first of all that Supplications, Prayers, Intercessions, and Thanksgiving be made for all men,
for Kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and Peaceful Life in all Goodness and Reverence.
This is good and acceptable in the Sight of God our Saviour, Who desires all men to be Saved and to come to the
Knowledge of the Truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men - the Man-Christ Jesus, Who
gave Himself a Ransom for all, to be Testified in due time, for which I was appointed a Preacher and an Apostle I
am speaking the Truth in Christ and not lying a Teacher of the Gentiles in Faith and Truth.
INTERCESSORY PRAYERS ARE TO BE OFFERED FOR EVERYONE CREATURES, in order to teach and guide us personally
WITHOUT EXCEPTION. and then to offer Himself as THE FINAL AND ULTIMATE
However, SPECIAL PRAYERS SHOULD BE OFFERED FOR THOSE IN BLOOD SACRIFICE FOR THE SAKE OF OUR ETERNAL LIFE AND
AUTHORITY OVER US. SALVATION.
Thus - as Orthodox Christians - we repeatedly pray for Heretics who are opposed to the established Holy Church
...all Civil Authorities... during our Fervent Prayers of of Christ have used this particular verse to erroneously
the Holy Services. claim that all we need is our Lord Jesus rejecting THE
The religions of the ancient Greek or Hellenised world ESSENTIAL NECESSITY OF HIS HOLY CHURCH, HER CLERGY AND
were pluralistic and elite. HER DIVINE MYSTERIES (SACRAMENTS.)
In contrast, St Paul taught that THERE IS ONE SAVIOUR, ONE However: THE ETERNAL, ONLY BEGOTTEN WORD AND SON OF GOD
GOD AND ONE MEDIATOR ONE ALMIGHTY GOD WHO BECAME OUR ONE AND ONLY DIVINE MEDIATOR by becoming
OFFERS SALVATION EQUALLY TO ALL MANKIND because HE Man through HIS INCARNATION BY THE HOLY SPIRIT AND OF
CREATED US TO SHARE IN HIS DIVINE GOODNESS. THE EVER BLESSED VIRGIN THEOTOKOS i.e. THROUGH THE
GOD BECAME MAN IN ORDER TO GRANT US SALVATION. WILL, POWER AND ENERGY OF OUR TRIUNE GOD AND THE HOLY
HE EMPTIED HIMSELF of His Infinite, Uncontainable, CO-OPERATION OF MANKIND THEOTOKOS.
Unrestricted Divinity and Majesty His Omnipresence GOD INCARNATE our Lord Jesus Christ - TOOK HIS HUMAN
- in order to take on our weak and vulnerable and NATURE not from Himself alone but also FROM A HUMAN
limited human flesh and nature i.e. OUR ALMIGHTY BEING THE ALL HOLY EVER VIRGIN THEOTOKOS.
CREATOR TOOK ON THE FORM HE BECAME ONE OF HIS OWN

THE BEGINNING OF THE LITURGICAL YEAR THE INDICTION 1 SEPTEMBER 1.

Likewise, AS OUR DIVINE MEDIATOR, Christ said: i will build
ST PAUL EMPHASISED ABSOLUTE DIVINE TRUTH, which he
My Church. and HE ESTABLISHED HER LEADERS WHO TAUGHT AND which he PRACTISED, HAVING RECEIVED
GUIDE US AND TEACH US HIS DIVINE TRUTH AND CORRECT DIVINE TRUTH DIRECTLY FROM GOD HIMSELF.
WORSHIP OF ALMIGHTY GOD, so that we, who are ST PAUL HAD BEEN CALLED TO DIVINE SERVICE BY CHRIST
Spiritually Inexperienced, may be able to APPROACH HIMSELF and therefore HE WAS INDEED AN APOSTLE OF
GOD CORRECTLY, OBEDIENTLY AND WITH THE GREATEST CHRIST.
RESPECT. He had been ENLIGHTENED AND INSPIRED BY GOD HIMSELF -
As the Ever Blessed Theotokos gave us Christ in His for DIVINE KNOWLEDGE AND ILLUMINATION WAS
Humanity, so HIS HOLY CHURCH INTRODUCES US TO HIM, BESTOWED BY CHRIST UPON ST PAUL AT HIS CONVERSION
WHO ALONE IS OUR DIVINE MEDIATOR. along the Road to Damascus.
In the context of ancient slavery A PRICELESS RANSOM WAS
As A TRUE APOSTLE OF CHRIST, HE PERFORMED ALL HIS MISSIONARY
PAID : DUTIES WITH ABSOLUTE TRUTH IN HUMBLE OBEDIENCE TO
Not so much to purchase a slave, but TO FREE ALL GOD and not according to his own ideas or
MANKIND FROM DEMONIC BONDAGE AND ETERNAL DEATH. imagination!
So that we may experience True Liberty TRUE St Paul taught not only the Judeans of Israel but also the
FREEDOM FROM THE BONDAGE OF SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL Gentiles the Holy Gospel of Christ our Lord. Therefore
SLAVERY AND CAPTIVITY. he was also known as The Apostle to the Gentiles
In other words: WE ARE FREED FROM THE BONDAGE AND SPIRITUALthe non-Judean pagans.
DEATH OF SIN BY THE DIVINE SALVATION OF JESUS CHRIST OUR
DIVINE INSPIRATION DRIVES COMPELS - FAITHFUL SERVANTS
LORD. OF GOD TO SEEK HIS TRUTH AND TO PRACTISE HIS WAYS
every day of this short, preparatory lifespan -
INSPIRING AND TEACHING OTHERS BY THEIR GOOD EXAMPLE.
THE HOLY GOSPEL OF ST LUKE 4 : 16 22
UNB ELIEF IN NAZARETH
At that time, Jesus went to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went on the Sabbath
Day into the Synagogue, and stood up to read. And He was handed the Book of Isaiah the Prophet. And when He
had opened the Book, He found the place where it was written: The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, for He has sent
Me to Heal the broken-hearted, to Proclaim Liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at
Liberty those who are oppressed, to Proclaim the acceptable Year of the Lord.
And He closed the Book and gave it back to the Attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the
Synagogue were fixed upon Him. He began by saying to them: ...Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.
And all bore witness to Him, and marvelled at the Gracious Words that proceeded out of His Mouth.
OUR LORD HAD RETURNED TO NAZARETH where He had spent ALL HUMANITY HAS BEEN TAUGHT DIRECTLY BY C HRIST
most of His Life and where almost everyone would G OD H IMSELF !
have known Him and His earthly Family. DIVINE S ALVATION IS GRANTED TO ALL HUMANITY FOR ALL
IT WAS THE USUAL PRACTICE FOR OUR LORD TO GO INTO THE TIME BECAUSE OF THE GREATEST S ACRIFICE OF C HRIST .
SYNAGOGUE TO READ THE HOLY SCRIPTURES ESPECIALLY ON THE C HRIST H EALS THE SICK AND SUFFERING BOTH SPIRITUAL
SABBATH. The Book of Isaiah (the Holy Prophet of God) AND PHYSICAL ILLNESSES .
was the Sacred Lesson for the day and whether our C HRIST PROCLAIMS THE DIVINE L IBERTY OFFERED TO
Lord Himself chose the passage to read aloud or HUMANITY THAT SETS US FREE FROM THE B ONDAGE OF
whether it was prescribed, the fact is WHAT H E READ IN SIN AND D EATH .
THE ANCIENT TEXT WAS ALREADY FULFILLED BY H IM BY C HRIST REVEALS H IS T RUTH CONCERNING THE P URPOSE OF
THAT DAY AS H E SO CLEARLY INFORMED THEM : THIS EXISTENCE AS A P REPARATION FOR WHAT IS TO
S T I SAIAH SPOKE OF THE A NOINTING OF C HRIST BY THE FOLLOW : ETERNAL L IFE OR ETERNAL D EATH .
H OLY S PIRIT and the Holy Spirit had indeed The people marvelled at Christs Words, but THEY
Descended upon Him at His Baptism. REFUSED TO BELIEVE - NOR WOULD THEY ACCEPT THE
A LL THE LONG AWAITED B LESSINGS OF THE J EWISH N ATION D IVINE T RUTH OF G OD - THAT J ESUS C HRIST , A FELLOW
WERE FULFILLED BY C HRIST OUR L ORD . VILLAGER , COULD TRULY BE THE LONG - AWAITED
GOD THE F ATHER HAD SENT H IS O NLY B EGOTTEN S ON to
live among His creatures.
THE BEGINNING OF THE CHURCH YEAR
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the the sun rose and set... all in perpetuity - with no
Holy Spirit. Amen. perceptible beginning and end.
Brethren, Today the Holy Church of Christ celebrates the It was not generally thought that our history had an end
Feast of the Indiction, which is the first day of the New that it was going somewhere.
Church Year. Yet with the Coming of Christ and the spread of
It is an ancient tradition to mark the beginning of the Christianity, mankind began to see everything
New Year on 1 September, which was observed in the differently.
Byzantine Empire until the fall of Constantinople in Indeed, time does have a beginning, and history
1453, and in Russia until the reign of Tsar Peter 1. certainly does have an end. And not only does history
Indiction means Proclamation, that originated during have an end, but it has a Purpose as well! A Purpose,
the Roman Empire because 1 September marked the as well as a Meaning!
beginning of the Fiscal Year, when the Emperor As Christians, we know that everything ends in the Last
announced the aim of the tax collections for that year. Judgment and the Resurrection, when our Lord Jesus
Yet even earlier, 1 September was regarded as the Christ will Reappear, the dead will be raised, and we
beginning of a New Year for the Hebrew People. will enter into a New Existence - into Eternity. This is
After having collected and stored the harvested crops, the End of everything as we now know it.
trumpets were sounded to gather the people together Todays Sacred Gospel Lesson reminds us that we have a
so that they could offer their Prayers of Thanksgiving Beginning.
to God for the fruitful harvest, and also to beseech His According to the Holy Gospel of St Luke, our Lord Jesus
Divine Blessings upon the difficult winter months that Christ returned to Nazareth, and went into the
they would have to endure. Synagogue on the Sabbath day, as He always did.
Consequently, according to the Book of Exodus, the When He had stood up to read, having been handed the
Hebrew Civil Year their New Year - began in Book of the Holy Prophet, St Isaiah, our Lord did not
September. open it randomly, but went immediately to a specific
However, there is a more profound Spiritual Meaning to passage and read the prophetic words aloud: The
the Feast of the Indiction for through our Hymns, our Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, for He has sent Me to
Prayers, and the Scripture Readings we reflect on how Heal the broken-hearted, to Proclaim Liberty to the
we, as Orthodox Christians, view time in relation to our captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at
Spiritual Life and Eternal salvation. Liberty those who are oppressed, to Proclaim the
Before the Coming of Christ, most of humanity regarded acceptable Year of the Lord. (LUKE 4:16-19)
time as something cyclical for the seasons changed At first He said nothing, having closed the book and sat
... people were born, grew old, and passed away... down, but when those present looked expectantly at

2. THE BEGINNING OF THE LITURGICAL YEAR THE INDICTION 1 SEPTEMBER

 Him, He declared His Divine Truth: Today this
Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing. (LUKE 4:21)
According to our Holy Tradition, this significant Event took
place on 1 September, which was when our Lord
Jesus Christ began His Public Proclamation of the
Good News of His Divine Mission on Earth.
Our Eternal Saviour has fulfilled all the Prophecies, and
our history is moving towards its End.
In the fullness of time, God our Heavenly Father, sent His
Beloved, Eternal Son into our fallen world to proclaim
His Good News, by simply saying: Today this
Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.
Our Heavenly Father sent His Eternal Son in time ...to
Redeem the time..., and TO BRING US TO SALVATION.
Consequently, TIME DOES MATTER, and has been granted to
us FOR OUR ETERNAL SALVATION to MAKE USE OF IT in order
that we might DRAW CLOSER TO GOD.
This is the Reason and Purpose for times, seasons, Feasts
and Fasts are essential to our Redeeming the time
fully by properly participating in ...this acceptable
Year of the Lord.
Each moment is important and must not be wasted
because every moment has a significant Meaning
and Purpose to each of us to our Eternal Salvation.
We must use every moment to draw closer to God - closer
to Eternal Life in Christ!
If we choose an earthly life rather than Life in Christ, we
must clearly understand that it will ultimately lead to
Eternal Death and permanent alienation from God
and all His Goodness and Love!
We must do everything possible to be with Christ our
Saviour in His Heavenly Kingdom of indescribable
Light, Love, Peace and Joy by striving to fulfil our
Sacred Labours and Struggles.
USING TIME WISELY - SAINT
"To every thing there is a Season, and a time to every
Purpose under Heaven" (E C C L E S I A S T E S 3 : 1 )
The Holy Apostle, St Paul, warned us not to spend time in
vain.
He urged us to use each minute of our life wisely: See
then that you walk circumspectly - not as fools, but
as wise - Redeeming the time, because the days are
evil.
St Paul exhorted us to be very aware that TIME MUST BE USED
TO ACQUIRE TRUE BLESSINGS, just as money is used to
acquire all that we need for physical life.
Consequently, the proper use of our precious time is
similar to the wise use of our material finances.
A wise man does not spend his money foolishly but totals
up his assets properly, and assigns a specific purpose
to each financial transaction.
We should handle time in a similar manner by assigning
hours and minutes for specific good, beneficial
purposes.
We must Redeem each day by doing Good Deeds that
will Spiritually Benefit everyone concerned.
Each year passes with as many steps as there are days in
a year, on the Path to our Spiritual Perfection.
Thus we must not waste a single moment needlessly, by
doing nothing worthy nor worst of all - wasting it
with sinful thoughts, words or deeds.
Each day begins when we awaken from sleep.
We should regard each moment of awakening as the
moment of being born into the world or our
Resurrection from the dead, because there is a great
similarity between awakening from sleep and being
born and Resurrected.
When we are asleep, it is as though we do not exist.
When we awaken, it is as though we are being born
anew for we are coming alive, we are being
Resurrected.
Immediately upon awakening we should begin to pray -
for each morning brings us the Pious Joy of Glorifying
God Who grants us another day to behold His
magnificent Creation, so beautifully designed for us.
The beginning of each day is the beginning of our New
Life in Christ.
However, we are constantly challenged by so many
temptations and sins, and being Spiritually Weak and
Inexperienced none of us can survive without the
Divine Grace and Help of our Lord God.
THE BEGINNING OF THE LITURGICAL YEAR THE INDICTION 1 SEPTEMBER
On the contrary, if we do nothing to improve our
Relationship with God - thereby choosing the Path that
leads us to the dreaded Outer Darkness that is utterly
bereft of anything Good our present lifetime will be
insignificant and totally wasted!
Our Final Judgement entirely depends on how we have
chosen to Redeem this God-granted time before
Eternity on our own free choices that we make now
during this short preparatory period.
It seems that we, in this self-gratifying and egocentric
society, have more and more of everything - yet we
constantly complain that we have less and less
precious time that we do not really use wisely!
Neither do we Redeem the time, by Sanctifying it and
offering it to our Most Benevolent and Loving Lord
God in sincere Thanksgiving and profound Gratitude!
Most of us squander and waste our precious allotted time
with myriads of distractions, mindless entertainments
and frivolities!
Our unique, personal time is eaten away by the
unbeneficial distractions of this temporary world, with
no thought of Eternity and our immortal soul.
Let us not waste any time, and today from this moment -
let us take to heart the words of that Great, Holy
Luminary of North America, St. Herman of Alaska,
who exhorts us:
For our Good - for our Happiness - at least let us make
a Vow to ourselves, that from this day, from this hour,
from this minute we shall strive above all else to
Love God and to fulfill His Divine Will.
Amen.
HTTPS://WWW.HOLYCROSS-HERMITAGE.COM/BLOGS/ARTICLES-SERMONS/113630790-
SERMON-FOR-THE-INDICTION-2014
IGNATIUS BRIANCHANINOV
Therefore, we must pray without ceasing for only by our
sincere Prayers and unwavering Faith are we able to
achieve Victory in the perpetual Spiritual Warfare
against us!
Our time should be invested in reading the Divine Word
of God for Holy Scripture is the Book of Life that Guides
us and teaches us everything we need to know, we
need to do and to hope for.
St John Chrysostom regarded Holy Scripture as our Lord
Gods Sacred Epistle to all mankind and that ...
whoever does not Nourish his soul with this Celestial
Gift starves his soul.
After we have Nourished our immortal soul, we must
spend time on worthy activities and labours.
We all have our own specific duties, affairs, jobs and
diverse needs to which we must attend.
But whatever they may be, there is one Cardinal Rule for
all of them: ...Be not unwise, but understanding
what the Will of the Lord is...
Before we start anything we must ask ourselves whether
or not it conforms to the Will of God.
Hence, before undertaking any endeavour, we should pray to
God asking for His Blessings so that we are able to fulfil His
Divine Will, rather than our own selfish desires.
The time of leisure or rest should be according to St Pauls
instructions: ... Be filled with the (Holy) Spirit,
speaking to yourselves in Psalms and Hymns and
Spiritual Songs, singing and making melody in your
heart to the Lord.
In other words, if we like to read, we should read about
aspects that reveal the Wisdom and Truth of Almighty
God.
If we enjoy socialising, we should keep discussions and
conversations pious, worthy, good and wise befitting
a Faithful Disciple of Christ.
If we enjoy singing and music it should soothe, comfort,
purify and uplift our immortal soul.
Worldly music and entertainments can and do corrupt
our soul by exciting the passions, encouraging the
vices, and causing human folly.
In other words, we can do what we always do, but in
reverse by exchanging the sensual for the Spiritual,
the body for the soul, the secular for the Faithful.
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3.
 LET NO CORRUPT WORD PROCEED OUT OF YOUR MOUTH!
St Paul urged us: ...Let no corrupt word proceed out of
your mouth, but what is good for necessary
edification, that it may impart Grace to the hearers.
(EPHESIANS 4:29)
He also instructed us: ...you yourselves are to put off all
these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy
language out of your mouth... ( C O L O S S I A N S 3 : 8 ) .
Swearing is wrong and inappropriate behaviour for
Christians Faithful Disciples of Christ - since, among
other things, it is an expression of anger and often
abusive of others - unbefitting those who are striving
to grow in Christ.
The Third Commandment prohibits us: Thou shalt not
take the Name of the Lord Thy God in vain. ( E X O D U S
20:7)
It is the purposeless, disrespectful and idle use of the
Divine Name of Almighty God that condemns us.
Another Spiritually Dangerous aspect of such improper
use of Gods Name is to use it as an Oath, whereby we
seek to convince others of the (often false) sincerity
and truth of our words by invoking Gods Name or the
names of Saints or of any other Sacred Things, which
is also condemned by our Lord Jesus Christ. (S E E
MATTHEW 5:34-36; 23:16-21)
We must always remember and be acutely aware that
any degree of swearing is neither fitting nor
appropriate for those who seek to serve God faithfully
and worthily.
Under no circumstances can any form of swearing or
cursing be Spiritually Justified.
We must meticulously respect, honour and Glorify the
Divine Name of our Lord God, which is certainly
affirmed by our Lord Jesus Christs most important
Commandment: "You shall Love the Lord your God
with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with
all your mind, and with all your strength. ( M A R K 1 2 :
28-31)
Each time we Bless ourselves with the Sign of the Cross, we
proclaim this same Divine Commandment: I Worship Thee,
O Lord, with all my mind, with all my heart, with all my
strength and with all my soul!
Furthermore, St Paul exhorted us: Do not let any
unwholesome speech come out of your mouth, but
only what is helpful for building others up
according to their needs, that it may Benefit those
who listen. ( E P H E S I A N S 4 : 2 8 - 3 0 )
By steadfastly avoiding any type of swearing is essentially
a restraint against offending others, thereby affirming
our Saviours Commandment to Love our neighbours
as much as God Loves us and as much as we Love
ourselves.
LOVE OF CHRIST IS LOVE OF THE CHURCH
Our Lord Jesus Christ created His Holy Church on Earth as
His Body, with Him as the Head. To Love Christ is to
Love His Church.
Elder Porphyrios tells us that our Divine Saviours Holy
Church is ...exactly the same as Paradise in
Heaven... and that all souls are one United - in His
Eternal Church.
Love, worship of and craving for God, our Union with
Christ and with His Holy Church is Paradise on
Earth.
The Holy Services of His Church enable us to express our
Love for Him and to experience His Infinite Love for us.
The Divine Services of the Church consist of words
whereby we converse and speak to God with our
Worship and with our Love.
The hours spent closest to Paradise are the hours spent
together with all our Brethren (in Christ) when we
celebrate the Divine Liturgy, having Repented our
sins, and when we receive Holy Communion.
We express our Love of God when we enthusiastically,
humbly and obediently observe the formal aspects of
His Holy Church and Her Sacred Services, and are
eager to correctly participate in Her Holy Mysteries -
especially Holy Communion.
We enthusiastically attend Church thereby expressing our
sincere Love of God, Who Loves us and Who grants us
His Great Mercy.
The Divine Services are greatly Beneficial, the
precondition being for everything to be performed
with Holy Eros - with interest and with a sincere
disposition to worship Christ - not as a chore, nor
perfunctorily, but with Eros and Divine Enthusiasm.
Worship must spring from our entire soul and heart.
4. THE BEGINNING OF THE LITURGICAL YEAR THE INDICTION 1 SEPTEMBER
Blasphemy is a form of swearing that is a very serious sin
against the Lord our God especially when we curse,
accuse or blame God for anything that is wicked,
harmful or devastating.
St Nikitas Stithatos explained: ... Blasphemy is a
frightful passion that is difficult to combat, for its
origin lies in the arrogant mind of Satan ...
We must guard our senses with extreme diligence, and
Reverence all the Awe-Inspiring Mysteries of God,
the Holy Icons and Holy Words, being ever Watchful
for the attacks of that evil spirit.
... when we are inattentive, it discharges through our
lips curses against ourselves and strange
blasphemies against God the Most High!
(PHILOKALIA IV).
Cursing is another form of Spiritual Swearing that occurs
when the heart is set completely against others, and
words are used with the intention of bringing the Fires
of Hell upon them.
Cursing is an extremely serious Spiritual Offence!
"If one curses his Father or his Mother, his Lamp will be
put out in Utter Darkness!" ( P R O V E R B S 2 0 : 2 0 ) .
Both the curser and the one being cursed are severely
cautioned: "Do not give heed to all the things that
men say, lest you hear your servant cursing you;
your heart knows that many times you have yourself
cursed others. All this I have tested by Wisdom; I
said, 'I will be wise; but it was far from me"
(ECCLESIASTES 7:21-23)
St Paul reminded us of the depravity of our heart that
cursing reveals: "None is Righteous, no, not one! No
one understands, no one seeks for God! All have
turned aside - together they have gone wrong! No
one does Good, not even one ... Their throat is an
open grave, they use their tongues to deceive ... The
venom of asps is under their lips. Their mouth is full
of curses and bitterness!" ( R O M A N S 3 : 1 0 - 1 4 ) .
The prohibition against cursing is so strong that Evagrius
the Solitary said: "Try not to pray against anyone
[cursing] in your Prayer, so that you do not destroy
what you are building, and make your Prayer
loathsome" ( P H I L O K A L I A I ) .
St Nikitas Stithatos advised us how to overcome
blasphemy and cursing: "... concentrating our
thoughts, we should at once occupy our intellect
with some other matter, either Divine or human, and
with tears, raise it towards God; and so with God's
Assistance we will be relieved of the burden of
blasphemy." ( P H I L O K A L I A I V ) .
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This means that our only thought must be focussed on
God and never done under duress.
We experience Spiritual Delight and Pleasure. True
Worship of God is certainly not like the compulsory
homework a child does for school.
Our worship of God expresses our passionate Love of God
a Pure, True and Unconditional Love that is uniquely
superior and utterly Spiritual compared to our
mundane, human concept of love.
Above all, the Holy Mystery of Communion is the ultimate
Act of Divine Love - of ecstatic Holy Union with the
Lord our God.
Elder Ephraim of Arizona described the Splendour of the
Divine Liturgy:. ... what a splendour indeed! Man
has been honoured by God in such a way that He
Himself comes down to Earth with His Angelic Orders
every time there is a Liturgy, in order to nurture
mankind with His Most Holy Body and His Most
Precious Blood! For He has given us everything!
Is there anything physical or Spiritual, perishable or
Everlasting, that has not been offered to us? None!
Is there anything superior to His Most Holy Body and
Blood, which is given to us on a daily basis? There is
certainly not!
God has enabled us, who are soiled and dirty, to serve
the Divine Liturgy. So Priceless is the Divine Love
that just a tiny drop exceeds any earthly, physical
and secular Love!
Elder Porphyrios describes our Orthodox Faith as ...Love.
It is Eros, enthusiasm, madness, longing for the
Divine. All these are within us. Our soul demands
that we attain them.
 Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa
Archdiocese of Good Hope
All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now
and forever, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen. Remembering also our Most Holy, Most
Pure, Most Blessed and Glorious Lady, Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever Virgin, together with all
the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our
God. Amen.

Tone 4 3 September 2017

th th
13 Sunday After Pentecost - 13 Sunday of St Matthew
The Wicked Vinedressers
The Feast of S T A N T H I M O S , B I S H O P , St Theophilos, Deacon, St Dorotheos, St Mardonios, St Migdonio, St Peter, St Indes,
St Gorgonios, St Zeno, St Domna, Virgin Martyr, & St Euthymios of Nicomedia S T T H E O K T I S T O S O F P A L E S T I N E St
Euthymios St John the Hairy, Fool for Christ of Rostov St Phoebe, Deaconess of Cenchreae, Corinth St Vasilissa of
Nicomedia St Aristion, Bishop of Alexandria St Joannikios, First Patriarch of Serbia St Polydoros of Cyprus The
Holy Icon of our Lady, Theotokos of Pisidia

RESURRECTION GOSPEL 2: MARK 16:1 - 8

THE HOLY MYRRHBEARERS WITNESS THE EMPTY TOMB OF OUR RISEN LORD JESUS CHRIST

SMALL ENTRANCE HYMNS

RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION TONE 4

To fedron tis Anastaseos Kirigma ek tou Angelou When the Women Disciples of the Lord had learnt from
Mathouse e tou Kyriou Mathitrie ke tin Progonikin the Angels the Glad Tidings of the Resurrection that
apofasin aporipsase, tis Apostolis kafhomene elegon. had cast away the Condemnation of their Forefather,
Eskilefte O Thanatos, igerthi Hristos O Theos, they spoke exultingly to the Apostles: Death is no
doroumenos to kosmo to Mega Eleos. more! Christ-God is Risen, granting to the world Great
Mercy.
FESTAL APOLYTIKION ST ANTHIMOS, BISHOP & HIEROMARTYR OF NICOMEDIA TONE 4
Ke tropon metohos, ke Thronon Didohos, ton Apostolon Becoming a Partner of the Apostles in Way of Life and
genomenos, tin praxin evres Theopnefste, is Theorias Successor to their Thrones, O God-Inspired Saint, in
epivasin. Dia touto ton Logon tis Alithias Orthotomon, the Active Life Thou found an Entrance to
ke ti Pisti enithlisas mehris ematos, Ieromartys Contemplation. Hence, Thou rightly expounded the
Anthime. Presveve Hristo to Theo, Sothine tas psihas Word of Truth, and shed Thy Blood in Struggling for
imon. the Faith, O Hieromartyr, Anthimos. Intercede with
Christ our God, Beseeching Him to Save our soul.
FESTAL APOLYTIKION ST THEOKTISTOS - TONE (8) PLAGAL 4
Tes ton darion Sou roes, tis erimou to agonon egeorgisas, With the Rivers of Thy Tears, Thou made the barren
ke tis ek vathou stenagmis, is ekaton tous ponous desert bloom, and with Thy Sighs from deep within,
ekarpoforisas, ke gegonas foster ti ikoumeni, lampoon Thou made Thy Labours bear Fruit a hundredfold. And
tis Thavmasin. Theoktiste patir imon Osie. Presveve Thou became a Star that Illuminated the world by Thy
Hristo to Theo, Sothine tas psihas imon. Miracles, O Theoktistos, our Devout Father: Intercede
with Christ our God, for the Salvation of our soul.
SEASONAL KONTAKION - NATIVITY OF THE EVER BLESSED THEOTOKOS
Ioakim ke Anna onidismou ateknias, ke Adam ke Eva ek tis By thy Holy Nativity, O Most Undefiled One, Joachim and
fthoras tou thanatou ileftherothisan Ahrante, en ti Agia Anna were freed from the scorn of childlessness, and
gennisi Sou. Aftin eortazi ke o laos sou, enohis ton Adam and Eve from deaths corruption. This is the
ptesmaton, litrothis en to krazin si: i stira tikti tin Feast now observed by thy people, who from the guilt
Theotokon, ke trofon tis zois imon. of their errors, were delivered as they cry out to thee:
the barren one bear the Theotokos, and our lifes
Sustainer!
PROKEIMENON PSALM 103/104 - TONE 4
Greatly Magnified art Thy Works, O Lord. All Things in Wisdom Thou hast Created.
Bless, O my soul, our Lord! O Lord my God, exceedingly Magnified art Thou!
FIRST EPISTLE OF ST PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS 16 : 13 24
Brethren, be Watchful, stand firm in Faith, be Courageous, be Strong. Let all that you do be done with Love.
I urge you, Brethren - you know that the household of Stephanas was the First Fruits of Achaia, and that they have
devoted themselves to the Ministry of the Saints that you also submit to such, and to everyone who Works and
Labours with us. I am gladdened by the coming of Stephanas, Fortunatos, and Achaikos, for what was laking on
your part, they supplied, for they refreshed my spirit and yours. Acknowledge such men.
Greetings from the churches of Asia. Greetings heartily in our Lord, from Aquila and Prisilla with the Church that is in
their house. Greetings from all the Brethren.. Greet one another with a Holy Kiss.
The Salutation with my own hand Paul.
If anyone does not Love our Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed! Our Lord will come!
The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
My Love be with you all in Christ Jesus.
Amen

13TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 13TH SUNDAY OF ST MATTHEW THE WICKED TENANTS 3 SEPTEMBER 2017 5.
As Faithful Disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ, we must St Pauls displeasure with certain of the Corinthian
always be ...Watchful, stand firm in Faith, be Christian Community did not, however, affect his Love
Courageous, be Strong. and Joy for the others who remained firmly rooted

Our Path towards Eternity is more often than not, very and steadfast in their Faith in Christ Jesus.
difficult for many reasons, so St Paul exhorts, urges The term SAINTS referred to those who strove ceaselessly
and encourages us to face EVERY MOMENT OF THE DAY and faithfully to maintain their Life in Christ during
BEING SPIRITUALLY WATCHFUL FOR THE SNARES, those most difficult years when persecution of
DECEPTIONS, LIES AND DECEITS OF THE EVIL ONE. Christians was caused by not only the misguided and

When we are FIRMLY ROOTED IN OUR TRUE FAITH IN THE ignorant Hebrews, but also by the Roman Empire
DIVINE TRUTH OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST NOTHING WILL authorities and pagan society.
UPROOT US NOR CONVINCE, DECEIVE OR MISGUIDE US. AQUILA AND PRISCILLA were Hebrew Christians who had

When we HOLD ON TIGHTLY TO OUR SAVIOUR - and been among those who had been expelled from
everything He has taught us and commanded us - Rome by Emperor Claudios in 49 50, and who had
GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT GRANTS US EXTRAORDINARY resided in Corinth for a while before moving to
COURAGE TO FAITHFULLY FOLLOW CHRIST AND FULFIL THE Ephesos (ACTS 18:2 & 26)
DIVINE WILL OF OUR HEAVENLY FATHER. St Paul conveyed THE GREETINGS AND LOVE OF OTHER

WHEN WE IMPLICITLY TRUST GOD WITH ALL OUR BEING BODY CHRISTIANS COMMUNITIES that he had visited, which
AND SOUL WE ARE EXTRAORDINARILY STRONG ! By totally encouraged and strengthened each other.
focussing on our Lord Jesus Christ everything We are members of ONE, UNITED, UNIVERSAL SPIRITUAL
becomes possible to achieve even those things FAMILY, for we are all BRETHREN in Christ, as the
that are ordinarily impossible or inconceivable! adopted CHILDREN OF GOD AND CO-HEIRS WITH CHRIST OF
(Our best example of this is when St Peter walked HIS ETERNAL, HEAVENLY KINGDOM THROUGH OUR HOLY
on water while he focussed his full attention on BAPTISM AND CHRISMATION.
Christ but the instant he thought about the stormy Being Brethren in Christ we greet each other with the
circumstances that surrounded them, he sank HOLY KISS cheek to cheek as a Sign of our Holy
beneath the waves!) Unity, Love and Harmony.
These Holy Attributes made it possible for the Faithful Our Journey towards Eternity can never be fulfilled on
Disciples of Christ to REMAIN STEADFAST IN CHRIST our own. We must link our arms and all our efforts, so
even when they were forced to endure that we can encourage and strengthen, urge and
indescribably tortures and persecution. exhort each other in order for us all to arrive safely at
STEPHANAS, FORTUNATOS, AND ACHAIKOS were the our desired Destination Eternal Life in the Heavenly
couriers of the Epistle that St Paul answered in his Kingdom of Divine Love.
First Epistle to the Corinthians, Chapters 7 15. St Paul usually dictated his Epistles to a trustworthy
These three Faithful Disciples of Christ would have Scribe but his closing signature proves that he was
brought encouraging news concerning not only the the author of this particular Epistle.
survival but especially of the ever increasing growth ... THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST BE WITH YOU... IS
of the Christian Church throughout the known world. THE APOSTOLIC BLESSING THAT IS BESTOWED ON THE
They would also have preached and discussed the Holy FAITHFUL DISCIPLES OF CHRIST SINCE THE BEGINNING.
Gospel of Christ to the Corinthians, assuring them of ONLY BY THE GRACE AND LOVE OF GOD ARE WE ABLE TO FULFIL
our Saviours Divine Truth and Reality, which would THE WILL OF GOD THE FATHER, THROUGH THE TEACHINGS
have ... Refreshed... the weak or wavering spirits of AND COMMANDMENTS OF GOD THE SON, OUR LORD JESUS
some of the Corinthians - several of whom had begun CHRIST, BY THE POWER AND ENERGY OF GOD THE LIFE-
to drift back to their former habits and lifestyle. GIVING HOLY SPIRIT.
THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST MATTHEW 21 : 33 42
TH E WIC KED TENANTS/VINEDRESSERS
At that time, our Lord Jesus Christ narrated this Parable: There was a Householder who planted a Vineyard, and set
a Hedge around it, and dug a Wine Press in it, and built a Tower, and let it out to Tenants, and went into a Far
Country.
When the Season of Harvest drew near, He sent His Servants to the Tenants to get His Harvest. And the Tenants took
His Servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again He send other Servants, more than the
first. And they did the same to them. Afterwards He sent His Son to them, saying: They will respect My Son.
When the Tenants saw the Son, they said to themselves: This is the Heir. Come, let us kill Him and have His
Inheritance. And they took Him and cast Him out of the Vineyard, and killed Him.
When therefore the Owner of the Vineyard comes, what will He do to those Tenants?
They said to Him: He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and let out the Vineyard to other Tenants who will
give His the Fruits in their Seasons.
Jesus said to them: Have you never read in the Scriptures: The very Stone that the Builders rejected has become the
Cornerstone. This was the Lords doing, and it was Marvellous in Our Sight!
The certain Landowner represents GOD THE FATHER those Vinedressers and give the Vineyard to
The Vineyard refers to GODS CHOSEN PEOPLE others... Meaning that GOD WILL GRANT HIS SACRED
the Vinedressers (or Wicked Tenants) were THE LEADERS VINEYARD HIS HOLY CHURCH TO GENTILES TO HIS
OF ISRAEL who were ENTRUSTED TO CARE FOR GODS FAITHFUL DISCIPLES the Christians WHO LIVE
CHOSEN. ACCORDING TO GODS NEW ETERNAL COVENANT!
Each Servant sent by the Landowner represents THE The Stone is a reference to CHRIST Who WAS REJECTED BY
OLD COVENANT PROPHETS OF GOD who were SENT TO the Builders, meaning THE NATION OF ISRAEL His
BRING THE NATION OF ISRAEL BACK TO GOD. own people.
The Son, of course, is our LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE MOST OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IS most certainly THE ETERNAL
BELOVED ONLY-BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD. CHIEF CORNERSTONE in Whom we truly Live and UPON
WHEN THE SON IS ...cast out of the Vineyard and killed WHOM THE TRUE FAITH AND TEACHINGS OF GOD IS SOLIDLY
... FOR HIS INHERITANCE by the wicked ESTABLISHED AND WILL REMAIN SO FOR ALL ETERNITY!
Vinedressers/Tenants, it MAY BE UNDERSTOOD ON TWO This is exactly BY THE WILL OF GOD THE FATHER, THROUGH HIS
LEVELS: BELOVED SONS TEACHINGS AND SACRIFICE AND BY THE
1. OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST WAS CRUCIFIED OUTSIDE THE CITY ACTIVATION AND WISDOM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT which is
GATES OF JERUSALEM just as the sacrificial animals indeed, MOST MARVELLOUS OF ALL!
were slaughtered outside the city walls, OUTSIDE According to St John Chrysostom, the quotation: The
AND AWAY FROM THE HOLY TEMPLE OF GOD. Stone that Builders rejected... illustrates TWO
2. OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST WAS CRUCIFIED BY ROMAN (FOREIGN) CAUSES OF OUR SPIRITUAL DESTRUCTION:
EXECUTIONERS and not by His own countrymen, the 1. Those who fall on (or stumble over) the Stone suffer
Israelites. THE CONSEQUENCES OF OUR UNREPENTED SINS WHILE YET IN
According to the Gospel account of this Parable by St THIS LIFE,
Luke, our Lord concluded His Sacred Lesson by
saying: (The Landowner) will come (return) and destroy
6. 1 3 T H S U N D A Y A F T E R P E N T E C O S T 1 3 T H S U N D A Y OF ST MATTHEW THE WICKED TENANTS 3 SEPTEMBER 2017
2. whereas those on whom the Stone falls are the
UNREPENTANT SINNERS WHO WILL SUFFER UTTER
DESTRUCTION AT THE FINAL JUDGEMENT.
While we are still alive in this world, GOD, IN HIS GREAT
MERCY, OFFERS US EVERY OPPORTUNITY AND EVERY MEANS
POSSIBLE WITH WHICH TO RECTIFY OUR SPIRITUAL DARKNESS
OR SPIRITUAL DEATH THROUGH OUR PERSONAL
REPENTANCE-CONFESSION AND HIS FORGIVENESS OF OUR
SINS.
Therefore, in this present human condition, OUR LORD JESUS
CHRIST IS OUR Stumbling Block BRINGING US TO OUR
13TH SUNDAY AFTER RESURRECTION 13TH SUNDAY OF ST MATTHEW THE WICKED TENANTS
In the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.
Brethren, on this 13th Sunday after Pentecost we are
reminded of our Lord Jesus Christs Parable of the
Wicked Tenants (Vinedressers) of our Heavenly
Masters Vineyard.
Historically, this Parable refers to the Old Covenant
Kingdoms of Judah and Israel - how they behaved
or, rather, misbehaved over the course of their
Covenantal Relationship with God.
The people were supposed to produce in themselves the
Good Fruit that our Lord God expects of us all, but
they failed to do so.
GOD SENT HIS HOLY PROPHETS to them to account for their
lack of Faith in the One, True and Living God, and in
order TO GUIDE THEM BACK TO THE TRUE PATH OF
RIGHTEOUSNESS, WHICH PRODUCES SPIRITUAL FRUIT FOR THE
GLORY AND WORSHIP OF ALMIGHTY GOD.
Unfortunately, as St Theophylact of Ochrid explained, THE
HOLY PROPHETS OF GOD WERE ...abused in various ways
by the husbandmen - that is, by the false prophets
and false teachers of those times.
They beat St Micah when Sedek struck him on the jaw;
they killed St Zechariah [the Righteous Father of the
Forerunner St John the Baptist] between the Temple
and the Holy Altar; and they stoned St Zechariah, the
son of Jodae the High Priest.
Metaphorically, however, THE MEANING OF THIS PARABLE
EXTENDS TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US SINCE WE, TOO, LIVE IN The impatient, immature Prodigal Son asked for his
A COVENANTAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD OUR GOD.
WE, TOO, OFTEN FAIL TO DEVELOP WITHIN OURSELVES AND TO SHOW
THE GOOD FRUITS OF LIFE IN CHRIST the great Joy of
living in Kindness, in giving selfless service to others
(and in that generous, unselfish giving, receiving in
return multitudes of Blessings).
Although we do not beat, kill nor stone to death those
whom our Lord God sends to us to Enlighten and
Guide us in the Righteous Life in Christ, even worse
than that, WE MAKE THEM OF NO ACCOUNT AT ALL BY
IGNORING OR REJECTING THE DIVINE TRUTH THAT CALLS US TO
FOLLOW OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST WHO RENEWS AND
REGENERATES OUR IMMORTAL SOUL!
The persecution and slaying of the Holy Prophets of God
indicated that, at least, they were noticed.
But how often do WE CHOOSE TO IGNORE OR REJECT THE PEOPLE
AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT GOD SENDS OUR WAY AS OUR
TEACHERS, AND AS THE MEANS OF RETURNING TO A FULFILLING
LIFE THAT PRODUCES MARVELLOUS SPIRITUAL FRUIT that
grants us Eternal Salvation and Life in His Heavenly
Kingdom!
THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT WAYS WHEREBY WE FALL SHORT OF THE
MARK AND FAIL TO PRODUCE ANY SPIRITUAL FRUIT!
According to the context of this Parable, when the
Householder sent His Son to the Wicked Tenants they
said: Come, let us kill Him, that we may receive His
Inheritance.
What made their wicked plotting and actions so
astoundingly tragic is that THE WHOLE GOAL - THE ENTIRE
PURPOSE - OF OUR EXISTENCE ACCORDING TO THE OLD AND
NEW COVENANTS OF GOD, IS PRECISELY FOR US TO SHARE IN
THE ETERNAL INHERITANCE AS THE ADOPTED CHILDREN OF
GOD!
THEOSIS OR DEIFICATION, which is THE SUBLIME CALLING OF ALL
MANKIND, means that WE ARE TO BECOME - BY DIVINE GRACE
- EVERYTHING THAT OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IS i.e.
SPIRITUALLY PERFECT - and thus God-like.
We were created in His Divine Likeness and Image, but
due to our Ancestral Sin, we lost our original Divine
Likeness.
However, OUR LORD GOD NEVER INTENDED US TO REMAIN IN THAT
FALLEN SPIRITUAL STATE.
13TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 13TH SUNDAY OF ST MATTHEW THE WICKED TENANTS 3 SEPTEMBER 2017
KNEES SO THAT WE MAY REALISE THE ERRORS OF OUR WAYS AND
QUICKLY CORRECT THEM BY SEEKING DIVINE FORGIVENESS AND
STRIVING ALL THE HARDER TO FOLLOW HIS GUIDING FOOTSTEPS
TOWARDS ETERNAL LIFE.
However, IF WE STUBBORNLY AND ARROGANTLY REFUSE TO
ACKNOWLEDGE OUR SINS, AND REJECT GODS OFFER OF
REMISSION OF SINS THROUGH REPENTANCE-CONFESSION,
WE WILL MOST CERTAINLY REAP OUR OWN BITTER HARVEST
ETERNAL DEATH IN OUTER DARKNESS ETERNAL EXILE OR
BANISHMENT FROM THE DIVINE LIGHT AND LOVE OF GOD
Consequently, WE ARE NOW CALLED TO SPIRITUAL
REGENERATION OR REBIRTH THROUGH THE HOLY MYSTERY OF
BAPTISM AND CHRISMATION, THEREBY BECOMING HIS
CHILDREN AND CO-HEIRS WITH CHRIST BY OUR DIVINE
ADOPTION.
Thus, it was tragically ironic that THE WICKED TENANTS
KILLED THE SON FOR HIS INHERITANCE, WHICH THEY WOULD
HAVE RECEIVED HAD THEY ONLY WAITED AND HAD THEY
FULFILLED THEIR SACRED LABOURS AS REQUIRED BY GOD.
PATIENCE AND HUMBLE OBEDIENCE IS THE KEY TO OUR
ETERNAL INHERITANCE!
All too often WE HAVE NO PATIENCE, NOR ARE WE WILLING TO BE
HUMBLY OBEDIENT TO THE LORD OUR GOD.
We demand everything immediately. SELF-GRATIFICATION
AND SELF-INDULGENCE IS OUR DOWNFALL AND THE APPALLING
CAUSE OF WORLD-WIDE SUFFERING AND INTOLERANCE.
We are impatient. We demand everything far too quickly
and we are usually UNPREPARED AND INCAPABLE.
Consequently, THE RESULTS ARE SERIOUSLY COMPROMISED OR
RUINED BEYOND REDEMPTION.
Furthermore, THOSE GOOD THINGS FOR WHICH WE SHOULD HAVE
WAITED AND PREPARED OURSELVES PROPERLY AND
SUFFICIENTLY, REMAIN BEYOND OUR REACH OR PROVE TO BE
DISAPPOINTING.
HOLY SCRIPTURE REPEATEDLY CAUTIONS US AGAINST ACTING
RECKLESSLY OR WITHOUT CORRECT PREPARATION,
UNDERSTANDING OR COMMITMENT TO OUR SACRED DUTIES.
portion of the Inheritance. He neither stole from his
Father nor took anything that did not belong to him.
Nevertheless, although our Lord Jesus Christ never
explained the reason for the Prodigal Son having
wasted his inheritance in such a riotous manner, it
was obvious that HIS INEXPERIENCED, SELF-INDULGENCE
DEPLETED HIS FINANCES AND IMPOVERISHED HIM VERY QUICKLY,
LEAVING HIM UTTERLY DESTITUTE AND STARVING.
The Prodigal Son was unequipped for the responsibility
of dealing with such large amounts of money and
possessions,
HIS INEXPERIENCE DECEIVED AND IMPOVERISHED HIM, BECAUSE HE
DID NOT KNOW HOW TO USE HIS INHERITANCE WISELY AND
BENEFICIALLY, which is similar to the fundamental,
primordial sin of all humanity.
ADAM AND EVE WERE GIVEN ONE DIVINE COMMANDMENT. They
were forbidden from eating the Fruit of the Tree of
Knowledge of Good and Evil, which stood at the
centre of the Garden of Eden.
EVERYTHING THAT GOD HAD CREATED AND PROVIDED FOR THEIR
WELFARE WAS GOOD AND UNCORRUPTED OR INCORRUPTIBLE.
WHEN THEY WERE READY I.E. WHEN GOD HAD PREPARED THEM
PROPERLY - THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN PERMITTED TO EAT THE
FRUIT OF THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE.
However, USING THEIR INNOCENCE AND SPIRITUAL IMMATURITY
AGAINST THEM, SATAN PERSUADED THEM TO PARTAKE OF THE
FORBIDDEN FRUIT, so that they would have Knowledge
of good and evil.
BUT THEY WERE NOT YET READY NOR PREPARED TO DEAL WITH THE
GREAT RESPONSIBILITY OF POSSESSING SUCH KNOWLEDGE,
WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY LED TO THEIR HEART-BREAKING
ALIENATION FROM GOD AND THE ENMITY WITH EACH OTHER.
Consequently, WE EXPERIENCE SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL DEATH AS
THE RESULT OF NOT A PUNISHMENT FOR OUR SIN, WHICH IS
CAUSED BY OUR ANCESTRAL SIN.
This is the worst aspect of our failure to produce Good
Fruit during our unique and specific lifespan.
Everything that is truly sinful is usually easy to recognise.
But when the Goal itself is good but the timing is not right,
it is extremely difficult for us to perceive, because, too
often, our desires overwhelm our ability to discern the
right timing that will produce Good Spiritual Fruit.
7.
Therefore, we must constantly beseech our Lord God for
His Guidance, Wisdom and Will in order to achieve
those Spiritually Beneficial Goals for ourselves and for
others.
We must also consult our Spiritual Father or Spiritual
Mother, our Brethren in Christ, or our close and trusted
friends - those whom God sends our way - so that we
may gain Wisdom, Patience, Tolerance and
THE VENERATION OF OUR ALL HOLY, ALL PURE LADY, THEOTOKOS
The Ever Blessed, All Holy and Ever Virgin Mary is indeed
worthy of the Most Exalted Title of Theotokos - the
Birthgiver (Mother) of God.
Our Lord God has Honoured, Glorified and Exalted Her
more than any of His Heavenly Hosts and His other
Venerable Saints.
St Gabriel, the Archangel of God and St Elizabeth, the
Venerated Mother of St John the Baptists and
Forerunner, both Venerated Her as the Mother of God.
(LUKE 1:28-29 & 40-43)
Our Ever Blessed Lady, Herself, commented in humble
amazement: ... Behold! Henceforth all generations
shall call me Blessed. for He Who is Mighty has
done great things for me..." (LUKE 1:48-49)
In our Holy Services we cry out boldly and reverently to
Her: "O Most Holy Theotokos, Save us!"
Elder Cleopa explained our worthy Veneration of our Ever
Blessed, Most Holy Lady, Theotokos:
...The Veneration that we render unto Her is called
Honorific and Reverential, as She is the Mother of our  I S A I A H 7 : 1 3 St Isaiah the Holy Prophet of God
Lord, having not only a Spiritual Relationship with
Him, as happens with other Saints, but also a physical
Union with Him.
For this reason we chant in our Hymn to Her:
"It is Truly Meet to Bless Thee,
O Theotokos who art Ever Blessed
and All-Blameless,
and the Mother of our God.
More Honourable than the Cherubim,
and more Glorious beyond compare
than the Seraphim,
O Thou who - without corruption -
gave Birth to God the Word,
and who art truly Theotokos:
we Magnify Thee!"
She has been elevated by God to an exalted position that
is higher than His Heavenly Hosts and His other Saints
- all of whom Venerate Her.
Accordingly, the Archangel Gabriel greeted Her at the
Annunciation, as did Her Righteous Relative, St
Elizabeth, the Mother of St John the Baptist, a short
while afterwards.
The Holy Virgin was Inspired by the Holy Spirit to
prophesy that all future generations would honour
Her by calling Her Blessed.
The Greatest Honour that was bestowed upon our Lady,
Theotokos, is according to the Divine Will of Almighty
God.
In our Prayers, we beseech our Spiritual Mothers
Intercessory Prayers: "O Most Holy Theotokos Save us"
and we say to Her: We have no other Hope beside
Thee"... which Elder Cleopas explains:
... by these Prayers, we do not deny the Uniqueness of
Christ as Mediator of our Salvation, yet neither are we
indifferent to the rendering of any sort of Help related
to our personal Salvation.
The meaning of these Prayers to our Lady, Theotokos, is
similar to saying to Her: "Thou can grant us the most
help for our personal Salvation... or "... we cannot
find any other Superior Intercessor not even
amongst the Saints... or "...We have no one else who
is able to help us as much as Thee, O Mother of our
Divine Saviour."
Our Prayer: "O Most Holy Theotokos, Save us" ...
actually means: O Most Holy Theotokos, Entreat Thy
Son to Save us... to grant us Eternal Salvation... to
Redeem us... to Deliver us... to grant us His Great
Mercy...
Elder Cleopas told us that ...in the Greek language... the
word Save means to Redeem or Deliver from the evil
ones wicked deceptions, temptations, distress and
necessity.
TH TH
8. 1 3 SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 13 SUNDAY
Temperance by Living in Christ and producing Good
Fruit that Glorifies, Honour and Worships the Lord our
God Who will Save us and Deify us, as He intended.
Amen.
CONSTANTINE WRIGHT
WWW.PRAVMIR.COM
Consequently, we are entreating our Lady, Theotokos:
Help us by Thine Intercessory Prayers to be
Redeemed/Delivered from evil, from the works of the
devil, from our passions...
Therefore, by asking the Ever Blessed Mother of God to
Save us we neither ask Her nor expect Her to
...forgive our sins... but rather to ...Entreat Thy Son for
our Salvation.
All Veneration of the All Holy and Ever Blessed Mother
of God is a constituent part of the Veneration and
Worship of Her Divine Son, Who chose Her and
Blessed Her to be His Mother...
 G E N E S I S 3 : 1 5 - After the Fall of Adam and Eve, the
Lord our God foretold us that the Mother of our
Divine Saviour would be a Virgin who, together
with Her Son, would defeat the serpent the evil
one (disguised as a snake) who caused Adam to
put his free will against the Divine Will of God and
thus cause our Fall our Ancestral Sin.
prophesied that a Virgin would give Birth to
Emmanuel-God. (God with us - the God-Man or
the Son of Man)
 L U K E 1 : 2 8 St Gabriel the Holy Archangel of God
Venerated the All Pure Virgin Mary by addressing
Her as Full of Grace, and as Blessed art Thou
among women.
 L U K E 1 : 4 0 - 4 3 - St Elizabeth the Righteous Mother
of St John the Baptist Venerated her niece when
she greeted Her: Blessed art Thou among
women... and ...the Mother of my Lord.
 L U K E 2 : 5 1 - Our Lord Jesus Christ was always most
respectful and obedient to His Ever Humble and
Obedient Mother.
 J O H N 2 : 3 1 0 Our Lord Jesus Christs first public
Miracle occurred at a Wedding in Cana, Galilee
at the request of His Beloved Mother.
 J O H N 1 9 : 2 6 2 7 Our Lord Jesus Christ ensured
Her personal protection and welfare even while
enduring the excruciating, suffocating agony of
crucifixion when He entrusted Her to His Beloved
Apostle and Theologian, St John
All generations certainly do call our Lady, Theotokos
Blessed.
AS FAITHFUL DISCIPLES OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, WE VENERATE
HER NOT ONLY AS THE ALL PURE, EVER VIRGIN MOTHER OF
GOD, BUT ESPECIALLY FOR HER UNWAVERING FAITH, SINCERE
HUMILITY AND UTTER OBEDIENCE TO GOD IN EVERY WAY
POSSIBLE, THAT CHRIST OUR SAVIOUR PRAISED, WHICH WE MUST
ENDEAVOUR TO IMITATE.
...Having been elevated by God to a position that is
higher than His Heavenly Hosts and all His Saints, She
stands at the right hand side of the Awesome Throne
of God, which we shall all see at our Last
Judgement...
Consequently, how can we not Venerate and Honour our
Lady, Theotokos, when Holy Scripture records that
even the Archangel of God, St Gabriel, esteemed Her
to be most worthy of such Honourable Veneration?
How can we not Venerate the Ever Blessed Theotokos
who is the Throne of the King of Glory and who is
Glorified above the Heavens, since She bore in Her
All Pure, Ever Virgin Womb God the Son, Whose Glory
and Majesty cannot be contained nor restricted -
neither in Heaven nor on Earth?
For these reasons and many more - we Venerate and
Honour our Ever Blessed Lady, Theotokos, who is our
Most Beloved Holy Mother and our best example of
Great Faith and Holy Virtue, for being Full of Grace
the Divine Grace of God She is certainly the Most
Blessed of all women.
http://orthodoxwayoflife.blogspot.co.za
OF ST MATTHEW THE WICKED TENANTS 3 SEPTEMBER 2017
 Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa
Archdiocese of Good Hope
All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and
forever, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen. Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most
Blessed and Glorious Lady, Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let
us commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.

8 September 2017
Nativity of our Ever Blessed Lady, Theotokos
(The Beginning of our Eternal Salvation)

FESTAL APOLYTIKION NATIVITY THEOTOKOS - TONE 4

I Gennisis Sou Theotoke, Haran eminise pasi ti ikoumeni.
Ek Sou gar anetile O Ilios tis Dikeosinis, Hristos O Theos
imon, ke lisas tin kataran, edoke tin Evlogian. Ke
katargisas ton Thanaton, edorisato imin zoin tin
eonion.(3)
SEASONAL KONTAKION NATIVITY
Thy Nativity, O Theotokos, imparted Joy to the entire
Creation, for out of Thee has risen the Sun of
Righteousness, Christ our God, Who nullified the Curse
and granted His Blessing. And He caused Death to be
neutralised, granting us Eternal Life. (3)
OF THEOTOKOS TONE 4

Ioakim ke Anna onidismou ateknias, ke Adam ke Eva, ek tis Both Joachim and Anna from their sterilitys stigma, and
fthoras tou Thanatou, ileftherothisan, Ahrante, en ti Adam and Eve from their immortalitys ruin have been
Agia gennisi Sou. Aftin Eortazi ke O Laoa Sou, enohis set free, O Immaculate Maiden, by Thy Holy Nativity.
ton ptesmaton, litrothis en to krazin Si. I stira tikti tin For this Thy People celebrate, Redeemed from the guilt
Theotokon, ke trofon tis Zois imon. of transgression as they cry to Thee: The barren one
bears the Theotokos, the Nourisher of our Life.
FESTAL MATINS GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST LUKE 1 : 38 49 & 56
TH E VISITATION
At that time, Mary arose and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of
Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. And it happened when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leapt
in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. And she spoke out with a loud voice, saying: Blessed art
Thou among women, and Blessed is the Fruit of Thy Womb! And why is this grant to me, that the Mother of my Lord
should come to me? For indeed, as soon as the voice of Thy Greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leapt with Joy
in my womb. And Blessed is She Who believed, for there will be a Fulfilment of those Things that were told Her from
the Lord!
And Mary said: My soul Magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour! For He has regarded the
lowly state of His Maidservant. For behold! Henceforth all generations will call me Blessed. For He Who is Mighty
has done great things form me, and Holy is His Name...
... Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house.
PROKEIMENON ODE OF THE THEOTOKOS TONE 3
My soul Magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour!
For He has regarded the lowly state of His Maidservant.
THE EPISTLE OF ST PAUL TO THE PHILIPPIANS 2 : 5 - 11
PRESERVING UNITY IN HUMILITY
Brethren: Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, Who, being in the Form of God, did not consider it
robbery to be Equal to God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant and Coming in
the likeness of men. And being found in Appearance as a Man, He Emptied Himself and became Obedient to the
point of death even the death of the cross.
Therefore, God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the Name, which is above every other name that at the
Name of Jesus every knee should bow of those on Earth and of those under the Earth and that every tongue
should Confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the Glory of God the Father.
This passage consists of a Hymn that was already in use Hades and set the Righteous free to Rest in Peace in Paradise
in the early Christian Church, which was quoted by St until the Final Judgement. mp
Paul. OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST - Who died upon the Cross for our
It calls us to CONTEMPLATE THE EXTREME AND ABSOLUTE Eternal Salvation -HAS BEEN EXALTED AND NAMED AS LORD
HUMILITY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST the Majestic and All BY GOD THE FATHER a Divine Name that God the Son
Powerful Incarnate Son of God which is A DIVINE shares with His Eternal Father.
TRUTH THAT IS NECESSARY FOR ALL SUFFERING AND The Form (Morphe) of God... is a concept that is parallel
STRUGGLING CHRISTIANS TO UNDERSTAND, TO APPRECIATE AND with the Image (Ikon) of God and refers to GOD THE
TO IMITATE THROUGH LIVING EVERY MOMENT OF THIS LIFE IN SONS SHARING IN THE COMPLETE, FULL DIVINE NATURE OF
CHRIST. GOD THE FATHER. (COLOSSIANS 1:15)
The words of this particular passage of Holy Scripture Robbery (harpagmon prize or booty) refers to
have been incorporated into many Hymns of the something that is stolen or looted illegally.
Orthodox Church. CHRIST HAS EQUALITY WITH GOD THE FATHER not by illegal or
CHRIST is He Who BEING IN THE FORM OF GOD, i.e. HIS forceful seizure or theft but DUE TO HIS ETERNAL DIVINE
ETERNAL, DIVINE NATURE IS ALSO IN THE FORM OF A NATURE, HAVING BEEN BEGOTTEN BY HIS ETERNAL DIVINE
BONDSERVANT IN OUR HUMAN LIKENESS, HIS HUMAN NATURE FATHER.
and so HE WAS VOLUNTARILY SUBJECT TO DEATH. THERE WAS NEITHER LOSS NOR CHANGE IN THE DIVINE NATURE OF
Christ could only enter Hades in His human Nature where - in His OUR LORD JESUS WHEN HE TOOK ON OUR HUMAN NATURE and
Divine Nature - He smashed open the imprisoning Gates of offered us His Eternal Salvation.

THE NATIVITY OF OUR EVER BLESSED, ALL HOLY LADY, THEOTOKOS 8 SEPTEMBER 9.
CHRIST ...made Himself of no reputation... IS A REFERENCE In His human Nature, CHRIST SHOWED THE FULLNESS OF HIS
TO HIS DIVINE WILL, NOT HIS DIVINE NATURE FOR HE HUMILITY BY HIS ABSOLUTE OBEDIENCE even to Death,
EMPTIED HIMSELF not by laying down or ridding which has enslaved us since our Fall.
Himself of His Divine Nature or by setting it aside, but To have died by crucifixion a terrible, humiliating and
BY VOLUNTARILY TAKING ON OUR HUMAN FORM AND NATURE. shameful form of execution for the worst type of
(He Emptied Himself of His Majestic Divine Glory in order to criminals of the Roman Empire was as repulsive to
assume our weak human form and nature.) the Roman Citizens as it was to the Hebrews who
OUR DIVINE SAVIOUR TOOK ...THE FORM OF A BONDSERVANT... considered it the ultimate Curse.
VOLUNTARILY SHARING OUR HUMAN CONDITION EXCEPT FOR However, THE DEATH OF OUR SAVIOUR BROUGHT ETERNAL LIFE TO
OUR INCLINATION AND ABILITY TO SIN HE CANNOT SIN! ALL WHO ARE JOINED TO HIM even those whom He
To us human beings, Christ looks just like us, for BEING confronted in Hades and who repented their sins.
TRULY INCARNATE, HE IS FULLY HUMAN BY NATURE AND FORM.
THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST LUKE 10 : 38 - 42 & 11 : 27 28
ON E THIN G IS N EEDED !
At that time, our Lord Jesus Christ entered a certain village. A woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.
And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at Jesus Feet, listening to His Word. Martha was distracted with much
serving. She approached and said: Lord, dost Thou not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore
tell her to help me!
Jesus answered and said to her: Martha! Martha! You are worried and troubled about many things. One thing is
needed. Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.
... As He spoke these things, a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him: Blessed is the Womb
that bore Thee, and the Breasts that nursed Thee!
He replied: More than that: Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep It!
ST MARTHA AND ST MARY OF BETHANY WERE THE SISTERS OF ST IT WAS A SERIOUS AND ESSENTIAL PRIORITY THAT CERTAINLY DID
LAZAROS whom our Lord Jesus Christ had raised from NOT EXCLUDE SERVING HIM.
the dead. Later, when a woman called out to our Lord Jesus from
ST MARTHA WAS PREOCCUPIED AND WORRIED ABOUT ALL HER the crowd, our Lord pointed out to her that GODS
HOUSEHOLD DUTIES while providing hospitality to our BLESSINGS FALL UPON ALL THOSE WHO HEAR THE WORD OF GOD
Lord Jesus and his entourage of Disciples and AND OBEY HIM.
Apostles. FAMILY OR SOCIAL CONNECTIONS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH OUR
HER TEMPORARY, WORLDLY CARES CONCERNED HER MORE THAN OBEDIENCE TO GOD .
ANYTHING ELSE AT THE TIME so, resenting her sister, St THE EVER BLESSED THEOTOKOS WAS ESPECIALLY
Mary, who sat at the Feet of our Lord to hear His COMPLIMENTED BY HER SON BECAUSE SHE NOT ONLY PAID
Teachings, she appealed to Him to make her get up CAREFUL ATTENTION TO THE WORD OF GOD BUT SHE ALSO
and help her. FAITHFULLY OBEYED ALL HIS COMMANDMENTS AND LIVED
However - instead of supporting her immediate needs - HER ENTIRE LIFE ACCORDINGLY.
our Lord Jesus pointed out that while she was so IT IS THAT PROFOUND VIRTUE OF HUMBLE AND ATTENTIVE
concerned about all her current duties, HER SISTER HAD OBEDIENCE TO GOD OF THE EVER BLESSED THEOTOKOS
PREFERRED TO SPEND THE PRECIOUS TIME LISTENING TO ALONE even more than having borne the
CHRISTS TEACHINGS. Incarnate God THAT MAKES HER OUR MOST SHINING
THE ONE THING ... NEEDED WAS for her TO PAY ATTENTION EXAMPLE OF TRUE SAINTHOOD AND THEOSIS SPIRITUAL
TO HIS DIVINE TEACHING TO REALLY LISTEN TO WHAT HE PERFECTION.
SAID.
NATIVITY OF OUR LADY, THEOTOKOS
The only one who has lived on Earth and reached the Eight hundred years before the Star of Bethlehem shone,
highest point of moral grandeur - the greatest of all St Isaiah foresaw the Ever Blessed Virgin Mary, and
Saints - is the All-Holy Ever Blessed, Ever Virgin, Mary Her Son Emmanuel.
our Lady, Theotokos, who, by the Will of God and by The All Holy Virgin gave birth to Her Only-Begotten Son,
His Divine Grace, through Her Holy Virtues, acquired our Lord Jesus Christ and which is the Greatest of
such a superior state of Holiness that She surpassed Divine Miracles a Virgin who conceived without
not only every human being, but even the Heavenly seed and gave Birth to our Divine Saviour - or the
Hosts of God. world that God created from nothingness?
The Spiritual Height and Depth of the All Holy Virgin is Unbelievers have argued and debated against this
described in the Akathist Hymn: Hail, O Height Divine Truth and they will continue to do so.
insurmountable for the human mind! Hail, O Depth However, we who are Faithful can confidently state:
inexplorable to Angelic eye!. Certainly, the Greatest Miracle is the Creation of the
The Ever Blessed Virgin is ...more honourable than the Universe from nothing, and as this Supreme Divine
Cherubim and incomparably more Glorious than the Miracle has occurred, why not the lesser Divine
Seraphim... If mankind is a Miracle of Divine Miracle of the Virgin Birth?
Creation then She is the Most Exceptional Miracle of The All-Holy Mother of God was a Virgin before the Birth
Divine Grace! of Christ, during and after His Birth another Divine
When the first woman Eve sinned, she carried all Miracle that was testified to by the two amazed
mankind with her into the deep Abyss of Calamity, midwives who took care of Her and Her Newborn
where, in the midst of that terrible Spiritual Darkness, Infant.
one Hope warmed their soul - that their circumstances Our Lady, Theotokos is Ever-Virgin, to which the Holy
would one day be radically changed. Church of Christ maintains as a Revealed Truth that
The ancient first Prophecy after the Fall of the First Man we proclaim each time we recite our Creed of Faith,
and First Woman the First Gospel as it was called - proclaiming that our Lord Jesus Christ ...was
spoke of a Virgin whose Son would fight and defeat Incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and
Satan, and Who would give the world New Life. became Man.
Careful study of this Prophecy revealed that She would We do not Deify our Lady, as some heretics accuse us of
not conceive and give birth in the normal manner but doing, neither do not we regard Her as a goddess.
would conceive without knowing any man without Enlightened by Archangel Gabriel, we know that She is
human seed and that She would retain Her Virginity. Superior to the Heavenly Hosts and the Saints, which
This Prophecy concerning the Virgin is repeatedly is why She is Most Holy and that God chose Her for
mentioned in the Old Testament, but the Book of His Incarnation. Her exceptional Virtues make Her the
Isaiah gives the clearest description: Behold, a Virgin Perfect Example for all women to imitate.
shall conceive in the Womb, and shall bring forth a
Son, and His Name shall be called Emmanuel. (ISAIAH BISHOP AUGOUSTINOS N. KANTIOTES.
7:14). WWW.ORTHODOXINFO.COM

10. THE NATIVITY OF OUR EVER BLESSED, ALL HOLY LADY, THEOTOKOS 8 SEPTEMBER
 Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa
Archdiocese of Good Hope
All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and
forever, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen. Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most
Blessed and Glorious Lady, Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let
us commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.

Tone (5) Plagal 2 10 September 2017

th
14 Sunday After Pentecost Before Exaltation of the Holy Cross
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST AND OUR ETERNAL SALVATION
AFTERFEAST OF THE NATIVITY OF THEOTOKOS
The Feast of St Menodora, St Nymphodora & St Metrodora, Virgin Martyrs of Nicomedia
St Paul the Obedient Ascetic of Kiev Far Caves Monastery St Joasaph of Kubensk,
Wonderworker of Vologa St Apelles of the 70 Apostles, Bishop of Smyrna, St Lucios of
the 70 Apostles, Bishop of Laodicia, Phrygia, Syria & St Clement of the 70 Apostles, Bishop
of Sardika, Lydia, Asia Minor St Barypsavas of Dalmatia St Pulcheria, Byzantine
Empress St Peter & St Paul, Bishops of Nicea

RESURRECTION GOSPEL 3 - MARK 16:9 - 20

O UR R E SURRECTED L ORD A PP EA RS T O H IS A PO STLES & D ISCIPLE S B EFO RE H IS A SCENSION

RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION - TONE (5) PLAGAL 1

Ton sinanarhon Logon Patri ke Pnevmati, ton ek Parthenou The
Tehthenta is Sotirian imon, animnisomen, Pisti, ke
Proskinisomen. Oti ivdokise sarki anelthin en to Stavro
ke Thanaton ipomine ke egire tous tethneotas en ti
Evdoxo Anastasi Aftou.
FESTAL APOLYTIKION NATIVITY THEOTOKOS - TONE 4
Word, Who with the Father and the Spirit has no
beginning, and Who, for our Salvation, was born of a
Virgin, let us faithful believers hymn and adore. For it
was His Good Pleasure to ascend the Cross in the
Flesh, and to Suffer Death, and through His own
Glorious Resurrection to raise the dead.

I Gennisis Sou Theotoke, Haran eminise pasi ti ikoumeni.
Ek Sou gar anetile O Ilios tis Dikeosinis, Hristos O Theos
imon, ke lisas tin kataran, edoke tin Evlogian. Ke
katargisas ton Thanaton, edorisato imin zoin tin
eonion.(3)
SEASONAL KONTAKION NATIVITY
Thy Nativity, O Theotokos, imparted Joy to the entire
Creation, for out of Thee has risen the Sun of
Righteousness, Christ our God, Who nullified the Curse
and granted His Blessing. And He caused Death to be
neutralised, granting us Eternal Life. (3)
OF THEOTOKOS TONE 4

Ioakim ke Anna onidismou ateknias, ke Adam ke Eva, ek tis Both Joachim and Anna from their sterilitys stigma, and
fthoras tou Thanatou, ileftherothisan, Ahrante, en ti Adam and Eve from their immortalitys ruin have been
Agia gennisi Sou. Aftin Eortazi ke O Laoa Sou, enohis set free, O Immaculate Maiden, by Thy Holy Nativity.
ton ptesmaton, litrothis en to krazin Si. I stira tikti tin For this Thy People celebrate, Redeemed from the guilt
Theotokon, ke trofon tis Zois imon. of transgression as they cry to Thee: The barren one
bears the Theotokos, the Nourisher of our Life.
PROKEIMENON PSALM27/28 - TONE (6) PLAGAL 2
Save, O Lord, Thy People, and Bless Thine Inheritance, and Shepherd them and raise them up forever.
To Thee, O Lord, I cry: O my God! May Thou never pass over me in Silence! May Thou never be silent to me, lest I become
like those who go down into the pit...
THE EPISTLE OF ST PAUL TO THE GALATIANS 6: 11-18
BOAST ONLY IN THE CROSS
Brethren: see with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand!
As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh, would compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not
suffer persecution for the Cross of Christ. Not even those who are circumcised keep the Law, but they desire to have
you circumcised so that they may boast in your flesh.
May I never boast except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the
world. In Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything but a New Creation. And as many
as walk according to this Rule, Peace and Mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
From now on, let no one trouble me. I bear the Marks of the Lord Jesus in my body.
The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, Brethren.
Amen
THE HEBREW LEGALIZERS CHOSE TO OFFEND GOD SO THAT THEY By slavishly being persuaded and convinced to follow the
COULD PLEASE HUMAN BEINGS. godless, ignorant popular concepts of modern day
Unfortunately, this is the way of the world to this very day fashions and fads, WE ARE DRIFTING FURTHER AND FURTHER
for FEW WILL STAND FIRMLY IN DIVINE TRUTH. AWAY FROM OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST AND HIS DIVINE TRUTH
The majority of people are influenced and led into His Divine Teachings and Commandments, which are
Spiritual Disobedience and Rebellion because THEY the only means that make it possible for us to achieve
ARE MORE AFRAID OF DISPLEASING THEIR FELLOW SINNERS THAN our Ultimate Spiritual Goal Theosis.
BECAUSE THEY LOVE AND RESPECT ALMIGHTY GOD and would Throughout the history of the Holy Church of Christ, WE
do everything possible not to fail Him or disappoint HAVE PREACHED THE HOLY CROSS OF CHRIST CONCERNING
Him. EVERYTHING THAT IT SYMBOLISES.
Consequently, by choosing to follow the fallen world and We have always displayed THE EMPTY CROSS
being enslaved by the demands of the flesh and SYMBOLISING ETERNAL RESURRECTION AND LIFE
duped by the machinations of the evil one, THEY ALSO EVERLASTING in our homes, chapels, churches,
VOLUNTARILY CHOOSE ETERNAL SPIRITUAL DEATH OVER schools, etc.
ETERNAL SPIRITUAL LIFE.
THE CROSS REMINDS US TO PRAY AND TO FULFILL ALL GODS
DIVINE COMMANDMENTS AND TEACHINGS.

14TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST BEFORE EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS 10 SEPTEMBER 2017 11.

WE VENERATE OUR LORDS LIFE-GIVING HOLY CROSS IN THE
DIVINE LITURGY AND IN ALL OUR HOLY SERVICES AND HOLY
MYSTERIES.

WE BLESS AND PROTECT OURSELVES BY MAKING THE SIGN OF
THE CROSS, WHICH IS A DECLARATION OF FAITH: I
worship Thee, O God, with all my mind, with all
my heart, with all my strength and with all my
soul!

WE ALWAYS WEAR AN EMPTY CROSS (not the Crucifix that
depicts Christ nailed to the Cross) TO REMIND US OF
OUR ULTIMATE GOAL OUR SALVATION AND RESURRECTION
INTO ETERNAL LIFE.

THE CROSS REMINDS US OF OUR FINAL JUDGEMENT , which
URGES US TO CEASELESSLY STRIVE FOR SPIRITUAL
PERFECTION NOW while we can still correct
ourselves by Repenting our sins.

THE CROSS IS A CONSTANT REMINDER THAT WE ARE DISCIPLES
OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST, WHOM WE
STRUGGLE TO FOLLOW AND IMITATE and others look
at us, expecting us to BEHAVE AT ALL TIMES IN A
WORTHY CHRISTIAN MANNER.

THE HOLY CROSS IS OUR MOST POWERFUL PROTECTION
AGAINST THE EVIL ONE AND HIS DEMONS spirit and
human. Any other superstitious talisman will not
protect us but might even draw evil to us for it
reveals a chink or gap in our Spiritual Armour a
weakness in our True Faith.
THE NEW CREATION IS OUR LIFE IN CHRIST for WE HAVE PUT
ON CHRIST WHEN WE WERE BAPTISED AND WE ARE SEALED
WITH THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO EMPOWERS AND
ENABLES US TO FULFIL OUR SACRED TASKS AND MISSION.
THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST JOHN 3: 13-17
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST AND OUR ETERNAL SALVATION
At that time, our Lord said: ... No one has ascended into Heaven but He Who came down from Heaven that is: the
Son of Man Who is in Heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the Wilderness, even so must the Son of Man
be lifted up, so that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have Eternal Life. For God so Loved the
world, He gave His Only Begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have Everlasting
Life. For God did not send His Son into the world to Condemn the world, but that the world might be Saved
through Him...
ONLY OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST DESCENDED TO EARTH AND
ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN .
OUR TRIUNE GOD IS A GOD OF LOVE WHO Loves us so much
that He DID NOT WANT US TO REMAIN IN A STATE OF SPIRITUAL
DEATH after our Fall from Divine Grace through our
Ancestral Sin.
THE HOLY TRINITY WORKS IN PERFECT LOVE AND HARMONY, SO
IT IS BY THE WILL OF GOD THE FATHER, THROUGH GOD THE
SON AND BY THE POWER AND ENERGY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
THAT WE ARE ABLE TO ACQUIRE ETERNAL SALVATION IF WE
CHOOSE TO DO SO.
However, in order to us to gain Wisdom, Knowledge and
Understanding that leads us to a closer Relationship
with God and grants us the Love and Desire for His
Divine Truth and Goodness, GOD THE FATHER SENT HIS
BELOVED, ONLY BEGOTTEN, ETERNAL SON AND WORD, OUR
LORD JESUS CHRIST, TO LIVE AMONGST US AND TO GRANT US
HIS DIVINE REVELATION CONCERNING OUR TRUE GOD, AND HIS
GREAT MERCY, INFINITE LOVE AND GOODNESS.
WHEN OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST HAD FULFILLED ALL DIVINE
PROMISES OF THE OLD COVENANT AND BESTOWED UPON US
HIS NEW COVENANT OF DIVINE LOVE, HE RETURNED TO HIS
HEAVENLY THRONE.
HOWEVER, AS HE PROMISED US, HE REMAINS ALWAYS WITH US IN
SPIRIT invisible until His Reappearance.
THE MOST IMPORTANT SACRED TASK OF CHRIST WAS ESPECIALLY
THE FINAL GREATEST BLOOD SACRIFICE OF ALL TIME HIS
HOLY PASSION AND CRUCIFIXION FOR THE SINS OF ALL THE
PEOPLE FOREVER- which, therefore, never again had
to be repeated (like the Old Covenant annual
blood sacrifices for sins of the High Priest and all
the Hebrew Nation).
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST THE SON OF MAN I.E. IN HIS
HUMAN INCARNATE NATURE WAS RESURRECTED and
after a short period during which HE SHOWED
HIMSELF CLEARLY AND PHYSICALLY TO ALL HIS FAITHFUL
APOSTLES AND DISCIPLES AS WELL AS INNUMERABLE
OTHERS - HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN AND DISAPPEARED
FROM OUR SIGHT. ( He is invisible to us, until His Second
Reappearance.)
Although our Lord Jesus Christ is no longer visible,
HE, TOGETHER WITH GOD THE FATHER AND GOD THE HOLY
12. 14TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST BEFORE EXALTATION
St Paul referred to THE CHURCH OF CHRIST THE CHURCH OF
THE NEW COVENANT THE NEW ISRAEL
During the time of St Paul and the other Apostles, the
HEBREWS TRIED TO FORCE THE CONVERTS TO BE CIRCUMCISED
ACCORDING TO THE OLD COVENANT.
St Paul realised that THEY WERE UNCONCERNED WITH THE
ETERNAL LIFE OF THE NEWLY BAPTISED CHRISTIANS, only
WANTING TO BRAG ABOUT HOW MANY HAD BEEN CIRCUMCISED.
These days it has become popular to encourage
conversion to Orthodox Christianity sadly, also for
bragging purposes of Priests and others and mostly
for all the wrong, ill-informed reasons!
PEOPLE MUST ONLY CONVERT TO ORTHODOXY IF THEY ARE
TOTALLY COMMITTED TO CHRIST AND ARE DETERMINED TO
FOLLOW HIS TEACHINGS AND COMMANDMENTS.
WE MUST ALWAYS BE TOTALLY COMMITTED TO GOD BY LIVING
OUR LIFE IN CHRIST ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY UNTIL WE
DRAW OUR LAST BREATH.
In order for Converts to avoid apostatising due to
unhappy personal relationships and problems, IT IS
IMPERATIVE THAT THEY ARE TAUGHT THOROUGHLY AND WELL
BEFORE THEY ARE BAPTISED AND CHRISMATED SO THAT THEY
HAVE A COMPLETE, WELL INFORMED FOUNDATION TO BEGIN
WITH.
Furthermore, ALL ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS SHOULD CONTINUE TO
LEARN THE MANY, VARIED FACETS OF THIS MARVELLOUS FAITH,
so that we CONTINUE TO WORSHIP GOD AND PARTAKE
CORRECTLY IN ALL THE REQUIRED HOLY MYSTERIES AND LIVE A
GOOD, FULFILLED LIFE IN CHRIST AS HE WISHES US TO DO.
ST PAUL WAS NEITHER A HYPOCRITE NOR A COWARD. He
persevered through much of what he taught and
he bore the marks and scars to prove it.
SPIRIT ARE ALWAYS PRESENT - ESPECIALLY WHEN TWO OR
THREE ARE GATHERED TOGETHER IN HIS DIVINE NAME
JUST AS HE PROMISED US!
THE ANCIENT PATRIARCH, ST MOSES, HAD LIFTED UP AN IMAGE
OF A SERPENT WOUND AROUND HIS STAFF whereby THE
ISRAELITES WERE MIRACULOUSLY CURED FROM FATAL BITES
AND TOXINS of snakes, scorpions, poisonous insects,
spiders or plants during their sojourn in the
Wilderness before settling down in the Promised
Land. [ N U M B E R S 2 1 : 4 - 9 ]

The symbol of a serpent wound around a staff
became THE SYMBOL OF HEALING Medicine and
Medical Physicians.

THIS MIRACLE WORKING IMAGE PREFIGURED OUR LORD JESUS
CHRIST BEING LIFTED UP ON HIS CROSS, which we who
are Faithful Disciples behold in Truth, Faith and
Worship.
THE POWER OF THE LIFE-GIVING CROSS OF CHRIST
OVERTHROWS DEATH AND SIN, TEMPTATIONS AND ALL THE
MACHINATIONS OF THE EVIL ONE and his slaves.

The Life-giving Cross of Christ is OUR MEDAL/BADGE OF
HONOUR and reminds us that WE, TOO, WILL BE
RESURRECTED ON THE EIGHTH DAY the Final Day of
this Age and the Awesome Day of Judgement.

The Life-giving Cross of Christ - THE EMPTY CROSS I.E.
NOT THE CRUCIFIX BUT THE PLAIN CROSS REMINDS US
THAT WE ARE FAITHFUL DISCIPLES OF CHRIST who LIVE IN
UNWAVERING HOPE AND EXPECTATION OF ETERNAL LIFE in
Gods Heavenly Kingdom of Love Agape which
we will achieve THROUGH OUR CEASELESS REPENTANCE
AND SPIRITUAL STRUGGLES FOR THEOSIS.

Just as St Moses Staff with the entwined Serpent was a
Miracle Working Healing Instrument, so, too is THE
HOLY LIFE-GIVING CROSS OF CHRIST, which IS OUR
SACRED WEAPON AGAINST TEMPTATIONS AND SIN, and
which is so Powerful that IT REPELS THE EVIL ONE AND
OVERTHROWS DEATH itself!
IN ORDER TO EXPLAIN TO HIS FAITHFUL DISCIPLES AND
APOSTLES THE REASON FOR HIS CRUCIFIXION the reason
why the Son of Man must be lifted up on the
Cross OUR LORD JESUS DECLARED HIS HEAVENLY
FATHERS GREAT LOVE OF ALL MANKIND the entire
OF THE HOLY CROSS 10 SEPTEMBER 2017
 world not only His Chosen Nation, the House of
Israel.
THESE WONDERFUL, D IVINE WORDS OF OUR L ORD
EXPRESSES THE WHOLE DIVINE MESSAGE OF THE
HOLY GOSPEL AND OF MANKIND S S ALVATION
HISTORY!
1. ...GOD SO LOVED the world
2. HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, so that
3. WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHOULD not perish but HAVE
EVERLASTING LIFE...
These are CLEARLY EXPRESSED WORDS OF DIVINE TRUTH
THAT REVEAL THE HOLY TRINITYS INFINITE
1. DIVINE LOVE
2. SACRIFICIAL LOVE
3. FAITHFUL LOVE
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST CAME INTO OUR FALLEN WORLD TO
ENLIGHTEN AND TO TEACH US HIS DIVINE TRUTH
CONCERNING THE HOLY TRINITY.
Our Lord Jesus Christ revealed that our LOVING,
BENEVOLENT AND PROVIDENTIAL GOD WHO HAS
INFINITE GREAT MERCY, COMPASSION, KINDNESS AND
GOODNESS CANNOT DO ANYTHING THAT IS HARMFUL,
WRATHFUL, DEVASTATING NOTHING THAT IS DESTRUCTIVE OR
EVIL, SINCE IT IS AGAINST HIS DIVINE NATURE AND ATTRIBUTES!
All grievous, deadly sins that cause mankind death, destruction,
suffering, and everything that is wicked and evil, are invented
by the evil one.
Satan obsessively seeks our physical and spiritual destruction by
using our weaknesses against us to alienate us from our
Loving and Merciful Lord God.
He is utterly envious and jealous of our Blessed and Sacred
Relationship with God, and bitterly craves our banishment
with him and his demons to Outer Darkness and Eternal
Death the absence of Gods Love, Light and Goodness.
Our Saviour, Jesus Christ, encourages us to BE HUMBLE
AND OBEDIENT TO GOD BY UNCONDITIONALLY LOVING HIM
AND OUR FELLOW SINNERS.
WE HAVE BEEN CREATED AS INTELLECTUAL BEINGS WHO HAVE FREE
WILL TO MAKE OUR OWN CHOICES AND DECISIONS.
Consequently, we can choose whether we wish to ACCEPT
CHRIST AND HIS DIVINE TRUTH His All Wise Teachings
and Commandments that are only FOR OUR OWN
ETERNAL BENEFIT AND BLESSINGS!
However, should we decide to reject Him and everything
that He has revealed to us, has taught us and has
commanded us to fulfil, we must realise that it will
most definitely result in dire consequences: Eternal
Banishment, Exile and Spiritual Death far, far away
from God, His Divine Light and all His Goodness.
Thus, WE SHOULD ENSURE THAT WE ARE TRULY ENLIGHTENED
AND KNOWLEDGEABLE BEFORE BLINDLY AND IGNORANTLY
REJECTING GOD AND ALL HIS WONDERFUL TRUTH.
Knowledge is indeed Power and IF WE OPEN OUR HEART AND
SOUL TO ALMIGHTY GOD, HE WILL MOST JOYFULLY GRANT US
ALL THE KNOWLEDGE AND ENLIGHTENMENT NECESSARY for our
Eternal Life in His Heavenly Kingdom.
...for God did not send His Son into the world to
Condemn the world, but that the world might be
Saved through Him...

OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST HAS REVEALED THE DIVINE TRUTH OF
OUR ALMIGHTY, TRIUNE GOD, WHO IS LOVE, GOODNESS
AND ALL MERCIFUL.

WE ARE NOW ARMED WITH THE MOST POWERFUL SPIRITUAL
WEAPONS WITH WHICH TO WAGE SPIRITUAL WARFARE
against the lies and deceptions of the evil one.
14TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST BEFORE THE EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Spirit...
Brethren, Today is the Sunday Before the Exaltation or ... God so Loved the world that He gave His Only
Elevation of the Holy, Life-giving Cross of Christ our
God.
Todays Sacred Lesson teaches us the Good News that THE We have heard these marvellous words so often that they
LORD OUR GOD LOVES US TO SUCH A TREMENDOUS EXTENT THAT
HE SENT HIS BELOVED, ONLY BEGOTTEN SON AND LOGOS This Divine Truth is so often used in the context of
WORD INTO OUR WORLD TO REDEEM US AND TO RENEW US SO
14TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST BEFORE EXALTATION

WE HAVE BEEN CLEARLY AND PRECISELY TAUGHT BY GOD
HIMSELF EXACTLY WHAT IS REQUIRED OF EACH OF US if we
wish to acquire Eternal Salvation and Everlasting
Life in His Heavenly Kingdom of Love, Peace, Joy
and Goodness.
THIS TEMPORARY LIFESPAN IS A VERY BRIEF PERIOD OF CEASELESS
SPIRITUAL PREPARATION FOR ETERNITY.

WE ARE PERPETUALLY ENGAGED IN SPIRITUAL WARFARE
against the demands of our flesh and against the
evil one who seeks our destruction by using our
weakness and ignorance against us.

BY COMMITTING OURSELVES TO LIFE IN CHRIST, WE ARE ABLE TO
MAKE GOOD SPIRITUAL PROGRESS WITH THE DIVINE AIDS
PROVIDED BY GOD.
Our Lord Jesus Christ has revealed the Divine Truth
that He is our Divine Saviour and thus HE WILL
NEITHER JUDGE US UNMERCIFULLY, NOR CONDEMN US TO
ETERNAL HELL, FOR WE ARE TO JUDGE OURSELVES AGAINST
HIS GLORIOUS PERFECTION.
Our Lord Jesus Christ is our Divine, Loving and
Compassionate Saviour.

HE HAS TAUGHT US EXACTLY HOW WE MUST THINK, WHAT WE
MUST SAY AND DO.

HE HAS GRANTED US EVERY MEANS POSSIBLE TO REGAIN OUR
DIVINE LIKENESS TO HIM.
ON THE EIGHTH DAY THAT DAY OF OUR FINAL JUDGEMENT
AS WE STAND BEFORE HIS HEAVENLY THRONE, we will be
like the two criminals who were crucified on
Golgotha beside our Divine Saviour.
ST DISMAS, THE WISE, REPENTANT THIEF, IMMEDIATELY SAW THE
DEPTH AND HORROR OF HIS OWN SINS COMPARED TO THE
INFINITE GOODNESS AND LOVE OF CHRIST OUR GOD.
Instead of beseeching Gods Divine Mercy, HE SIMPLY ASKED
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST TO REMEMBER HIM IN HIS HEAVENLY
KINGDOM, HAVING RECOGNISED HIM AS TRULY GOD INCARNATE
AND THE PERFECT MAN Whom we must follow and Whose
Perfect Likeness we should strive to acquire!
HIS HUMBLE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF CHRIST AND HIS CONTRITE
HEART CAUSED OUR SAVIOUR TO PERMIT HIS IMMORTAL SOUL
ENTRY INTO PARADISE, EVEN BEFORE ANY OTHER RIGHTEOUS
SOULS!
The other, nameless and forgotten criminal, had mocked
and scoffed at Christ, and his souls destiny is obvious.
AS WE STAND BEFORE THE AWESOME THRONE OF GOD, WE
WILL SEE THE PERFECTION OF OUR INCARNATED GOD OUR
LORD JESUS CHRIST IN ALL HIS DIVINE GLORY HE WHO
HAS SHOWN US WHAT WE ARE CREATED TO BE AND WE WILL
UNDERSTAND WITH BLINDING, PAINFUL CLARITY THE TRUE
STATE OF OUR OWN IMMORTAL SOUL!

WE WILL IMMEDIATELY AND COMPLETELY KNOW WHETHER WE
ARE HIS HUMBLE, OBEDIENT, REASON-ENDOWED SHEEP OR
THE STUBBORN, REBELLIOUS GOATS THAT FOLLOW THEIR
OWN NEEDS AND DESIRES!!

We have been told that the scales will drop from our
eyes so that EVERYTHING WILL BE REVEALED AND
CONFIRMED IN ABSOLUTE CLARITY AND TRUTH.

WE WILL NO LONGER BE ABLE TO HIDE FROM THAT DIVINE
TRUTH, NOR WILL WE BE ABLE TO JUSTIFY OURSELVES WITH
USELESS, DECEITFUL EXCUSES!

Even without being told, WE WILL GO WHERE WE BELONG,
UNLESS OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST HAS COMPASSION AND
GREAT MERCY ON OUR SOUL.
This is why WE CONSTANTLY BESEECH OUR LADY, THEOTOKOS, AND
ALL THE OTHER SAINTS, TO INTERCEDE FOR THE SAKE OF OUR
SALVATION, and also why WE MUST CEASELESSLY WAGE
WARFARE AGAINST ALL TYPES OF SIN THAT LURKS WITHIN
OURSELVES.
THAT WE MAY BECOME WORTHY OF LIVING IN CHRIST WHO IS
LIFE AND LOVE ITSELF!
Begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should
not perish but have Everlasting Life.
have almost become a clich for some!
Evangelical Christianity that belief is reduced to
OF THE HOLY CROSS 10 SEPTEMBER 2017 13.
 mere assent - an acknowledge of our Lord Jesus
Christ.
Although that may be a great first step, as we can see
plainly throughout the Holy Gospel according to St
John, TRUE CHRISTIAN BELIEF INVOLVES MUCH MORE THAN
MERE ASSENT OR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT!
TRUE BELIEF IS ALWAYS ACCOMPANIED BY ACTION - by following
through with A LIFE THAT BECOMES GRAFTED INTO THE LIFE
OF GOD THE HOLY TRINITY - AS A PERPETUAL RELATIONSHIP
AND MOVEMENT OF LOVE.
It is not nearly enough to simply say: I believe in God.
There, Ive said it! I have Salvation! for we know that
even Satan and his ...demons believe and
shudder... (JAMES 2:19).
During the Israelites 40 year sojourn in the wilderness,
when St Moses the ancient Patriarch lifted up a
serpent on his staff, it symbolised the poisonous
snakes that God sent to humble the people because
they murmured and complained against the Lord our
God.
However, as St Moses prayed for Divine Mercy on the
suffering Israelites, GOD INSTRUCTED HIM TO MAKE FROM
COPPER THE IMAGE OF A SERPENT AND LIFT IT HIGH ON A
WOODEN STAFF SO THAT ANYONE WHO WAS BITTEN BY THE
VENOMOUS SNAKES AND SCORPIONS, COULD BEHOLD IT AND BE
HEALED BY GOD.
What a Great Mysterys this was, for BY THE WILL OF GOD, THE
IMAGE OF THE CAUSE OF THEIR SUFFERING, AILMENTS AND
DEATH BECAME THEIR MIRACULOUS REMEDY!
Similar to all the Great Signs of the Old Covenant, IT
POINTED TO SOMETHING FAR GREATER TO BE FULFILLED
ACCORDING TO OUR NEW COVENANT WITH GOD, with the
Coming of our Divine Messiah - God Incarnate - and
His defeat of sin and Death on the Cross.
ALTHOUGH THE COPPER SNAKE AND WOODEN STAFF MIRACULOUSLY
SAVED THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL FROM A TEMPORAL DEATH, THEY
STILL EVENTUALLY DIED A MORTAL DEATH.
However, OUR LORD JESUS CHRISTS DEATH ON THE CROSS IS NO
TEMPORAL VICTORY, for THE CROSS, which was a most
brutal and hideous form of execution HAS BECOME A
MIRACULOUS INSTRUMENT OF HEALING AND SALVATION THAT
IS EVERLASTING!
Just like the deadly bites and stings that maimed and
killed the ancient Israelites in the wilderness, even FAR
WORSE ARE THE FATAL WOUNDS CAUSED BY SIN IF LEFT
UNTREATED WITH REPENTANCE AND FORGIVENESS for
poisonous toxins can injure or even destroy our body,
but SIN KILLS OUR SOUL!
Christ our Saviour entered Death as Man and defeated it
as God.
THE GIVER AND AUTHOR OF LIFE - THE VERY LOGOS OF GOD WHO
CREATES AND SUSTAINS ALL LIFE - EMERGED FROM DEATH AS
THE GREATEST VICTOR!
When we speak of BELIEF AND GODS LOVE, we are speaking
of Something that IS FAR MORE PROFOUND THAN
INTELLECTUAL OR EVEN SPIRITUAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF
GOD.
FAITH AND DIVINE LOVE IS OUR SINCERE COMMITMENT TO AND
PARTICIPATION IN OUR LORD GODS DIVINE LIFE.
This is what we refer to as DEIFICATION OR THEOSIS.
 St Peter the Apostle of Christ referred to it in his Epistle
as becoming ...Partakers of the Divine Nature...
(2 PETER 1:4).
 St Paul taught us that WE BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD BY
ADOPTION THROUGH OUR HOLY BAPTISM, AND THUS CO-
HEIRS WITH CHRIST THROUGH OUR FULL PARTICIPATION IN
HIS LIFE in the human nature He Redeemed by His
Incarnation by His entry into our human nature.
(EPHESIANS 1),
This is why our Lord Jesus Christ is referred to as the New
Adam.
 Our Saviour, Jesus Christ, Himself clarified His
meaning of Belief when He emphatically told St
Nikodemos: ...Unless one is born of Water and
the Spirit... (Baptism and Chrismation) ... he cannot
enter the Kingdom of God. (JOHN 3:5).
 Christ our God also assured us: ...He who comes to
Me shall never Hunger, and he who believes in
Me shall never Thirst.
 He said this just before proclaiming: ...Unless you eat
the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood,
you have no Life in you. Whoever eats My Flesh
14. 14TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST BEFORE EXALTATION
and drinks My Blood has Eternal Life, and I will
Raise him up at the Last Day. (JOHN 6:54).
In other words, True Belief is much more than mere
assent.
True Belief is A CLOSE, PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP AND
COMMUNION WITH GOD THROUGH THE SACRAMENTAL LIFE
that He Himself has Ordained and through which
WE ARE UNITED WITH HIM, MORE AND MORE, AS WE DENY
OURSELVES AND TAKE UP OUR CROSS TO FOLLOW HIM.
 Concerning our participation in Christs Saving Work,
St Paul said; ...For as many of you as have been
Baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. (GALATIANS
3:27)
Through the Holy Mystery of Baptism and Chrismation,
and then by LIVING OUR HOLY BAPTISM INTO CHRIST
THROUGHOUT OUR LIFE - by denying ourselves in order to
FULFIL THE WILL OF GOD ACCORDING TO EVERYTHING THAT
CHRIST HAS TAUGHT US - participating in the vital Holy
Mysteries and receiving His Precious Life-giving Body
and Blood, by praying and communing with Him - we
demonstrate our True Belief.
 The often quoted verse: ...whoever believes in Him
should not perish but have Everlasting Life... is
to be understood then within this context
concerning the Precious, Life-giving Cross of our
Divine Saviour. (JOHN 3:16)
THE HOLY CROSS OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IS THE SUPREME
EXPRESSION OF GODS LOVE FOR US because the Creator of
everything visible and invisible the Divine Giver of
all life - was willing to become one of His own
creatures, to endure unjustified humiliation,
degradation, indescribable torture and execution by
crucifixion, which was the most brutal, hideous and
ignoble forms of execution in the Roman Empire.
CHRIST OUR LOVING REDEEMER ENDURED ALL THIS FOR THE SAKE OF
EVERY HUMAN BEING THROUGHOUT THE AGES, BY DEFEATING SIN
AND DEATH.
Furthermore, THE HOLY CROSS OF CHRIST REMINDS US
CONSTANTLY THAT WE WHO HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED IN CHRIST
AND HAVE PUT ON CHRIST, MUST CONTINUE IN CHRIST JESUS AS
HIS FELLOW VICTORS AGAINST SIN AND DEATH!
We must lift up high the Holy Life-giving Cross for all to
behold!
WE MUST WEAR OUR CROSS AGAINST OUR HEART TO DECLARE
OUR TRUE FAITH AND OUR HOPE IN THE RESURRECTION INTO
ETERNAL LIFE.
On 14 September we will JOYFULLY VENERATE AND EXALT THE
PRECIOUS, LIFE-GIVING CROSS OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR,
JESUS CHRIST AS WE GLORIFY AND PRAISE OUR GOD WHO IS
INFINITELY LOVING AND WHOSE GREAT MERCY WE SEEK.
 Let us always keep in mind and REMAIN STEADFAST IN
OUR TRUE FAITH knowing without any doubt or
question, that the Lord our God ...so Loved the
world, He gave His Only Begotten Son, so that
whoever believes in Him should not perish but
have Everlasting Life. For God did not send His
Son into the world to Condemn the world, but
that the world might be Saved through Him...
(JOHN 3:16-17).
WE MUST PROUDLY WEAR OUR CROSS, WHICH IS OUR INVINCIBLE
TROPHY, and if we need to boast about anything, we
should BOAST ONLY ABOUT THE HOLY CROSS OF CHRIST.
AS OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST COMMANDED US AND AS HE SHOWED US
BY HIS OWN WORDS AND DEEDS, WE MUST DENY OUR SELFISH
DESIRES AND, EAGERLY TAKE UP OUR CROSS, AND STRIVE TO LIVE
IN CHRIST, PROCLAIMING AND DEMONSTRATING HIS DIVINE
TRUTH TO THIS WORLD.
We must COURAGEOUSLY FOLLOW HIM, despite any problems
we may encounter.
 We must REMAIN FOCUSSED ON THE HEAVENLY KINGDOM OF
LOVE, which is OUR ULTIMATE DESTINATION, keeping in
mind the Wisdom of St. Paul who proclaimed:
God forbid that I should glory except in the
Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom the
world has been crucified to me, and I to the
world. (GALATIANS 6:14)
Amen
REVEREND FATHER ROBERT MICLEAN
HOLY ARCHANGELS ORTHODOX CHURCH
HTTPS://WWW.ORTHODOXANNAPOLIS.ORG
OF THE HOLY CROSS 10 SEPTEMBER 2017
 Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa
Archdiocese of Good Hope
All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now
and forever, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen. Remembering also our Most Holy, Most
Pure, Most Blessed and Glorious Lady, Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever Virgin, together with all
the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our
God. Amen.

14 September 2017
Universal Exaltation of the Holy, Life-giving Cross of Christ
Also the Feast of The Commemoration of the Holy Church Fathers of the 6th
Ecumenical Council in 680 - St John Chrysostom of Constantinople (which is
transferred to 13 November) St Makarios & St Joseph, Holy Monk Martyrs of
Dionysiou Monastery, Mount Athos St Anthimos of Iberia & Georgia

FESTAL ISODIKON EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS

Ipsoute Kyrion ton Theon imon ke Proskinite to Ipopodio Exalt ye the Lord our God, and Worship at His Footstool;
ton Podon Aftou, oti Agios esti. for He is Holy!
Soson imas, Ie Theou, O SARKI STAVROTHIS, psalontas Si: Save us, O Son of God, WHO WAS CRUCIFIED IN THE FLESH,
Allilouia! who sin to Thee: Alleluia!
FESTAL APOLYTIKION OF THE EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS
Soson Kyrie ton Laon Sou, ke Evlogison tin Klironomian O Lord, Save Thy People, and Bless Thine Inheritance,
Sou, Nikas tis efsevesi kata varvaron doroumenos, ke to granting Victory over enemies unto our Rulers and
Son Filatton, dia tou Stavrou Sou Politefma. [3] through Thy Cross preserving Thine Estate [3]
FESTAL KONTAKION OF THE EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS
O Ipsothis en to Stavro ekousios, ti eponimo Sou keni Thou Who were lifted on the Cross voluntarily, on Thy
politia, tous iktirmous Sou Dorise, Hriste O Theos. new Commonwealth that bears Thy Name, do bestow
Evfranon en ti Dinami Sou, tous Pistous Vasilis imon, Thy Mercies, O Christ our God; gladden in Thy Mighty
Nikas horigon aftis, kata ton polemion. Tin Strength, our Faithful Rulers, granting to them
sinmmahian ehien tin Sin, Oplon Irinis, Aittiton Victories, against all the enemies, and may Thy Help in
Tropeon. battle be for them, a Weapon of Peace, and Banner
Invincible!
INSTEAD OF THE TRISAGION HYMN TONE 2
Ton Stavron Sou Proskinoumen, Despota, ke tin Agian Sou Thy Cross, O Master, we Reverence, and we Glorify Thy
Anastasin Doxazomen. Holy Resurrection.
Doxa Patri ke Io ke Agio Pnevmati, ke nin ke ai ke is Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy
tous eonas ton eonon. Spirit, now and forever, and to the ages of ages.
Amin Amen
Ke tin Agian Sou Anastasin Doxazomen And Thy Holy Resurrection we glorify
Dinamis! P R I E S T Dynamis (Power)!

Ton Stavron Sou Proskinoumen, Despota, ke tin Agian Sou Thy Cross, O Master, we Reverence, and we Glorify Thy
Anastasin Doxazomen. Holy Resurrection.
FESTAL MATINS GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST JOHN 12: 28 36
THE JUDGEMENT OF THIS WORLD THE HOLY CROSS OF CHRIST
At that time our Lord Jesus said: Father, Glorify Thy Name. A Voice came from Heaven, saying: I have both Glorified
it and will Glorify it again. The people who stood by heard it, and said that it had thundered. But others said: An
Angel has spoken to Him! Jesus answered and said: This Voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake.
Now is the Judgement of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out. When I Am lifted up from the Earth,
I will draw all peoples to Myself.
(This He said, signifying by what Death He would die.)
The people answered Him: We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever - and how can Thou say: The
Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?
Jesus said to them: A little while longer the Light is with you. Walk while you have the Light, lest darkness overtake
you! He who walks in Darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the Light, believe in the Light,
that you may become sons of Light.
These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.
GOD THE FATHERS NAME IS AN EXTENSION OF HIS PERSON GLORIFICATION and WHICH LEADS TO THE SALVATION OF
and GOD THE SON WORKS FOR THE GLORY OF THE FATHER. THE HUMAN RACE.
Therefore HIS DEATH WAS OFFERED UP TO COMPLETE THAT At the same time THE CRUCIFIXION OF CHRIST WAS A
PURPOSE AND TO SHOW OUR HEAVENLY FATHERS LOVE FOR ALL JUDGEMENT ON THE UNBELIEVING WORLD OF DARKNESS AND
MANKIND. THE ABOLITION OF THE POWER OF THE RULER OF THIS WORLD
THE DIVINE VOICE ASSURED US THAT THE DEATH OF JESUS CHRIST WHO IS SATAN.
WAS NOT HUMILIATION BUT GLORIFICATION through THE We live in a state of tension between THE VICTORY WON AND
FULFILMENT OF GODS PLAN FOR THE REDEMPTION OF THE THAT WHICH IS YET TO BE WON. [1 JOHN 2:13 & 5:4-5]
WORLD. In a Vespers Hymn for the Feast of the Exaltation of the
LIFTED UP IS A REFERENCE TO THE LIFTING UP OF CHRIST Holy Cross, we sing: Lifted High upon the Cross, O
upon the Cross, HIS CRUCIFIXION, which is HIS Master, with Thyself Thou hast raised up Adam and
the whole of fallen nature. Therefore, Exalting

UNIVERSAL EXALTATION OF THE HOLY LIFE-GIVING CROSS -14 SEPTEMBER 2017 15.
 Thine Undefiled Cross, O Thou Who Lovest mankind, The crowd wanted to know the Identity of the Son of Man,
we ask Thee for Thy Strength from Above, crying: O but JESUS CHRIST CHALLENGED THEM TO COME TO THE LIGHT
God Most High, in Thy Mercy Save those who honour WHILE THERE IS STILL TIME TO BECOME CHILDREN OF LIGHT.
the Sacred Life-Giving and Divine Exaltation of Thy [NICENE CREED]
Cross. IN UNION WITH JESUS CHRIST, WE PARTAKE OF HIS LIGHT,
The theme of JESUS CHRIST AS THE LIGHT receives BECOMING CHILDREN OF LIGHT.
renewed emphasis.
FESTAL PROKEIMENON EXALTATION OF THE H O L Y C R O S S - PSALM 27 TONE (6) PLAGAL 2
Exalt the Lord our God, and Worship at His Footstool, for He is Holy!
The Lord reigns let the people rage...
THE FIRST EPISTLE OF ST PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS 1 : 18 24
THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS IF THE POWER OF GOD.
Brethren: the Word of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing - to us who are being Saved, it is the Power of
God. It is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
Where are the wise? Where are the Scribes? Where are the disputers of this age? Has not God made foolish the
wisdom of this world? Since, in the Wisdom of God - the world did not know God through the Wisdom of God - it
pleased God through the foolishness of Preaching to Save those who believe.
Judeans request Signs, and Hellenes seek Wisdom - we preach Christ Crucified: to the Judeans scandalous, to the
Hellenes foolishness - to those who are Called, both Judeans and Hellenes, Christ is the Power of God and the
Wisdom of God.
THE WORD OF THE CROSS .. [IS]... FOOLISHNESS TO The Holy Cross is to be Adored, for WHEREVER THE SIGN OF
UNBELIEVERS because as St John Chrysostom THE CROSS MAY BE, THERE JESUS CHRIST WILL BE I.E. THE
explains: IT IS A MARK OF THOSE WHO PERISH NOT TO HOLY TRINITY is present.
RECOGNISE THE THINGS THAT LEAD TO SALVATION. Since CHRIST IS THE POWER AND WISDOM OF GOD THE
WE WHO BEAR WITNESS TO CHRIST MUST NOT BE DISCOURAGED FATHER - the Brightness of the Fathers Glory, the
when those outside of Him mock, for so did once even Substantial and Perfect Image of the invisible God
St Paul himself. - WHERE HE IS, THERE IS THE UNCREATED AND SAVING
Being Saved - present tense - refers to THE PROCESS GRACE OF GOD. [HEBREWS 1:3]
WHEREBY THE HOLY CROSS TRANSFORMS US WITH THE THE HOLY, LIFE-GIVING CROSS of our Lord and Saviour,
POWER OF GOD. Jesus Christ, RESTORES MANKIND TO IMMORTALITY AND
To those who request a Sign the Church offers one: STIRS UP DESIRE FOR THE THINGS OF GOD.
THE HOLY LIFE-GIVING CROSS of our Lord & Saviour,
Jesus Christ!
THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST JOHN 19: 6 - 11; 13 20 25 28 & 30 35
WE REMEMBER THE CRUCIFIXION OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST
At that time, the Chief Priests and Elders held a council against Jesus, that they might destroy Him. And they went to
Pilate, saying: Crucify! Crucify Him! Pilate said to them: You take Him and crucify Him! I find no fault in Him. The
Jews answered him: We have a Law, and according to our Law He ought to die, for He made Himself the Son of
God. When Pilate heard those words, he was all the more afraid, and went into the Praetorium again, and said to
Jesus: From where art Thou? Jesus gave him no answer. Pilate said to Him: Art Thou not speaking to me?! Dost
Thou not know that I have power to crucify Thee, and power to release Thee? Jesus answered: Thou could have
no power at all against Me unless it had been given thee from Above. Therefore he who delivered Me to thee
has the greater sin.
...When Pilate therefore heard those Words, he took Jesus out and sat down in the Judgement Seat in a place that is
called The Pavement - in Hebrew: Gabbatha. It was the Preparation Day of the Passover - about the Sixth Hour.
And he said to the Judeans: Behold your King! They cried out: Away with Him! Away with Him! Crucify Him!
Pilate said to them: Shall I crucify your King? The Chief Priests answered: We have no King but Caesar! So he
delivered Him to them to be crucified. They took Jesus and led Him away.
And bearing His Cross, He went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha. There
they crucified Him, and two others with Him - one on either side, and Jesus in the middle. Pilate wrote a title and
put it on the Cross. The writing was: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Then many of the Judeans read this
title, for the place was near the city where Jesus was crucified. And it was written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin...
...There stood by the Cross of Jesus His Mother, and His mothers sister, Mary, the wife of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene.
When Jesus therefore saw His Mother, and the Disciple whom He Loved standing by, He said to His Mother,
Woman, behold Thy son! Then He said to the Disciple: Behold, Thy Mother! And from that hour that Disciple
took Her to his own home. After this, Jesus, knowing that all Things were now accomplished, that the Scripture
might be fulfilled, said: I thirst!
...When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said: It is finished! and bowing His Head, He gave up His Spirit.
The Judeans did not want the bodies to remain on the crosses on the Sabbath - being the Preparation Day - (for the
Sabbath was a High Day). They asked Pilate to have their legs broken, and that they might be taken away. Then
the Soldiers came and broke the bones of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him.
When they came to Jesus, they saw that He was already dead, so they did not break His Bones, but one of the soldiers
pierced His Side with a spear, and immediately Blood and Water poured out.
And he who has Witnessed has testified, and his Testimony is True - he knows that he speaks the Truth, so that you may
believe.
The Judean leaders convicted Jesus Christ on a [false] The Judean leaders applied hard political pressure on
charge of Blasphemy: He made Himself the Son of Pontius Pilate to gain their own sinister ends.
God. Confronted with the choice between Jesus Christ and
What they missed, of course, was THE DIVINE GOSPEL: JESUS Caesar Pontius Pilate chose his Emperor, Tiberius
CHRIST NOT ONLY CLAIMS TO BE, BUT INDEED IS THE SON OF Caesar who reigned during the years 14 - 37.
GOD! Preparation Day is the day before Passover.
ALMIGHTY GOD [THE HOLY TRINITY] CONTROLS ALL POWER. THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS [of St Matthew, St Mark, St Luke & St
Despite all the Roman Empires forces, and the John] DATE THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS CHRIST ON FRIDAY,
relentless persistence of the Judean leaders, THEIR THE FIRST DAY OF THE PASSOVER.
POWER WAS PERMITTED ONLY BY GOD. Ironically THE JUDEAN LEADERSHIP REJECTED THE TRUE KING
THE ONE WHO DELIVERED JESUS CHRIST TO PONTIUS PILATE OF THE JEWS and accepted Tiberius Caesar, a
WAS, according to many interpreters, THE HIGH foreign King who ruled Palestine as a result of
PRIEST CAIAPHAS; however, the phrase may even conquest.
refer to JUDAS ISCARIOT. In their blind hatred for Jesus Christ, THEY DENIED THE
ESSENTIAL ELEMENT OF THEIR NATIONS HOPES.

16. UNIVERSAL EXALTATION OF THE HOLY LIFE-GIVING CROSS -14 SEPTEMBER 2017
 CRUCIFIXION WAS THE METHOD OF EXECUTION USED BY THE
ROMANS in capital punishment involving rebellious
slaves and THE WORST POSSIBLE CRIMINALS.
By addressing the Ever Blessed Theotokos as Woman
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST USED A TERM OF DIGNITY AND
AFFECTION.
Note THREE IMPORTANT TRUTHS concerning His Mother.
In saying to the Disciple whom [He] Loved - St
Evangelist - behold Thy Mother:
1. CHRIST SYMBOLICALLY ESTABLISHED THE THEOTOKOS ROLE AS
THE MOTHER OF ALL FAITHFUL DISCIPLES - OF THE ENTIRE
CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
2. IF THE THEOTOKOS HAD HAD OTHER CHILDREN, JESUS CHRIST
WOULD NOT HAVE PLACED HER UNDER THE PROTECTION AND
CARE OF ST JOHN.
3. THE CHURCHS TEACHING CONCERNING THE THEOTOKOS
ETERNAL VIRGINITY IS RATIFIED BY CHRISTS ACTION.
I thirst, expresses the Truth that THE INCARNATE SON OF
GOD the Son of Man ASSUMED OUR COMPLETE
HUMAN NATURE including the need to quench His
thirst.
WE NEED BOTH THE MUNDANE AND THE EXTRAORDINARY, SPIRITUAL
WATER TO QUENCH OUR PHYSICAL AND ESPECIALLY OUR
SPIRITUAL THIRST.
 PSALM 21:16: My Strength is dried up like an earthen
vessel; My Tongue cleaves to My Throat and Thou
led Me into the Dust of Death...
The term finished, is better translated as
accomplished or fulfilled. Our Lord did not
mean that His Life was ended, but rather that HIS
DIVINE PLAN OF SALVATION FOR ALL MANKIND HAS BEEN
COMPLETED.
... bowing His Head, He gave up His Spirit...
according to St John Chrysostom means that OUR
LORD JESUS DID NOT DIE FIRST, with His Head falling as
a result of Death, but that BEING LORD EVEN OF HIS
OWN LIFE AND DEATH, CHRIST FIRST BOWED HIS HEAD, AND
THEN VOLUNTARILY GAVE UP HIS SPIRIT AND ENTERED
DEATH.
Our Lord Jesus Christ did not have His Life taken IN THE HOLY MYSTERY OF EUCHARIST/COMMUNION WE RECEIVE
from Him, but WILLINGLY COMMITTED HIS SPIRIT TO GOD
OUR HEAVENLY FATHER.
HIS SOUL WAS THE FIRST HUMAN SOUL NOT IMPRISONED IN HADES
but freely given into the Hands of God our Heavenly
Father.
HAVING SMASHED OPEN THE IMPRISONING GATES OF HADES,
OUR LORD JESUS FREED ALL HUMANITY FROM THE BONDS
AND SHACKLES OF DEATH.
THE UNIVERSAL EXALTATION OF THE HOLY LIFE-GIVING CROSS
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Spirit...
Beloved Brethren in Christ, Today we celebrate the
joyful Feast of the Universal Exaltation of the
Precious and Life Giving Holy Cross.
It is the commemoration of the finding of the True Cross
of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, by St Helena,
the Righteous Empress and mother of St Constantine
the Great.
Having finally located the cave beneath a Roman
temple that had been constructed over the site of
Golgotha (to hide that Holy Site that included our
Lords Tomb), St Helena and her Faithful group
found the precious Cross of our Lord, together with
the crosses of the two thieves crucified with Him,
(and the relevant notice board, stating our Lords
crime.
However, being unable to determine which was the
Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, St Makarios the
Patriarch of Jerusalem touched each of the cross
bars to a dying person who was instantly Healed
and restored to full health as soon as the Life-giving
Cross of Christ touched her.
With overwhelming Joy and Thanksgiving, everyone
went to behold and venerate that great Instrument
of Redemption in Jerusalem, spontaneously
repeating the Prayer: Kyrie, eleison! Lord, have
mercy! and even louder, each time Patriarch
Makarios lifted the Cross up high for all to see.
Although we may be confronted by many obstacles
and problems that prevent us from worshipping our
UNIVERSAL EXALTATION OF THE
HIS SALVIFIC DEATH ON THE CROSS HAS RECONCILED
MANKIND TO GOD not by satisfying our Heavenly
Fathers need for blood-justice as some
erroneously believe, but by CAUSING EVERY ASPECT OF
OUR CORRUPT HUMAN NATURE TO BECOME TRANSFORMED,
REGENERATED AND RENEWED for whatever Divinity
touches is Healed and Restored.
John the OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST ACCEPTED OUR HUMAN NATURE IN ORDER
TO SANCTIFY IT AND He accepted OUR HUMAN WEAKNESS IN
ORDER TO MAKE US STRONG.
Furthermore, although He Himself is absolutely sinless
(unable to commit sin!) HE VOLUNTARILY TOOK ON THE
GREAT BURDEN OF OUR SINS IN ORDER TO SET US FREE FROM
OUR ENSLAVEMENT AND DEATH.
Our Lord Jesus Christ suffered in order TO TRANSFIGURE OUR
HUMAN SUFFERING and HE ENTERED DEATH IN ORDER TO
DESTROY IT. (REFER 1 CORINTHIANS 15:20-28)
OUR SAVIOUR GAVE UP HIS SPIRIT WILLINGLY, for even
being Crucified, HE CHOSE THE HOUR OF HIS DEATH, for
IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ANY HUMAN BEING OR EVIL SPIRIT
TO TAKE HIS LIFE FROM HIM, AGAINST THE DIVINE WILL OF
ALMIGHTY GOD!!
Our Lord Jesus Christ accepted His Death by
Crucifixion NOT IN ORDER TO RECEIVE ANY SO-CALLED DIVINE
PUNISHMENT ON OUR BEHALF, NOR TO SATISFY A NEED FOR
BLOOD-JUSTICE, which is not what our Almighty,
Benevolent and Loving God requires at all!
Our Lord accepted His Death so that BY ENTERING
DEATH AS THE DIVINE SON OF GOD THE FATHER, HE COULD
DESTROY THAT ENEMY OF MANKIND DEATH ITSELF!!
St Cyril of Alexandria commented: Observe: no sooner
had Christ endured His Passion on the Cross for our
sakes, when He began to win many unto the
Knowledge of the Truth.
The Blood and Water that poured from our Saviours
Body shows THE REALITY OF THE GREAT HOLY
MYSTERIES.

THE WATER REFERS TO OUR HOLY BAPTISM, which is our
PARTICIPATION IN CHRISTS LIFE-GIVING DEATH. (ROMANS
3: 6 11)
OUR LORDS LIFE-GIVING BLOOD ... drinking from His very
Side. (ST JOHN CHRYSOSTOM)

It is literally THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS AND THE
REGENERATION OF MANKIND THAT POURED OUT OF OUR
LORD JESUS CHRISTS SIDE.
Lord God as much and as properly as we should, He
is always Merciful to us.
St Constantine the Great had a Vision of a Cross and
heard a Heavenly Voice say: By this Sign conquer!
and so he was indeed Victorious!
We, too, will neither conquer nor be Victorious until we
keep the Holy Cross in our heart and as our
Protection against evil.
With crosses painted on their shields and on their
banners, the warriors of St Constantine were
subsequently able to defeat their formidable
enemies.
We have to Elevate and Exalt the Holy Cross of our Lord
Jesus Christ in order to overcome any type of barrier
against our Sacred Mission.
Although there may be very few Orthodox Communities
in our country or region, we are certainly important
to our Lord God as His Faithful Disciples who eagerly
and ceaselessly Struggle in His Divine Footsteps.
Our Lord encourages us and urges us: ... Fear not, little
Flock (LUKE 12:32).
We are neither forbidden, nor ignored by Him, ... For
whoever touches you, touches the apple of His
Eye. (ZECHARIAH 2:8)
Therefore we must not be afraid, for we are still the
People of God - even though we are very small
communities, for whom our Orthodox Brethren in
Christ are ceaselessly praying, which is why Gods
Grace is always upon us.
Today on the occasion of the Feast of the Universal
Exaltation of the Precious and Life Giving Holy Cross,
I beseech each and every one of you to faithfully
HOLY LIFE-GIVING CROSS -14 SEPTEMBER 2017 17.
 follow our Lord Jesus Christ, and to live according to
the Way of the Cross.
When we commit ourselves to following our Lord Jesus
Christ by fulfilling a Life of Love, we are able to
know His Divine Peace.
The Holy Cross may at first seem to be merely a Sign of
defeat, but instead, it is a Glorious Sign of our willing
submission to God!
The Holy Cross of Christ our Saviour is the Victorious Sign
of a Life offered up for the sake of others - of a Holy
Life of unselfish sacrifice and Love!
Our Lord Jesus Christ died for us out of His infinite Divine
Love for all mankind.
We behold that boundless Love of God when we look to
the Holy Cross and Him Who pours out His Divine,
Perfect Love upon us.
Today, all of us who look to the Holy Cross of our Loving
Redeemer, lift up our heart and mind to touch the
Life-giving, Holy Cross that the world could not
touch!
Today, we receive that Self-giving Love of God, Who
grants us His indescribable Divine Peace and Joy!
As St John explained, this is why ...the folly of the
Cross confounds the wise... and achieves
everything that they cannot!
For although the wise may be able to influence our
mind, only the Holy Cross of Christ can humble and
Heal our mind, rectify our free will and change our
heart and soul!
For so many profound reasons, the Holy Cross of Christ
is ...a stumbling block to the powerful... as It
grants us an Eternal Treasure that neither rusts nor
decomposes, which thieves cannot take by force.
We venerate and exalt the Holy Cross of Christ because
It was the means whereby our Lord Jesus
accomplished our Eternal Salvation and showed us
the depth of His Lovesomething which no one can
take from us, and which will outlast this created,
temporary world.
As Disciples of Christ who have chosen the Way of the
Cross, how can we know if we are actually Living in
Christ - according to His Divine Truth, His Teachings
and His Commandments?
How we sacrifice ourselves and offer our life for others
may be difficult to explain.
If we want to live according to Christs Teachings, we
must constantly examine ourselves and be ever
alert and Spiritually Watchful, so that we can correct
ourselves and Repent our sins that prevent us from
making good Spiritual Progress.
If we cannot sacrifice our own desires and needs for the
sake of others as our Lord Jesus Christ did for us, it
shows us that we do not possess the greatest Holy
Virtue of Love (Agape) which is unconditional and
unselfish like the Love of God that we receive from
Him!
Spoiled, selfish people who live only for themselves will
not share anything with others, and due to their
egoism, such people are unloved, despised and
hated by others. Sadly, their life is wasted and they
have lost the opportunity to acquire Eternal
Blessings of Great Joy and Love.
When we live in Christ and for Christ, we Save ourselves
and one another, and we are thereby granted
Eternal Life in the Heavenly Kingdom. However, if
we live only for ourselves, we will ultimately lose our
life!
Our Lord Jesus Christ told us clearly and concisely:
...Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but
whoever loses their life for Me will Save it. (MATTHEW
10:39 & 16:25)
In other words, those who waste this short life-span in
self-indulgence by doing only what is self-pleasing
or self-preserving, will neither know the joy of
unselfish sharing - of ourselves or whatever others
may need - , with unconditional Love that bestows
innumerable Blessings in return, which especially,
grants us Eternal Salvation Everlasting Life in
Christ.
Egocentric people do not understand the Power or
significance of the Precious Life Giving Holy Cross
and the Authority of our Lord God...
18. 1 5 T H S U N D A Y A F T E R P E N T E C O S T A F T E R
When we have Divine Authority, we fulfill the only the
Divine Will of our Lord God, but without It, we only
fulfill our fleshly desires.
The Holy Cross guards the whole Earth. It is the Beauty
of the Holy Church of Christ and the Power of our
Right-believing Rulers.
The Cross is the Support and Strength of Faithful
Disciples of Christ and the Glory of the Heavenly
Hosts, that wounds and repels the evil one and his
demons!
We must take up our Cross and sacrifice ourselves for
the sake of others instead of making ourselves
obstacles for others!
St Ephraim the Syrian wrote: ...The Cross abolished
idolatrous adulation, Enlightened the whole
Universe, gathered all the Nations into one Church
and United them with Love.
The Cross is the Resurrection of the dead... the Hope of
Christians... the Staff for the lame... Comfort for the
poor.... the Deposing of the proud... the Hope of
those who despair.
The Cross is Food for the sailors... Haven for the
bestormed... the Father for orphans... is Consolation
for those who mourn... the Protector of children...
the Glory of mankind... the Crown of Elders.
The Cross is Light for those sitting in Darkness...
Freedom for slaves, Wisdom for the ignorant... the
Preaching of Prophets, the Fellow-traveller of
Apostles.
The Cross is the Chastity of maidens, the joy of Priests...
the Foundation of the Church, the Establishment of
the Universe.
The Cross is the Destruction of idolatrous temples,
temptation for Jews... the Cleansing of the lepers,
the Rehabilitation of the enfeebled... Bread for the
hungry, a Fountain for the thirsty... the Good Hope of
Monks, Clothing for the naked.
By this Holy Armour of the Cross, Christ our Lord has
terminated the all-consuming bowels of Hades and
blocked the many snares in the mouth of the devil.
Having seen the Cross, Death trembled and released
everyone whom it possessed with the first creature.
Armed with the Cross, the God-bearing Apostles
subdued all the power of the enemy and caught all
peoples in their dragnets, and gathered them for
the worship of the One Crucified.
Vested with the Cross as Holy Armour, the Martyrs of
Christ trampled all the plans of torturers and
preached with plainness the Divine Cross-Bearer.
Having taken up the Cross for the sake of Christ,
those who renounced everything in the world settled
in deserts and on mountains, in caves and became
the Fasters of the Earth.
But what language is worthy to praise the Cross, this
Invincible Wall of the Orthodox, this Victorious
Armour of the Heavenly King?! By the Cross the
Almighty One bestowed Unspeakable Blessings on
humanity!
Therefore, on the forehead, the eyes, the mouth, and
the breast let us place the Life-giving Cross. Let us
arm them with the Invincible Armour of Christians,
with this Hope of the Faithful, with this Gentle Light.
Let us open Paradise with this Armour, with this Support
of the Orthodox Faith, with this Saving Praise of the
Church... let us not forget the Cross, nor let us begin
to do anything without It...
Beloved Brethren in Christ, Let us take up our Holy Cross,
and Rejoice and Exalt in It, for - through the Power of
Christ It is the Holy Sign of our Salvation!
Let us beseech our Lord Jesus Christ: Save, O Lord, and
have Mercy on our country, and on all Thine
Orthodox Disciples throughout the world, and on all
those who have authority over us.
All Glory, Honour and Worship, to the Father, and to
the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever,
unto the Ages of Ages. Amen.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy
Spirit, Amen
(FATHER POLYCARP- (DR. ROHAN R. NEHAMAIYAH) - CHURCH OF INDIA -
(RUSSIAN ORTHODOX MISSION IN INDIA) -
http://www.pravoslavie.ru/86451.html
THE EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS 17 SEPTEMBER 2017
 Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa
Archdiocese of Good Hope
All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and
unto the Ages of ages. Amen. Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glorious Lady,
Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another
and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.

Tone (6) Plagal 2 17 September 2017

15th Sunday After Pentecost After Exaltation of the Holy Cross
TAKING UP OUR CROSS & FOLLOWING CHRIST

The Feast of St Sophia, St Faith/Pisteos, St Hope/Elpidos & St Charity/Agapis of Rome St Theodota

of Nicea St Agathocleia St Peleos, St Nilos the Bishops of Egypt, St Zeno, St Pateruthios & St Elias
the Presbyters & 151 Holy Martyrs of Palestine The Holy Icons of our Lady, Theotokos, of
Constantinople & of Makariev

RESURRECTION GOSPEL 4- LUKE 24 : 1 - 12

RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION TONE (6) PLAGAL 2

Angelike Dinamis epi to Mnima Sou ke i filassontes The Angelic Powers were in Thy Tomb, and the guards
apenekrothisan. Ke istato Maria en to tafo, zitousa to became as dead men, and Mary stood by the Tomb
ahranton Sou Soma. Eskilevsas ton Adin, mi pirasthis ip seeking Thy Most Pure Body. Thou led captive Hades,
aftou. Ipintisas ti Partheno, Doroumenos tin Zoin. O yet were not tempted thereby: Thou Who art the
Anastas ek to nekron, Kyrie,  Doxa Si. Bestower of Life came to meet the Woman. O Lord,
Who Rose again from the dead, Glory to Thee!
SEASONAL KONTAKION - EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS
O ipsothis en to Stavro ekousios, ti eponimo Sou keni Thou Who were lifted on the Cross voluntarily, on Thy
politia, tous iktirmous sou dorise Hriste O Theos; new commonwealth that bears Thy Name, do Thou
efranon en ti dinami sou, tous pistous Vasilis imon, bestow Thy Mercies, O Christ our God; gladden in Thy
nikas horigon aftis, kata ton polemion; tin simmahian mighty Strength, our faithful Rulers, granting to them
ehien tin sin, opion irinis aittiton tropeon. victories, against all the enemies and may Thy help in
battle be for them: a Weapon of Peace, and Banner
Invincible!
PROKEIMENON PSALM 103/104 TONE 4
O Lord, Thy Works shall be greatly magnified; Thou made all things in Wisdom.
Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord, my God: Thou art exceedingly Magnified.
THE EPISTLE OF ST PAUL TO THE GALATIANS 2 : 16 - 20
THE SOURC E OF FAITH IS OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR, JESUS C HRIST
Brethren, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law, but by the Faith of Jesus Christ, even we have
believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be Justified by the Faith of Christ, and not by the works of the Law; for by
the works of the Law no flesh shall be Justified.
If, while we seek to be Justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found to be sinners, is therefore Christ the Minister of
sin? God forbid! If I build again the things that I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. I through the Law
died to the Law, that I might Live in God.
With Christ I am crucified. Nevertheless, I live! Christ Lives in me! The Life in the flesh, I Live in the Faith of the Son
of God, Who Loves me, and Who gave Himself for me.
ST PAUL GIVES THE CONTENT OF THE TRUE GOSPEL by WHOSE NAMES AND BY WHOSE POWER AND AUTHORITY WE
contrasting it with the false doctrines of the Judaizers. ARE BAPTISED AND CHRISMATED.
THE SOURCE OF JUSTIFICATION IS FAITH, not the works of the GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT GRANTS US HIS POWER AND ENERGY FOR THE
Old Covenant Law. ONGOING LIFE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS IN CHRIST the
Works of the Law deal with mankind in our fallen state wonderful Life of Blessing, Great Mercy and infinite
in our corrupted state (i.e. a state of Spiritual Death) Love.
FAITH CRUCIFIES OUR CORRUPT CONDITION AND DEALS WITH OUR THE ANCIENT PATRIARCH ABRAHAM IS OUR HOLY FATHER OF FAITH
NEW BEING IN CHRIST (i.e. we abandon our old, fallen, AND OF THE BLESSINGS OF GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT.
corrupt nature and take on a Regenerated, New and However, the Judaizers, who have based their
Sanctified nature in Christ at our Baptism and Righteousness on the works of the Law, have
Chrismation.) received Condemnation not the Blessings of the
Works of the Old Covenant Law begin with mankinds Holy Spirit!
actions, while FAITH BEGINS WITH GODS DIVINE ACTIONS. THE STATUS CONFERRED BY RIGHTEOUSNESS IS HOLY SONSHIP, for
EVERY WORK OF FAITH IS THE COMBINED ACTION OF GOD AND US, WE BECOME ADOPTED CHILDREN OF GOD THROUGH OUR UNION
for it is AN ESSENTIAL SYNERGY a Holy Cooperation WITH GOD INCARNATE.
between us and God between Divine Will and THE SOURCE OF SONSHIP IS GOD not humanity.
human will. SONSHIP IS A DIVINE PROMISE not achieved by human
THIS FAITH AND THESE ACTIONS HAVE THEIR SOURCE AND deeds and it is ATTAINABLE ONLY BY OUR FAITH not by
FULFILMENT IN GOD in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus our works not by any effort we may make.
Christ. GOD INTRODUCED THE WORKS OF THE LAW IN ORDER TO PROTECT
WE EXPERIENCE THIS AMAZING FAITH AND THESE ACTIONS HUMANITY against the evil wiles of the devil and his
THROUGH OUR UNION WITH THE HOLY TRINITY the Will demons, who ceaselessly plot our Spiritual Death and
of God the Father, through God the Son and by destruction.
the Power and Energy of God the Holy Spirit IN

CONCEPTION OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST & FORERUNNER TO CHRIST OUR SAVIOUR 23 SEPTEMBER 2017 19.
 The Old Covenant Laws were to protect us until the time
of Divine Sonship when our Union with the Eternal,
Only Begotten Son of God became possible.
THE PURPOSE OF HOLY SONSHIP IS FOR US TO BECOME GODLIKE
AND TO ENTER HEAVEN.
Faith in Christ is parallel to the works of the Law and can
be translated as the Faith of Jesus Christ, which is
the Holy Gospel.
As the Source of works is the Law, so THE SOURCE OF FAITH
IS CHRIST His Beliefs, His Trust, His Obedience that
Justifies us , not our Faith as such.
CHRISTS FAITH IS SEEN IN HIS ENTIRE LIFE ON EARTH, not in
merely a few of His crucial Works.
WE ARE JUSTIFIED BY CHRIST AND IN CHRIST, for our
Justification is not simply legal but actual effected
BY OUR REAL, PERSONAL UNION WITH CHRIST IN HIS GLORIFIED
HUMAN NATURE.
The fact that we can still be sinners clearly shows that
THIS HOLY UNION NEVER TAKES AWAY OUR FREE WILL and it
also explains how some chose to defect to Judaism.
THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING
OUR LORD JESUS CHRISTS FIRST PROPH
At that time, our Lord Jesus said: ...whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his Cross,
and follow Me. Whoever desires to save his life will lose it. Whoever loses his life for My sake, and the Gospels,
will Save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his soul? Or what will a man give
in exchange for his soul?
Whoever is ashamed of Me and My Words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be
ashamed of him when He comes in the Glory of His Father with the Holy Angels.
And He said to them: Truly, I say to you: there are some standing here who will not taste Death until they see the
Kingdom of God present with Power!
THE CROSS, which was a most dreaded instrument of the
cruellest Roman torture and execution, NOW SYMBOLISES
THE SUFFERING OF ALL CHRISTIANS IN IMITATION OF CHRIST, AS
WE NAIL OUR SINFUL LIFESTYLE TO HIS CROSS and after
entering Death together with Him, we are
triumphantly Resurrected with Him as Regenerated
and Spiritually Renewed beings.
WE PRACTISE SELF-DENIAL AND PERSONAL SACRIFICE FOR THE
SAKE OF OUR LOVE OF GOD, HIS HOLY GOSPEL AND FOR
OUR FELLOW STRUGGLING SINNERS who accompany us
on the long, Narrow Path towards Eternity.
ACCEPTING THIS SUFFERING IS NOT A PUNISHMENT, NOR IS IT AN
END IN ITSELF, BUT A MEANS OF OVERCOMING THE FALLEN
WORLD for the sake of the Kingdom of God and in order
to crucify the demands of our sinful flesh with its
passions and self-indulgent desires..
The central paradox of Christian Living is that IN GRASPING
FOR TEMPORAL THINGS, WE LOSE THE ETERNAL TREASURES.
15TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST SUNDAY AFTER
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Spirit...
Dear Brethren, There is a story about a Monk who
despaired of the Cross God had given him and
complained of it constantly, until God finally relented
and offered him a chance to select a different Cross.
He led the Monk into a room filled with many different
Crosses from which to choose. The Monk was
appalled at what he saw - huge Crosses, bloody
Crosses, Crosses with nails... the variety was endless.
He walked slowly through the room before he noticed a
small, shining silver cross almost hidden from sight by
all the other Crosses. He took it and held it up saying
to our Lord, "I will take this Cross!" whereupon he was
told: That is the Cross I gave you!
Do we EMBRACE THE UNIQUE CROSS THAT GOD HAS GIVEN TO EACH
OF US TO CARRY, or do we try to take our Salvation or
Justification into our own hands?
Do we think we can SEEK AND ENTER THE HEAVENLY KINGDOM
without God's Help or Guidance?
Our Lord Jesus Christ tells us very clearly: ...Whoever
desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and
take up his Cross and follow Me."
Similar to the aforementioned Monk, we may not want
the Cross we have been given, or perhaps we think
we know a better way than the Way OUR LORD JESUS IS
LEADING US TOWARDS ETERNITY.
This relates to St Paul's Epistle to the Galatians, when he
pointed out the Truth that we are ...not Justified by
the works of the Law but by Faith in Jesus Christ."
(GALATIANS 2:16)
In Holy Scripture, the word "Justify" is more accurately
translated "Righteous." So to be ...Justified... is to be
20. 1 5 T H S U N D A Y A F T E R P E N T E C O S T A F T E R
St Paul destroyed THE WORKS OF THE LAW in the sense that
they PROVED TO BE INEFFECTUAL FOR OUR ETERNAL
SALVATION.
The real transgressors are those who try to reinstate the
Old Covenant Law.
WE DIE THROUGH THE LAW not bypassing or dishonouring
it, but by RECOGNISING THAT IT IS HOLY; that WE DESERVE
ITS CONSEQUENCE, WHICH IS DEATH.
WE VOLUNTARILY DIE TO THE LAW THROUGH OUR DEATH WITH
CHRIST, for being crucified with Him through our Holy
Baptism, WE COME ALIVE TO THE DIVINE, ETERNAL LAW OF
THE HOLY SPIRIT, which Perfects the intention of the Old
Covenant Law.
THERE IS NO CONTRADICTION BETWEEN THE OLD COVENANT LAW
AND THE NEW COVENANT GOSPEL, FOR THE LAW IS ... HOLY
AND JUST AND GOOD... (ROMANS 7:12)
However, the Law is weak and obsolete for it is Fulfilled
in the Holy Gospel in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus
Christ, Himself! (ROMANS 8 : 3 & HEBREWS 8 : 13)
TO ST MARK 8 : 34 9 : 1
ECY OF HIS PASSION
However, BY SACRIFICING EVERYTHING OF THIS TEMPORARY
WORLD, WE GAIN PRICELESS ETERNAL RICHES AND
BLESSINGS that are far beyond anything we could
possible imagine!! (1 CORINTHIANS 2 : 9 )
WHAT WOULD ANY OF US GIVE IN EXCHANGE FOR OUR IMMORTAL
SOUL?
This question emphasises THE UTTER FOOLISHNESS OF TRYING
TO ACCUMULATE WORLDLY POSSESSIONS AND POWER for NONE
OF IT CAN REDEEM OUR FALLEN SOUL NOR BENEFIT US IN THE
LIFE TO COME.
... some... will not taste Death until they see the
Kingdom of God present with Power! is a
reference to the THREE HOLY APOSTLES OF CHRIST WHO
WOULD WITNESS HIS TRANSFIGURATION ON MOUNT TABOR.
IT ALSO REFERS TO FUTURE GENERATIONS WHO WILL EXPERIENCE THE
GLORIOUS PRESENCE OF GODS ETERNAL KINGDOM.
THE EXALTATION OF THE HOLY, LIFE-GIVING CROSS OF CHRIST
MADE RIGHTEOUS - to ACT IN AN UPRIGHT, MORAL, AND
VIRTUOUS MANNER.
"Works of the Law" is a reference TO THE OLD COVENANT
MOSAIC LAW - THE DIVINE LAW OF GOD, which was
carved onto stone tablets and presented to St Moses,
the ancient Patriarch, by God Himself, on Mount Sinai.
(EXODUS 20FF).
THE ORIGINAL OLD COVENANT LAW CONSISTED OF THE TEN DIVINE
COMMANDMENTS OF GOD THAT INSTRUCTED THE ISRAELITES
ON HOW TO RELATE TO GOD AND TO EACH OTHER.
It revealed the difference between good and evil, and
functioned as a Holy Guide that would lead them to
the Divine Messiah our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Hebrew Legalizers added other Laws that pertained to
Ritualistic Cleansing, Diet and Worship, as well as to
social behaviour that had nothing to do with mankinds
Spiritual Healing and Salvation.
The Old Covenant Law and the Holy Prophets of God
prepared the Chosen People of God for the Divine
Messiah, but when our Lord Jesus Christ had fulfilled all
their Laws and Prophecies according to His Incarnation
His human Nature - He revealed His Holy Gospel of the
New Covenant that Heals, Restores, Renews and
Transforms all mankind and grants us Eternal Salvation.
mp
The term "Faith in Christ" should be understood as "Faith
of Christ," which is THE ABSOLUTE TRUST IN AND OBEDIENCE
TO GOD THE FATHER, of our Lord Jesus - especially
leading up to and including His crucifixion and
Death.
Reflected in many of his Epistles, St Paul addressed the
problem of ...Judaizers... in the early Church, who
THE EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS 17 SEPTEMBER 2017
 had accepted Christ as the Divine Messiah, but who
demanded that male converts had to be circumcised
and follow THE JEWISH DIETARY AND CLEANSING LAWS,
which HAD BEEN NECESSARY FOR HEALTH AND PROCREATION
REASONS, especially while sojourning in the wilderness
all those years.
The Crucifixion of Christ was the ultimate and Eternal
Fulfilment of the Blood Sacrifice for mankinds sins. Thus
Blood Sacrifices for our sins were no longer required by
God Who, according to His New Covenant, requires only
our Bloodless Sacrifice of the Holy Mystery of Eucharist,
which was instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ. mp
So how does all of the above relate to us more than 2,000
years later? We no longer have the problem of
Judaizers but WE STILL HAVE THE PROBLEM OF THOSE WHO
THINK THAT THEIR RIGHTEOUSNESS OR JUSTIFICATION APART
FROM CHRIST CAN DO THEM ANY GOOD.
How often do we think that because yesterday we did a
good deed, we prayed, we fasted, etc, it is
unnecessary to do so today, or that we attended the
Divine Liturgy and partook of the Holy Eucharist last
week, so we can skip Church this week!
WE MUST NOT THINK THAT BECAUSE WE CONFESS OUR SINS TO GOD
IN PRIVATE DURING OUR PERSONAL PRAYERS THAT WE HAVE NO
NEED TO GO TO OUR SPIRITUAL FATHER FOR THE HOLY MYSTERY
OF REPENTANCE-CONFESSION or that having received
Holy Communion during Holy Week, we can skip
doing so until next year!
AN EVEN FAR MORE DANGEROUS SIN IS TO CONVINCE OURSELVES
THAT BECAUSE WE MAY HAVE FULFILLED SOME OR ALL OUR
SACRED DUTIES, WE CAN RELAX AND SIN A LITTLE
BECAUSE WE DESERVE OR EARNED IT!
Unfortunately, by even thinking such thoughts, WE ARE
TAKING OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE INTO OUR OWN HANDS INSTEAD OF
PLACING OUR FAITH IN OUR LORD GOD OR BEING HUMBLY
OBEDIENT TO HIM, thereby strengthening our Holy
Relationship and our immortal soul!
In order to BECOME RIGHTEOUS BY THE FAITH OF CHRIST, we
must commit ourselves to the best of our ability to
IMITATE OUR DIVINE TEACHERS ABSOLUTE TRUST IN AND
HUMBLE OBEDIENCE TO GOD THE FATHER.
BARGAINING WITH GOD by using our Righteous Actions as
leverage, IS THE SAME SINFUL ATTITUDE AND BEHAVIOUR AS
THOSE OF THE ANCIENT JUDAIZERS WHO PUT THEIR FAITH IN
THEIR WORKS RATHER THAN IN ALMIGHTY GOD.
SPIRITUAL DECEPTION - TAKING STOCK OF OUR STRUGGLE
THE ISSUE OF SPIRITUAL DECEPTION IS MOST IMPORTANT FOR THOSE
WHO SEEK UNION WITH GOD.
WE ARE ENGAGED IN A PERPETUAL SPIRITUAL STRUGGLE
SPIRITUAL WARFARE - in a deceptive world that
always tries to convince us that there is not really
a Struggle, and nothing to fear.
Without a doubt, THE OVERRIDING SPIRITUAL CHALLENGE we all
face today IS MISPLACED GOALS BASED ON A LIMITED VISION
EMBEDDED IN THE NORMS OF OUR SECULAR SOCIETY.
We seek self-satisfaction and self-justification. We attend
seminars, watch TV shows, surf internet sites, and read
deceptive books that tell us to examine ourselves and
our circumstances, but only for the purpose of
discovering HOW TO BE HAPPY AND CONTENT WITH
OURSELVES.
We are constantly encouraged to examine ourselves - TO
BECOME OUR TRUE SELF - living in a world where THE
PRIMARY FOCUS IS EGOCENTRIC AND SELF-EVALUATION OF OUR
WELL BEING which is BASED MAINLY ON THE
EXISTENTIALISTIC AND ...simplistic belief that one can
be whatever one wishes to be, however one wishes
to be it, so long as one does not harm others.
This cunning and fraudulent concept is utterly egotistic, selfish
and destructive to ourselves and to others for it feeds
personal desires in an undisciplined and dangerous
manner!!
The ...goal of all our self-examination seems to be the
discovery of the me with whom to be happy and
satisfied.
This orientation is also embedded in the New Age and
Self-Help movement: ...These programs still orbit
around the central point of self-satisfaction and
contentment with the self. often they do involve
calls to change and transformation
CONCEPTION OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST & FORERUNNER
When we dare to think or try to become Righteous in
order to enter His Heavenly Kingdom WITHOUT LIVING IN
CHRIST WITHOUT FULFILLING THE HOLY LIFE OF HIS CHURCH,
THE BODY OF CHRIST WE REVEAL OUR REJECTION AND SHAME
OF CHRIST AND HIS DIVINE TRUTH! (MARK 8:38).
The Prayer of St Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow, who
lived in the 19th century, expresses the attitude and
disposition we should have towards God:
O God, grant me
to greet the coming day in Peace.
Help me in all things
to rely upon Thy Divine Will.
In every hour of the day
reveal Thy Will to me.
Bless my dealings with all who surround me
and teach me to treat all who come to me
throughout the day with Peace of soul
and firm conviction that Thy Will governs all things.
In all my words and deeds
guide my thoughts and feelings.
In unforeseen events
let me not forget that all things are under Thy Care.
Teach me to act firmly and wisely
without embittering or embarrassing others.
Grant me Strength to bear
the fatigue of the coming day
with all that it shall bring.
Direct my will.
Teach me to pray.
Pray Thyself in me.
May we all now better understand that TO LOSE OUR LIFE
FOR CHRIST AND HIS HOLY GOSPEL IS EXPRESSED WHEN WE
DENY OURSELVES from what we want - or what we think
is best. (MARK 8:34-35).
May we all realise that TAKING UP OUR CROSS IS TO BE
CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST.
And finally, may we know that TO PLACE OUR COMPLETE
TRUST IN GOD IS TO HAVE THE FAITH OF CHRIST so that "...it
is no longer I who live, but Christ Who Lives in me!"
(GALATIANS 2:20)
FATHER RICHARD DEMETRIUS ANDREWS
ST GEORGE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH ST PAUL, MNNESOTA
IS THE PASTOR OF ST. GEORGE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH IN ST. PAUL,
MINNESOTA, USA - HTTP://WWW.ORTHODOXYTODAY.ORG
They ...espouse a certain nuance: that between false
self-love and true self-love, with one being bound by
flaws and problems, and the other being authentic
and exalted we experience a ...direct call for self-
assessment and change so that the false self being
lived at present can be shed in favour of the true
self, which is the ready object of love.
The ...true self one aims to discover and love through
shedding such false selves is still one defined by ones
will and desires.
The ...root of both is the same: satisfaction gained
through contentment in self, as defined by the self.
This ongoing quest of self-satisfaction is the result of a
secular world view where ...one sees the world, and
the human life within it, primarily or wholly, in terms
of the things of this ageof worldly visions
separated from the Theological Vision of the
Church... that aims at Gods Kingdom.
The current world ...sees sin more and more as an
outdated conviction of moral behaviour; demons as
old-fashioned
We ...describe the world one knows to be simply
psychological factors; Heaven and Hell as
outmoded myths aimed at enforcing moral
codes. thereby DENYING THE DEMONIC FORCES
that are at play.
We fail to generally recognize that the ...world is the
Work of a Creator, that it is the venue of growth for
a creature who has an opponent in that growth,
that it is moving toward Judgment, Redemption
and Renewal. Without these things, the impetus
for a call to genuine change into the Sanctifying
Life of the Creator is easily lost. This mentality is
a deception and a trap to the Christian.
TO CHRIST OUR SAVIOUR 23 SEPTEMBER 2017 21.
 St Basil the Great severely warns us: ...Be attentive to
yourself That is, observe yourself carefully from
every side. Let the eye of your soul be sleepless
to guard you. You walk in the midst of snares.
Hidden traps have been set by the enemy in
many places. Therefore, observe everything, that
you may be saved like a gazelle from traps and
like a bird from snares. (DEUTERONOMY 15:9 - SIRACH 9:13
& PROVERBS 6:5)
In today's world, ...the overarching goal is now. The
human being is to instigate whatever helps, whatever
modifications to his life and lifestyle may bring about
a deeper satisfaction with whom and what he is. He
is charged not to become something else (except
inasmuch as he may be prompted to shed certain
attributes which keep him from being who he really is
at his core), but to become happy with the self that
currently lies hidden.
What is THE FOCUS OF THE LIFE OF A CHRISTIAN supposed to
be? Is it this same preoccupation with the self with
the ego? Is LIFE IN CHRIST merely about self-
satisfaction? No! ...How far this is from our Christian
Calling...!
OUR CHRISTIAN FAITH IS OUR ENTIRE LIFE OUR BODY AND SOUL
- ROOTED IN THE LIFE OF CHRIST!
AS HIS FAITHFUL DISCIPLES, WE ARE CALLED - not to live for self
to be egocentric - but rather TO LIVE FOR CHRIST TO
LIVE IN CHRIST, WHOM WE HAVE ...PUT ON... AT OUR HOLY
BAPTISM!
THE SACRED GOAL OF OUR LIFE IN CHRIST IS not merely for our
personal satisfaction but for OUR TRUE TRANSFORMATION.
We are Called TO BECOME - TO ENTER INTO - A NEW LIFE that is
not ours not egocentric and selfish but THE LIFE OF
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.
WE DISCOVER PRECISELY - BY COMPARISON TO CHRIST AND BY
HIS DIVINE TRUTH - THE CURRENT STATE OF OURSELVES SO
THAT WE CAN WORK, STRUGGLE AND STRIVE TO CHANGE
TO TRANSFORM OURSELVES BY THE GRACE OF GOD.
OUR NEW LIFESTYLE LIFE IN CHRIST - is neither defined nor
controlled by our own weak, flawed will and
egotistical desires, but DEFINED AND MADE REAL BY THE
LORD OUR GOD.
Our True Life in Christ is A LIFE OF TRANSFORMATION
spiritual and physical Transformation into A NEW
PERSON.
It is A COMMITTED AND SANCTIFIED LIFESTYLE THAT WORKS
TOWARD RESURRECTION, ...when the body of this Death
shall pass away and the Glorified man will know the
Lord of Glory. (CF. ROMANS 7:24)
OUR SACRED TASK IS not to simply engage in self-
examination for the purpose of self-satisfaction, but TO
STRUGGLE AGAINST THE FORCES OF EVIL, ENGAGING IN
SPIRITUAL WARFARE as St Paul frequently cautioned us.
But according to unbelievers, this continuous Spiritual
Struggle Spiritual Warfare against evil - is not real
and is regarded as being delusional!
How often do we DISCUSS AND CONTEMPLATE OUR STRUGGLES
AGAINST THE EVIL FORCES THAT SURROUND US AND PERPETUALLY
ATTACK US?
How often, besides a Sermon on Sunday, do we THINK
ABOUT THE SELF-SACRIFICE THAT IS DEMANDED OF US FOR OUR
SALVATION, OR OUR TRUE AIM TO BE UNITED WITH OUR LORD
JESUS CHRIST IN ETERNAL LIFE?
Instead, in so many ways, we are repeatedly told and
persuaded to forget ...the archaic ideas the Church
teaches... and to ...think for ourselves... by rejecting
...the outdated, foolish notions... that our Holy Church
teaches us as Divine Truth!
Nonbelievers try to convince us that the Divine Truth the
Teachings and Commandments of Christ - are
merely ideas imposed on us ...by organizations that
want to control us!
AS FAITHFUL DISCIPLES OF CHRIST, WE KNOW THAT THIS WAY OF
THINKING MEANS THAT THE DEVIL HAS WON THE BATTLE
against apostatisers and nonbelievers, for THEY HAVE
FALLEN INTO SPIRITUAL DEATH by no longer engaging in
their Spiritual Warfare!
WHEN WE FORSAKE OUR ASCETICAL DISCIPLINES, WE WILL BE LURED
INTO FOLLOWING THE DOCTRINE OF SELF-SATISFACTION.
We must wake up! SPIRITUAL WARFARE IS REAL AND CEASELESS!!.
It is central to our Lord Jesus Christs Teachings!
22. 1 5 T H S U N D A Y A F T E R P E N T E C O S T A F T E R
WE MUST REFOCUS OUR VISION from the pleasures of this world
TO GODS KINGDOM AND HIS DIVINE EKONOMIA
DISPENSATION, for our Lord Jesus Christ urged us to
...Seek first the Kingdom of God and His
Righteousness, and all these things will be added to
you. (MATTHEW 6:33).
St John Chrysostom explained that our Divine Saviour
...came to do away with the Old Things, and to Call
us to a Greater Country.
Therefore He does everything to Deliver us from things
that are unnecessary, and from our affection for this
world.
For this Cause He mentioned the heathens also, saying
that the Gentiles seek after these things they whose
whole labour is for the present life, who have no
regard for the Things to come, nor any thought of
Heaven. (MATTHEW 6:32)
But to you, the Chief Things are not these that are
present, but other than these. For we were not born
for this end - that we should eat and drink and be
clothed - but that we might please God, and attain
the Good Things to come.
Therefore as things here are secondary in our Labour, so
also in our Prayer let them be secondary. Therefore
He also said: Seek first the Kingdom of Heaven and
all these thing shall be added to you.
If we are to Struggle authentically toward our
Sanctification and Redemption, this orientation
toward and into the Heavenly Kingdom must
become paramount in us. Every act must be
considered from the perspective of that Future Life
and its attainment.
When we do not act in such a way, we reduce our
choices and our behaviour to the limited perspective
of this brief sojourn.
Rather than see the context of our behaviour, actions,
and decisions as the Eternal Life of Gods Abiding
Kingdom, we see it as the short span of this life, and
adjust our whole vision and world view accordingly.
St Innocent of Alaska commented: ...Jesus Christ, the Son
of God, came to this world in order to return to us our
lost capacity to spend Eternity in the Blissful
Presence of God. He revealed to us that all evil lies
in sin and that no one through our own efforts can
overcome the evil within ourselves and attain
Communion with God.
Sin - ingrained in our nature since the Fall - stands
between us and God like a high wall. If the Son of
God had not descended to us through His Mercy for
us, had not taken on our human nature, and had not
by His Death conquered sin, all mankind would
have perished for ever! Now, thanks to Him, those
who wish to Cleanse themselves from evil can do so
and return to God and obtain Eternal Bliss in the
Kingdom of Heaven.
Sinfulness is that self-centred outlook we have where we
seek only self-satisfaction and determine our moral
standards based on our own internal views. We
have made ourselves into little gods where we set our
own moral standards to fit with our own self-
determined ideas. We ignore God and His
Teachings as revealed to us and as taught by the
Church.
We have forgotten that we are Called to surrender to
God, to give up our self-centeredness, to humbly
and willingly obey God as our Lord s Prayer states:
...Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven...
SPIRITUAL WARFARE AND THE FULFILMENT OF GODS WILL FOR
THE SAKE OF OUR ETERNAL SALVATION INVOLVES A VERY
REAL AND CONTINUOUS SPIRITUAL STRUGGLE AGAINST EVIL
FORCES. To combat them WE NEED DIVINE HELP FROM
GOD AND SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE AND ASSISTANCE, WHICH
CAN ONLY BE FOUND IN HIS HOLY CHURCH.
When we recognize our sinfulness we commit ourselves
more wholly to our Lord, Who makes Life in Christ
possible, as WE ARE RECONCILED WITH GOD AND BECOME THE
FRUIT OF HIS DIVINE WILL AND THE CREATED GLORY OF HIS
ETERNAL, GLORIOUS KINGDOM.
FATHER (DEACON) MATTHEW STEENBERG
HTTP://ORTHODOXWAYOFLIFE.BLOGSPOT.CO.ZA
THE EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS 17 SEPTEMBER 2017
 Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa
Archdiocese of Good Hope
All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy
Spirit, now and forever, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen. Remembering also our
Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glorious Lady, Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever
Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another
and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.

23 September 2017
Conception of St John the Baptist & Forerunner
Also the Feast of St Raidos (Irais/Rhais) of Alexandria - St Xanthippe & St
Polyxene of Spain St Nicholas, New Martyr St John the New Martyr of
Konitsa St Andrew, St John, St Peter & St Antoninos of Syracuse & Africa

FESTAL APOLYTIKION - CONCEPTION OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST - TONE 4

I proin ou tiktousa, stira efranthiti. Idou gar sinelaves Rejoice, O Barren One, who had not given birth; for
Iliou lihnon safos, fotizin ton mellonta, pasan tin behold Thou hast conceived clearly the one who is the
ikoumenin, avlepsia nosousan. Horeve Zaharia, Dawn of the Sun Who was about to Illuminate the
ekvoon parrisia: Profitis tou Ipsistou, estin O Mellon whole Universe, blighted with blindness. Shout with
tiktesthe! Joy, O Zacharias, crying in favour: Verily, the one to be
born is a Prophet of the High!
SEASONAL KONTAKION - THEOTOKOS
Prostasia ton Hristianon akateskhinte, mesitia pros ton O Protector of the Christians unashamed, Mediator to
Piitin ametathete, mi Paridis, amartolon Deiseon the Creator Immovable, despise not, the pleading
fonas, alla profthason os Agathi, is tin voithian imon, voices of those in sin, but hasten O Good One, to the
ton Pistos kravgazonton Si: Tahinon is Presvian, aid of all who in Faith cry out to Thee: hasten Thine
ke spefson is ikesian, i prostatevousa ai, Theotoke, ton Intercession, and present Thy Supplication, O
Timonton Se. Theotokos who always protects those who honour
Thee!
FESTAL PROKEIMENON PSALM 63 - TONE(7) VARYS/GRAVE
The Righteous shall be glad in the Lord.
Hear, O God, my voice!
THE EPISTLE OF ST PAUL TO THE GALATIANS 4:22-27
LIKE ST ISAAC, ST JOHN WAS A CHILD OF PROMISE (FOR DIVINE PURPOSE)
Brethren: It is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a Bondwoman and the other by a Freewoman. But he
who was of the Bondwoman was born according to the flesh - he of the Freewoman through Promise, which things
are symbolic.
These are the two Covenants: the one from Mount Sinai, which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar for this Hagar
is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem, which now is - in bondage with her children. The
Jerusalem Above is free, which is the Mother of us all.
It is written: Rejoice, O Barren, you who do not bear! Break forth and shout, you who are not in labour! For the
desolate has many more Children than she who has a husband.
By saying that ABRAHAMS TWO SONS AND RELATED EVENTS ARE The desolate are THOSE IN THE CHURCH, especially the
SYMBOLIC St Paul was not implying that they are not Gentiles - the Christians many of whom had
HISTORICAL FACTS. formerly stumbled about IN SPIRITUAL DARKNESS
He asserted or confirmed that OLD COVENANT HISTORY UNTIL THEIR CONVERSION TO THE DIVINE TRUTH AND
ANNOUNCED SOMETHING FAR GREATER THAN ITSELF . ENLIGHTENMENT OF CHRISTS HOLY GOSPEL.
Hagar and Mount Sinai symbolise EARTHLY JERUSALEM She who has a Husband refers TO (OLD) ISRAEL - THE
AND THE HEBREWS WHO WAS UNDER THE LAW OF GOD HEBREW NATION CHOSEN BY GOD.
THE O LD C OVENANT BETWEEN G OD AND MANKIND - SARAH WAS SIMILAR TO OUR LADY, THE EVER BLESSED
THE D IVINE P URPOSE OF WHICH WAS TO PREPARE H IS THEOTOKOS, BECAUSE SARAHS SON ISAAC WAS BORN THROUGH
C HOSEN P EOPLE I SRAEL FOR THE C OMING OF THE A DIVINE PROMISE - THE ANNUNCIATION OF WHICH WAS
M ESSIAH the Incarnation of the Son of God, Who is PROCLAIMED TO HER BY AN ANGEL OF GOD most probably
our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. ARCHANGEL GABRIEL who always announces Gods

BEING ENSLAVED TO OTHERS AND BEARING AN ILLEGITIMATE Good News to us throughout the ages.
CHILD, HAGAR ALSO REPRESENTED THOSE WHO WERE
St John Chrysostom wrote that ISAAC ...was the issue
OUTSIDE THE HOLY COVENANT WITH GOD THE GENTILES of bodies that were dead, and of a womb that
AND/OR PAGANS WHO WERE ENSLAVED BY SIN EITHER was dead. His conception was not by the flesh,
WILFULLY OR INVOLUNTARILY. nor his birth by the seed, for the womb was dead
SARAH, A FREE WOMAN WHO WAS (LEGALLY) MARRIED both through age and barrenness. But THE W ORD
ACCORDING TO THE OLD COVENANT AND IN THE SIGHT OF OF G OD FASHIONED HIM ... H E WHO WAS NOT
GOD, SYMBOLISED THE HEAVENLY JERUSALEM - THE HOLY ACCORDING TO THE FLESH WAS MORE HONOURABLE
CHURCH OF CHRIST AND THE NEW COVENANT WITH GOD THAN HE THAT WAS BORN AFTER THE FLESH . Therefore
which is a natural continuation of our human let it not disturb you that you were not born after
Spiritual Progress towards Eternity. the flesh. For from the very reason that you are
B Y CONTINUOUSLY REPENTING OUR SINS AND LEARNING TO not so born, you are most of all Abrahams
AVOID TEMPTATIONS , WE FAITHFULLY FOLLOW AND Kindred.
IMITATE OUR L ORD J ESUS C HRIST W HO HAS TAUGHT US T HROUGH OUR H OLY BAPTISM AND C HRISMATION , WE HAVE
D IVINE T RUTH , WHICH ENABLES US TO SLOWLY REGAIN BECOME THE ADOPTED H EIRS TO G OD S H EAVENLY
OUR L IKENESS TO G OD AND THUS BECOME WORTHY K INGDOM WE ARE THE N EW I SRAEL THE N EW
C ITIZENS IN H IS ETERNAL K INGDOM OF L OVE . P EOPLE OF G OD .
CONCEPTION OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST & FORERUNNER TO CHRIST OUR SAVIOUR 23 SEPTEMBER 2017 23.
 A bondswoman was A SLAVE WHO MAY HAVE BEEN Women would never dare to speak directly to any man
CAPTURED as a spoil of battle when victorious unless they were addressed first. Then, with the
armies took possession of whatever they wanted permission of a male relative, perhaps they would be
from those they had killed or defeated. allowed to respond, but usually everything would be
S OMETIMES PEOPLE WERE ENSLAVED AS A CONSEQUENCE OF AN addressed through a male relative.
UNPAYABLE DEBT OWED TO SOMEONE ELSE . It was most dangerous in so many aspects for any
N OT ONLY THE DEBTOR BUT THEIR ENTIRE FAMILY WOULD BE woman to be seen conversing with a man in public,
ENSLAVED BY THOSE TO WHOM THE DEBT WAS OWED AND unless she was in the strict custody of a male relative.
THEY COULD BE SOLD TO OTHERS OR WORK FOR THE OUR L ORD J ESUS CHRIST LIBERATED WOMEN,
CREDITOR UNTIL THE DEBT HAD BEEN PAID . INSTRUCTING MEN TO LOVE THEIR WIVES AND SONS TO
S LAVES HAD NO RIGHTS and could be BOUGHT OR SOLD, taken RESPECT THEIR MOTHERS .
or left behind. They were regarded as BEING LESS
HE SPOKE TO WOMEN PUBLICLY AND OPENLY, ALLOWING THEM
IMPORTANT THAN THE LIVESTOCK and were barely more TO SIT AND LISTEN to what He had to say.
significant than mere household utensils.
When HE TAUGHT US TO L OVE THY NEIGHBOUR AS THYSELF
Women, generally, existed ACCORDING TO THE WILL AND He meant that each of us was to TREAT EVERYONE
DESIRES of men, who SELDOM TREATED them WITH EQUAL ELSE WITH THE EXACT SAME U NCONDITIONAL L OVE AND
RESPECT, MERCY OR KINDNESS. RESPECT THAT H E GRANTED TO ALL OF US - REGARDLESS
Even the role of the so-called freewomen was to serve OF NATIONALITY , GENDER OR FAITH !
the male population, to bear and nurture children for OUR L ORD J ESUS C HRIST MADE EVERY WOMAN A TRULY
the next generation, while taking care of all the FREEWOMAN THROUGH H IS DIVINE T EACHINGS, L OVE ,
household duties and the much valued livestock. G RACE , G IFTS , U LTIMATE S ACRIFICE AND H EAVENLY
WOMEN WERE EXPECTED TO ANTICIPATE AND TO FULFIL ALL P ROMISE.
REQUIREMENTS OF THE MALE POPULATION, without S T P AUL CONTINUOUSLY REMINDED ALL F AITHFUL C HRISTIANS
disturbing or interfering with their enjoyment of life. OF OUR T RUE F REEDOM IN C HRIST .
THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST LUKE 1:5 - 25
ST JOHNS APPROACHING BIRTH IS ANNOUNCED TO ST ZACHARIAS
At that time, there was in the days of Herod, the King of Judea, a certain Priest named Zacharias, of the Division of
Abijah, and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. They were both Righteous before
God, walking blameless in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord. And they had no child, because
Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.
While he was serving as Priest before God in the Order of his Division, according to the custom of the Priesthood, his lot
fell to burn Incense when he went into the Temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people was praying
outside at the Hour of Incense. Then an Angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the Altar of
Incense. And Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. The Angel said to him: Do not
fear, Zacharias, for Thy Prayer has been heard. And your wife Elizabeth will bear Thee a son, and Thou shalt name
him John. And you will have Joy and Gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. He will be great in the Sight of
the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. And he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his
Mothers womb. And he will turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will also go before Him in
the spirit and power of Elijah, ...to turn the hearts of the Fathers to the Children... and the disobedient to the Wisdom
of the Just, to make ready a People prepared for the Lord.
And Zacharias said to the Angel: How shall I know this? I am an old man, and my Wife is well advanced in years. And
the Angel answered and said to him: I am Gabriel, who stands in the Presence of God, and was sent to speak to
Thee and bring Thee these Glad Tidings. And behold! Thou wilt be mute and unable to speak until the day these
things take place. Thou did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their own time.
And the people waited for Zacharias. And they marvelled that he lingered so long in the Temple. When he came out,
he could not speak to them. And they perceived that he had seen a Vision in the Temple. And he beckoned to
them and remained speechless. And when the days of his Service were completed, he departed to his own house.
After those days, Elizabeth, his wife, conceived. And she hid herself five months saying, Thus has the Lord dealt with
me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.
St Luke was the only Evangelist who provided information THE ARCHANGEL GABRIEL, THE BEARER OF GOOD NEWS, PROMISED, ON
about the birth and infancy of St John the Baptist, BEHALF OF GOD, THAT ST ZACHARIAS AND ST ELIZABETH WOULD
Forerunner to Jesus Christ. HAVE A SON WHO MUST BE NAMED JOHN, WHICH MEANS THE
ST ZACHARIAS AND ST ELIZABETH WERE A RIGHTEOUS COUPLE OF A GRACE OF GOD.
PRIESTLY LINEAGE, LIVING ALWAYS TO FULFIL GODS WILL. Archangel Gabriel described THE CHARACTER AND ROLE OF ST
ST ELIZABETH, like other significant women of the Old JOHN THE BAPTIST
Covenant, such as Sarah, Rebecca, Hannah and others,  HE WOULD LIVE AN ASCETIC LIFE AS A PROPHET
was barren and beyond the age or possibility of child-  HE WOULD PREPARE THE JEWISH NATION FOR THE COMING
bearing. OF THE MESSIAH.
DUE TO THE FACT THAT SHE HAD REMAINED CHILDLESS THROUGHOUT St Elijah was one of the greatest Prophets of Israel and he
HER MARRIAGE, SHE WAS SOCIALLY DISGRACED because in those was expected to reappear from Heaven in order to
times INFERTILITY WAS UNACCEPTABLE - it was A REPROACH Anoint the Messiah.
AMONG PEOPLE. ST ZACHARIAS INDICATED A LACK OF FAITH IN GOD BY QUESTIONING
Each Priest who served at the Holy Temple was assigned to a WHAT ARCHANGEL GABRIEL ANNOUNCED.
specific Division of the Temple. When Abram had heard Gods Promise of a son announced
There were 24 Divisions in all and each Priest served a week by the Angel, he believed in the Lord - without any
at a time by rotation. hesitation or doubt, with total trust and Faith in the Lord.
The responsibilities of the Priests in each Division were However, ST ZACHARIAS WAS DISCIPLINED FOR HIS UNBELIEF BY
decided by lot. LOSING HIS ABILITY TO SPEAK UNTIL EIGHT DAYS AFTER THE BIRTH
ST ZACHARIAS HAD OFTEN PRAYED FOR A SON AND NOW, FINALLY, IN HIS OF HIS SON, JOHN.
LATE YEARS OF LIFE, HIS PRAYERS WERE ANSWERED AS ALWAYS, This punishment of St Zacharias also A SIGN AND CONFIRMATION
ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD ALONE AND FOR HIS DIVINE OF THE TRUTH OF ARCHANGEL GABRIELS ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE
PURPOSE, which we seldom understand until much later FORERUNNER TO CHRIST our Saviour and THE LAST BUT
or quite often, never understand! GREATEST OF ALL THE OLD COVENANT PROPHETS OF GOD.

THE INSPIRED, ETERNAL WISDOM OF ST PAISIOS OF MOUNT ATHOS

We ought to Struggle to uproot the major passions, mind of the hard-hearted dwells on His Judgment
since by uprooting a big passion, many other small and on the Retribution - each analogously.
sins are also uprooted.
Humility and Love there you have it! This is
The mind of those who are selfless dwells more on the everything!
Love of God and on His Sacrifice for us, while the

24. CONCEPTION OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST & FORERUNNER TO CHRIST OUR SAVIOUR 23 SEPTEMBER 2017
 Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa
Archdiocese of Good Hope
All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and
unto the Ages of ages. Amen. Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glorious
Lady, Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one
another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.

Tone (7) Varys/Grave 24 September 2017

th st
16 Sunday After Pentecost 1 Sunday of St Luke
THE MIRACULOUS CATCH
The Feast of the Holy Icon of our Lady, Theotokos of the Myrtle Tree of Kithyra St Thekla the
Great Holy Martyr St Silouan of Mount Athos Synaxis of All Saints of Alaska St Peter the
Aleut St Juvenal the Protomartyr of America & Alaska St Nikon the Hermit of Pskov St
Galakteon of Vologda St Copres of Palestine St Abramios, Abbot, of Mirozh (Transfiguration)
Monastery, Pskov St Vladislav & St Stephen, Holy Kings of Serbia St Dorothy of Kashin St Simon & St David of
Serbia the Holy Miracle Working, Tear Streaming Icon of our Lady, Theotokos of the Mirozh Monastery.

RESURRECTION GOSPEL 5- LUKE 24 : 12 - 35

RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION TONE (7) VARYS/GRAVE

Katelisas to Stavro Sou ton Thanaton. Ineoxas to listi ton By Thy Cross Thou destroyed Death; Thou opened
Paradison. Ton Miroforon ton thrinon metevales ke tis Paradise to the Thief; Thou changed the funeral wail
sis Apostolis kirittin epetaxas, oti Anestis, Hriste O of the Myrrh-bearing Women, and Commanded them
Theos, parehon to kosmo to Mega Eleos. to announce to Thine Apostles that Thou had Risen
from the dead, O Christ our God, Who bestows upon
the world Great Mercy.
FESTAL APOLYTIKION (MENAION) THEOTOKOS TONE 4
Lai nin krotisomen, defte tas hiras Pistos, ke asomen All you people, come, let us clap our hands, and sing
asmasi, ti Theomitori,en potho kravgazontes. Here, i Sacred Songs to Her who is the Mother of God, and
Prostasia panton ton deomenon! Here i Sotria ton longingly cry loudly: Hail, O Protection of all who
timonton Se ptho! Here i to paralito tin iasin vravefsasa! Entreat Thee! Hail, O Salvation of those who honour
Thee with longing! Hail, O Lady, who restored the
paralysed man to health!
FESTAL APOLYTIKION - ST THEKLA THE GREAT MARTYR TONE 4
I amnos Sou, Iisou, krazi megali ti foni: Se Nimfie mou Thy Lamb, O Lord Jesus, cries to Thee with a great voice:
potho, ke Se Zitousa athlo, ke sistavroume, ke O my Bridegroom, Thee I Love; and seeking Thee, I now
sinthaptome to Vaptismo Sou. Ke Pasho dia Se, os contest, and with Thy Baptism am crucified and buried.
Vasilefso sin Si. Ke thnisko iper Sou, ina ke ziso en Si. I suffer for Thy sake, that I may reign with Thee; for
All os thisian amomon, prosdehou tin meta pothou Thy sake I die, that I may live in Thee: accept me
tithisan Si. Aftis Presvies, os eleimon, soson tas psihas offered out of longing to Thee as a spotless sacrifice.
imon. Lord, save our souls through her Intercessions, since
Thou art great in Mercy.
FESTAL APOLYTIKION (MENAION) ST THEKLA TONE 3
Thiou kryrikos didaskalias, potho ktistou Sou anaflehthisa, All aflame with Love for Thy Creator, from the Teaching
ton geiron os reonton ilogisas,. Ke seaftin ieron of the Holy Preacher, Thou disgraced as fleeting all
kalliergima, to Theo dousa pinon katetolmisas. Thekla things mundane. And, beng bold when confronted by
Endoxe, Pavlou tou Thiou sinekdime, ton Son Nimfion penalties, Thou offered Thyself as a Beautiful Gift to
Hriston iketeve, dorisasthe imin to Mega Eleos. God. O Thekla, Glorious Companion of Apostle Paul,
we pray Thee to Entreat Thy Bridegroom, Christ, to
grant us His Great Mercy.
SEASONAL KONTAKION - THEOTOKOS
Prostasia ton Hristianon akateskhinte, mesitia pros ton O Protector of the Christians unashamed, Mediator to the
Piitin ametathete, mi Paridis, amartolon Deiseon fonas, Creator Immovable: despise not, the pleading voices of
alla profthason os Agathi, is tin voithian imon, ton those in sin, but hasten O Good One, to the aid of all
Pistos kravgazonton Si: Tahinon is Presvian, ke who in Faith cry out to Thee: hasten Thine
spefson is ikesian, i prostatevousa ai, Theotoke, ton Intercession, and present Thy Supplication, O
Timonton Se. Theotokos who always protects those who honour
Thee!
PROKEIMENON PSALM 67/68 TONE 4
Wondrous is God in His Saints!
In the churches, Bless the God, the Lord of the Fountain of Israel.
THE SECOND EPISTLE OF ST PAUL TO ST TIMOTHY 3 : 10 - 15
Timothy, my son, you have carefully followed my Doctrine, manner of life, Purpose, Faith, Longsuffering, Love,
Perseverance, persecutions and afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra what persecutions
I endured and out of them all, our Lord Delivered me. And all who desire a Godly Life in Christ Jesus will suffer
persecution. Evil men and imposters will go from bad to worse deceivers and deceived!
You must continue in what you have learnt, and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learnt them, and how
from childhood you have known Holy Scripture, which are able to instruct you for Salvation through Faith in Christ
Jesus our Lord.

16TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 1ST OF ST LUKE THE MIRACULOUS CATCH 24 SEPTEMBER 2017 25.
The Life of St Paul exhibited exactly what our Lord Jesus THE ORAL AND WRITTEN SACRED TEACHINGS of Christ our
Christ taught us ... if they persecuted Me, they will Lord and Saviour. (READ MATTHEW 28:16-20; 1 CORINTHIANS
also persecute you. If they kept My Word, they will 11: 2; 2 THESSALONIANS 2:25 & 3:6)
keep yours also... (JOHN 15:20) HOLY SCRIPTURE IS ONLY A SMALL PART OF OUR COMPLETE
In other words, THIS FALLEN, CORRUPT WORLD PERSECUTES HOLY ORTHODOX TEACHING.
THOSE WHO STRIVE TO LIVE IN CHRIST i.e. those who In order to receive and to acquire THE FULL ORTHODOX
CEASELESSLY ENGAGE IN SPIRITUAL WARFARE against all sin FAITH (i.e. as TAUGHT AND REVEALED BY CHRIST AND HIS
and temptations of the evil one. APOSTLES, AND THEIR ORDAINED SUCCESSORS) WE ALSO NEED
Having exhorted St Timothy with the example of his own VERBAL INSTRUCTIONS, HYMNS AND THE WRITINGS OF OUR
Steadfastness, St Paul then reminded him of THE DEPTH HOLY FATHERS.
OF ST TIMOTHYS FAITHFUL TRAINING, WHICH COMBINED BOTH
THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST LUKE 5: 1 11
THE MIRACULOUS CATCH
At that time, as our Lord Jesus stood by the Lake of Gennesaret He beheld two boats standing by the Lake. The
Fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets.
He got into one of the boats, which was Simons, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And sitting down, He
taught the multitudes from the boat.
When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon: Launch into the deep, and let down your nets for a catch. And
Simon answered and said to Him: Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless, at Thy Word I
will let down the net.
And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish. Their net was breaking. And they signalled to their
partners in the other boat to help them. And they came, and filled both boats, until they began to sink. Seeing,
Simon Peter fell down before Jesus Knees, saying: Depart from me for I am a sinful man, O Lord!
He and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish, which they had taken, as well as James and John,
the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon: Do not fear! Henceforth you will
catch men.
And when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook everything and followed Him.
Lake Gennesaret is also known as the Sea of Galilee. It is OURSELVES - TO THE DEEP MYSTERY OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE
about 13 miles long and 7 miles wide. SON OF GOD.
Sitting was the traditional position for a Teacher (Rabbi) OUR LORD, in His All Knowing Wisdom, DRAWS HUMANITY TO
who held a position of honour and respect amongst HIMSELF BY MEANS OF THE THINGS THAT ARE FAMILIAR TO US:
His Disciples. the Magi were drawn to Him by means of the
The Name of our Lord Jesus (Joshua) means O Lord, Mysterious Star; Tax Collectors were drawn to Him by
Save! This refers to His Role as OUR DIVINE SAVIOUR. a Tax Collector, and various types of sinners were
The Holy Title Christ means Anointed One thus we drawn to Him, ALL REPENTING THEIR SINS AFTER HAVING
understand the Christ as referring to the long- WITNESSED OTHERS IN SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES, REACTING TO
awaited Messiah Who is filled with the Holy Spirit. THE COMPASSIONATE LOVE AND GREAT MERCY OF OUR
Although GOD THE SON IS THE ONLY ONE OF THE THREE SAVIOUR.
PERSONS OF THE HOLY TRINITY TO BECOME INCARNATE to Christ drew these humble Fishermen to Him by means of
become Man HE FULFILS THE DIVINE WILL OF GOD THE this Miraculous Catch.
FATHER BY THE POWER AND ENERGY OF GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT.  1 CORINTHIANS 9: ... God is Faithful by Whom you were
The Will of the Father, through His Son, by the Power and Called into the Fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ
Energy of the Holy Spirit Saves, Renews, Regenerates our Lord.
and Restores humanity perpetually working towards the St (Simon) Peters exclamation: Depart from me for I am
Restoration and Perfection of our created state in the a sinful man, O Lord! is A CRY THAT WAS COMPELLED BY
Image and Likeness of God. mp BEING CONFRONTED BY SUCH DIVINE POWER. It was not a
rejection of our Lord Jesus.
THE HOLY TRINITY ALWAYS WORKS IN PERFECT UNISON and is
Rather, BEING SUDDENLY CAST INTO THE DIVINE LIGHT OF CHRIST,
never separate from each Personality and Their
pious PEOPLE like St Peter BECOME KEENLY AWARE OF THEIR
Divine Attributes.
OWN UNWORTHINESS.
The Holy Trinity is ONE GODHEAD Who is INSEPARABLE,
It is almost A CRY OF SPIRITUAL PAIN from the humble,
INDIVISIBLE AND ETERNAL.
impulsive Fisherman who would soon become one of
OUR LORD JESUS BECAME MAN being BORN INTO THE HEBREW
the greatest Holy Apostles of Christ.
NATION, from THE LINEAGE OF THE ANCIENT PATRIARCH
The Miraculous Catch is AN IMAGE OF THE FUTURE APOSTLES
ABRAHAM, who is the ANCESTRAL FATHER of all Jews, AND
WHO WOULD BRING MILLIONS OF IMMORTAL SOULS TO THE
OF KING DAVID who was ISRAELS GREATEST PROTOTYPE OF
KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.
OUR ROYAL MESSIAH.
THIS MIRACULOUS CATCH FULFILS THE ANCIENT PROPHECY
CHRISTS ANCESTRY according to His Flesh His human
 J E R E M I A H 1 6 : 1 6 Behold: I will send many
Nature from Theotokos - INCLUDES BOTH THE RIGHTEOUS
Fishermen, and they will fish them. After this, I
AND THE WICKED.
will send many hunters, and they will hunt them
Thus HE IDENTIFIES COMPLETELY WITH OUR HUMAN CONDITION,
upon every mountain, upon every hill, and out of
which He voluntarily took on Himself WITH THE
the holes of the rocks.
EXCEPTION OF OUR NATURAL ABILITY AND INCLINATION TO SIN.
In the Festal Hymn of Pentecost we sing to Christ:
St Ambrose regarded the Spiritual Meaning of our Lords
Through the Fishermen, Thou drew the world to
instruction: Launch into the deep... as a Divine
Thee.
Invitation TO GIVE OUR LIFE OVER TO SURRENDER OR ENTRUST
16TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 1ST SUNDAY OF ST LUKE THE MIRACULOUS CATCH
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the doubts, THEY CAST THEIR NETS, AND MADE A MIRACULOUS
Holy Spirit... CATCH THAT NEARLY BROKE THE NETS, AND FILLED TWO BOATS
Brethren in Christ: Todays Sacred Lesson, tells us about TO CAPACITY threatening to sink them!
our Lord Jesus Christ and three humble, hardworking That huge haul of fish caused St Peter to fall down before
FISHERMEN - ST PETER, ST JAMES, AND ST JOHN - WHO HAD our Divine Saviour and confess: Depart from me for I
BEEN CASTING THEIR NETS ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT WITHOUT am a sinful man, O Lord!
HAVING CAUGHT ANY FISH AT ALL. NO ONE HAD EVER SEEN SUCH AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF FISH
Our Lord had stood in one of the boats and taught His CAUGHT IN BRIGHT DAYLIGHT NOR AT NIGHT when the nets
Divine Message to the gathered people on shore, and were almost invisible and the catch was easier!
WHEN HE HAD FINISHED HIS PREACHING, HE TURNED HIS All the Fishermen who witnessed the Miraculous Catch
ATTENTION TO THESE THREE FISHERMEN WHO WERE BUSY and who had hastened to help bring it ashore were
CLEANING AND MENDING THEIR NETS. stunned but Christ calmly said: Do not fear!
AT OUR LORD'S BIDDING, THEY RETURNED TO THEIR BOATS AND, Henceforth, you will catch men.
PUTTING THEIR FAITH IN HIM, WENT OUT EVEN FURTHER TO THE
DEEPEST PART OF THE LAKE AND, despite their initial

26. 1 6 T H S U N D A Y A F T E R P E N T E C O S T 1 S T OF ST LUKE THE MIRACULOUS CATCH 24 SEPTEMBER 2017

When our Lord Jesus Christ had initially told them to let
down their nets once again, ST PETER, WHO WAS AN
EXPERIENCED FISHERMAN, KNEW IT WAS UNLIKELY THAT ANY
FISH WOULD BE CAUGHT IN THE BRIGHT, SUNLIT WATERS.
They had fished all night, as they usually did, but had not
caught even one little fish, so St Peter knew it would
be a waste of time and effort to cast the nets again.
Nevertheless, BECAUSE CHRIST COMMANDED THAT THEY DO SO,
THEY OBEYED (with reservations, of course.)
THIS WAS HOW OUR LORD JESUS TAUGHT HIS DISCIPLES TO TRUST
HIM - even when it seemed a waste of time, even
when it seemed foolish, even if they thought they
knew better!
THEIR HUMBLE OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST WAS IMMEDIATELY
REWARDED by that Miraculous Catch that would be
followed by so many more wondrous Divine Miracles!
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST WANTS US TO PUT OUR TRUST IN HIM AND
TO OBEY HIS COMMANDMENTS AND HIS TEACHINGS, EVEN
THOUGH IT MAY SOMETIMES SEEM IMPOSSIBLE OR ILLOGICAL.
When serious illness or chronic ailments overwhelm us
with much pain and suffering that causes us to
despair, to become despondent, to lose our courage
and hope, we must HOLD ON TIGHTLY TO OUR LORD GOD.
We must TRUST OUR SAVIOUR IMPLICITLY, BELIEVING KNOWING
- THAT WE ARE BEING TESTED AND SPIRITUAL STRENGTHENED
IN OUR WEAKEST, MOST HUMBLE MOMENTS.
We must BE ENCOURAGED by the certainty that EVERYTHING WE
SUFFER NOW, WILL PASs, and we will soon be BLESSED BY
GODS GREAT MERCY AND GRACE.
The second significant Sacred Lesson of today is that
although we may fail when we try to accomplish
certain things, WE MUST NEVER CEASE NOR GIVE UP OUR
WORTHY EFFORTS.
Having laboured all night long without any success, St
Peter and the other Fishermen, had given up and
surrendered to their failure.
However, our Lord Jesus Christ showed them how to net a
great haul of fish by GOING OUT TO THE DEPTHS THEY
USUALLY AVOIDED OUT OF FEAR of sinking or drowning and
to do so during the bright light of day.
When we surrender to our fears, doubts or Spiritual
Weaknesses, WE ARE OFTEN DEFEATED EVEN BEFORE TRYING
to succeed or to see how or what we can achieve
despite any apparent obstacles.
WHEN WE PERSIST IN OUR SPIRITUAL STRUGGLES OR OUR PHYSICAL
STRIVINGS, WE WILL EVENTUALLY BE VICTORIOUS AND
TRIUMPHANT.
THE EVIL ONE ALWAYS DISCOURAGES, MISLEADS AND DECEIVES US
ESPECIALLY WHENEVER OUR ENDEAVOURS ARE WORTHY.
It is highly significant that when St Peter confessed his
unworthiness and sinfulness, OUR LORD JESUS seemed
rather unconcerned and REASSURED HIM: Fear not...
OUR COMPASSIONATE CREATOR CLEARLY SEES every heart and
soul. Far better than us, HE KNOWS EVERY SIN HIDDEN DEEP
WITHIN US.
Therefore, OUR LORD ALREADY KNEW THAT ST PETER'S HUMBLE
CONFESSION PROVED HIS DEEP CONTRITION AND THAT HE HAD
ALREADY PLUCKED OUT AND REPENTED HIS SINS, and was
eager to follow a different Path.
St Bede believed that our ... Lord soothes the fears of the
unspiritual man so that no man need be fearful in his
conscience because of his own past guilt; or,
confounded at the sight of the innocence of others, be
discouraged in setting out himself on the road to
Sanctity."
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST LOVES US ALL and regardless of our
past sins and offences, WANTS US ALL TO TURN HUMBLY TO
HIM.
CHRIST IS UNCONCERNED WITH SINS THAT HAVE BEEN CONFESSED
AND REPENTED.
This Gospel Lesson also teaches us about THE DIVINE POWER
OF OUR LORD GOD Who possesses Absolute Dominion
over all of His Creation, and can and does work
Miracles.
The Old and New Testaments - and the Life of the Saints
as well as the history of Christianity - are filled with
INNUMERABLE ACCOUNTS OF DIVINE MIRACLES,
Lives that were thought to be LOST ARE SAVED. SUFFERING,
DESTITUTION AND DISTRESS ARE TRANSFORMED INTO
BLESSEDNESS. Nations threatened by certain
catastrophe are SAVED BY DIVINE INTERVENTION.
16TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 1ST OF ST LUKE THE MIRACULOUS CATCH 24 SEPTEMBER 2017
Generally, such DIVINE MIRACLES ARE AS A RESULT OF MUCH
PRAYER AND STEADFAST FAITH, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY
CORRESPOND TO GOD'S PLAN AND PURPOSE for mankind as a
whole, and for each of us as individual souls.
We are not promised any Rewards in this preparatory
lifespan but WE LIVE IN HOPE for them in Eternity.
Our Lord Jesus Christ did, however, REWARD THE OBEDIENCE
AND FAITH OF THE FISHERMEN WITH THAT SIGNIFICANT AND
ABUNDANT CATCH THAT THEY WOULD NEVER FORGET.
He also rewarded them BY CHOOSING OR CALLING THEM AS HIS
APOSTLES, which is another aspect of todays Sacred
Lesson: ... Henceforth you shall catch men."
THOSE SIMPLE, HUMBLE FISHERMEN - St Peter, St James, and St
John - became His All Wise Holy Apostles, and spent
the rest of their Life NETTING MULTITUDES OF FAITHFUL
DISCIPLES FOR HIS HOLY CHURCH.
From an earthly standpoint, this may be a questionable
Blessing, for they were wrenched from a way of life
they had always known - with which they were
comfortable and knowledgeable.
IN A RELATIVELY SHORT TIME, THESE ILLITERATE, HUMBLE
FISHERMEN WERE CHARGED WITH THE GREAT, SACRED TASK OF
BRINGING WHOLE NATIONS TO LIFE IN CHRIST TO SPIRITUAL
TRANSFORMATION!
They were simple, honest and unrefined men who were
IGNORANT OF THE WAYS OF THE WORLD, having known only
the close region that surrounded them.
Yet, Christ our Lord chose them to be THE ALL WISE LEADERS
OF HIS HOLY CHURCH.
These amazing Fishermen ...when they had brought
their boats to land, ... forsook everything and
followed... our Lord Jesus Christ from then until they
were martyred. (with the exception of St John, the
Beloved Theologian and Evangelist)
NONE OF THEM RECEIVED ANY MATERIAL REWARDS in this life for
their trouble.
Difficulties, toil, hatred, violence, and finally, torture and
death, was the price paid by these Faithful Apostles
for their Love, Humility and Obedience to Christ.
Yet, COMPELLED AND INSPIRED BY THEIR LOVE OF GOD, THEY
WILLINGLY OBEYED, AND WERE REWARDED WITH ETERNAL LIFE,
ADORNED WITH MARTYR'S CROWNS IN THE KINGDOM OF
HEAVEN, AND VENERATED BY ALL FAITHFUL DISCIPLES AS HOLY
SAINTS AND MARTYRS forever, as we commemorate and
honour them by striving to imitate their absolute
Fidelity to Christ.
Indeed, THESE HOLY FISHERMEN DID CATCH GREAT MULTITUDES
OF MANKIND IN CHRIST'S DIVINE NET so that they might be
SPIRITUALLY TRANSFORMED AND ETERNALLY SAVED.
St Gregory the Theologian told us that these "...Fishermen
are the Teachers of our Holy Church, who catch us in
the Net of Faith, and, as it were, bring us safely to the
shore - to the Land of the Living."
We, too, as simple, Obedient and Loving Orthodox
Christians, are Called to catch others for our Divine
Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Let us consider the state of the world around us... this city
in which we reside, and the cities and towns nearby.
Let us consider the frightful, fallen and ailing nature of
our wretched world... the overflowing evil that
surrounds us... the vast multitude of confused and
scared people, who dart this way and that, like
schools of fish in a deep, dark sea.
EVERYONE WOULD BE SPIRITUALLY TRANSFORMED AND WOULD LIVE
IN PEACE, LOVE AND JOY, IF AND WHEN THEY FOUND THEIR WAY
TO CHRIST OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR IN THE FULLNESS OF THE
ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN FAITH!
We need only cast forth our nets, as Christ bids us, and
we can catch others for Him, bringing them to the
Safe Harbour of our True Faith BY WITNESSING TO HIS
DIVINE TRUTH THROUGH OUR LIFE IN CHRIST BY THE GOOD
EXAMPLE OF OUR OWN WORDS, THOUGHTS AND DEEDS.
WHEN WE ARE KIND, PATIENT, COMPASSIONATE AND GENEROUS
TOWARDS OUR NEIGHBOURS, IT IS THE BEGINNING OF OUR
TESTIMONY.
WE MUST BE COMMITTED AND DETERMINED TO BECOME GOOD
EXAMPLES FOR OTHERS AS MODELS OF CHRISTIAN PIETY in our
lifestyle, our praying, by keeping the Fasts, attending
the Divine Liturgy on Feast Days and on Sundays,
and remaining close and Obedient to the Holy
Church, which will ...net a larger catch... for the Lord
our God.
27.
AS DISCIPLES OF CHRIST, WE MUST NEVER BE ASHAMED OF OUR
DIVINE SAVIOUR AND HIS HOLY CHURCH by hiding it from
others.
When our relatives, neighbours, friends or acquaintances
have no Faith in God, or if they are dissatisfied and
frustrated with their current religion, we may INVITE
THEM TO ATTEND THE DIVINE LITURGY WITH US, THEREBY
INTRODUCING THEM TO OUR ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN FAITH.
Although some people may erroneously think that
Orthodoxy Christianity is only for Greeks, Russians,
Romanians, Serbians, and so forth an ethnic or
nationalist church - nothing could be further from the
Truth!
ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY DOES NOT CONSIST
COLLECTION OF TRIBAL GROUPS!
THE EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCH (ACCORDING TO THE ANCIENT
GREEK RITE) IS THE ONE, TRUE, HOLY, UNIVERSAL CHURCH OF
OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST FOR THE ETERNAL
SALVATION OF ALL MANKIND!
Consequently, we must not be apprehensive about
sharing the exquisite Beauty and Divine Truth of
Orthodoxy with others.
WHAT DOES OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST MEAN WHEN HE SAYS: FOLLOW ME"?
When our Lord Jesus says to us: "Follow Me," what does
He expect of us?
St Luke mentioned in his Holy Gospel account of the
Calling of Christs Holy Apostles that ...they forsook
all, and followed Him." (Luke 5:11)
Does this mean we have to abandon, renounce or give
up our career, our family, our worldly possessions in
order to follow our Lord Jesus Christ?
Bishop Augoustinos of Florina answered this significant
question: ...No! For we saw that those who - like
Apostles - are Called to a special, Extraordinary
Mission do leave all these things...
However, when it comes to what is required from us who
are ordinary Disciples of Christ Bishop Augoustinos
believed: ...Besides the things that comprise one's
material goods, which everyoneeven the poorest
personhas to some degree, there is another
bountyone that is not material or visible, a wealth
that is not blessed but damnable, and which has
collected in our secret coffers by the meddling Satan.
This bounty is vice, evil, and passion...
Therefore, in order for us to follow our Beloved Divine
Saviour, WE MUST OVERCOME OUR PASSIONS - those forces
within our being thAT LEAD US TO ACT IN WAYS COUNTER TO
THE WILL OF GOD.
Passions are difficult to overcome and to eradicate!
Even when they cause us physical, mental or Spiritual
Misery, they are difficult to resist or fight against.
We become attached to our wicked passions and desire
them to such an extent, we do not easily renounce nor
reject them!
This is obviously evident in those who are addicted to
anything that is self-destructive and enslaving.
Bishop Augoustinos explains that ... the passions are the
possessions - the principle possessions - which we
are called to leave - (to renounce, reject and avoid)
from which to separate ourselves in order to follow
Christ. (LUKE 14:33)
For one to leave material goods and put them at Christ's
disposal is a praiseworthy act, but it is not as difficult
as cutting oneself from one's faults, evils, and
passions....
Passions stick to our being like a turtle's shell adheres to
its body. They compose a second nature, and evil
nature...
We need to REFLECT ON HOW THE APOSTLES LEFT EVERYTHING TO
FOLLOW CHRIST and then ask ourselves, "What have I
left for our Lord's sake?" or, "what has my Faith cost
me what have I sacrificed - up to now?"
We are not asked to give up our jobs, our retirement
savings or leave our families.
WE ARE ASKED TO GIVE UP OUR BAD HABITS. ALL OF THEM.
Bishop Augoustinos urges us to ask ourselves: ... Have I
left them all? Or have I maybe forsaken only a few
THE INSPIRED, ETERNAL WISDOM OF ELDER THADDEUS OF VITOVNICA
Our starting point is always wrong.
Instead of beginning with ourselves, as we should, we always want to change others first and ourselves last.
If everyone would begin first with themselves, then there would be Peace all around!
28. 1 6 T H S U N D A Y A F T E R P E N T E C O S T 1 S T OF
We must all STRIVE TO FOLLOW THE RIGHTEOUS PATH OF OUR
LORD JESUS CHRIST AND HIS HOLY APOSTLES so that, in
turn, we may BECOME WORTHY FISHERS OF SOULS FOR
CHRISTS DIVINE MISSION ON EARTH.
We must PUT ASIDE EVERYTHING THAT DISTRACTS US FROM OUR
REAL PURPOSE in this short life-time, which is TO PREPARE
OURSELVES FOR ETERNAL LIFE AS WORTHY CITIZEN OF GODS
HEAVENLY KINGDOM OF LOVE.
We must BE COMMITTED AND READY to abandon our earthly,
temporary and unbeneficial worldly occupations and
entertainments in order TO GIVE OUR FULL ATTENTION TO
GOD AND TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO FAITHFULLY FOLLOW OUR
LORD JESUS CHRIST, as each and EVERY ONE OF US IS
OF A CALLED TO HIS HOLY SERVICE.
Amen
+FR JAMES THORNTON, PROTECTION OF THE HOLY VIRGIN
MARY RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH, LOS ANGELES
CALIFORNIA, (1999)
HTTP ://ORTHODOXINFO.C OM/P RAXIS/THORNTON_C ATC HMEN.ASP X
bad habits which never bothered me much, and
kept certain favourite passions that I call "human
weaknesses" to ease my conscience, although the
Gospel or Christ condemns them?
Each of us must EXAMINE OURSELVES and ask ourselves these
questions REPEATEDLY AND CONTINUOUSLY.
Our Eternal Salvation is vitally important!
WE MUST NEVER THINK NOT EVEN FOR A MOMENT - just
because we say we believe in our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ THAT WE HAVE ALREADY ACQUIRED
OUR ETERNAL SALVATION!!
THE TRUE ACQUISITION OF ETERNAL SALVATION IS A SLOW,
DETERMINED SPIRITUAL PROCESS EVERY MOMENT OF THIS
LIFESPAN!!
We must BE UTTERLY COMMITTED TO OUR TRUE FAITH by the
essential SPIRITUAL STRUGGLES that DEMONSTRATE OUR
FAITH IN AND LOVE OF GOD BY OUR THOUGHTS, OUR WORDS
AND OUR DEEDS exactly like the Holy Apostles of Christ
our Lord.
OUR SALVATION SHOULD BE THE MOST IMPORTANT PRIORITY OF OUR
DAILY EXISTENCE.
When that Day of our Final Judgment suddenly
occurs, WE MUST ALL BE PROPERLY PREPARED AND READY
TO ACCOUNT FOR OUR WORDS, THOUGHTS AND DEEDS
WHICH WILL BE OUR OWN, PERSONAL, UNIQUE JUDGEMENT!!
We must always keep in mind the Parable of our Lord
Jesus Christ concerning the Ten Virgins who awaited
the Coming of our Lord the Divine Bridegroom with
their oil lamps.
Five Virgins had wisely prepared themselves for every
eventuality, and were ready when He Appeared and
thus they were able to enter together with Him and
enjoy His Blissful Kingdom.
However, the five other virgins were regarded as being
foolish for they had not prepared themselves and
thus missed the Appearance of our Lord, and failed to
enter His Kingdom.
But WORST OF ALL, was WHEN THEY CRIED OUT TO HIM AND HE
REFUSED TO INVITE THEM IN, HE SAID THOSE MOST DREADED
WORDS: I do not know you!
Bishop Augoustinos cautions us: ...Woe to us if there is
any weakness we decide not to forsake.
We will remain far from our Lord!
Is there a greater calamity than this?
Therefore with His help, let us banish every sinful
burden, and - as well-girded Soldiers - follow the
Glorious Path of the martyrs...
St John Chrysostom urged us to ...Forsake only your evil
habits, and remaining in your own homes, you can
easily be Saved."
( FOLLOW ME BY BISHOP AUGOUSTINOS OF FLORINA
HTTP://ORTHODOXWAYOFLIFE.BLOGSPOT.CO.ZA)
ST LUKE THE MIRACULOUS CATCH 24 SEPTEMBER 2017