Holy Week has begun! We’ve traveled the road from the raising of Lazarus in Bethany to Jerusalem with Jesus! He’s entering the city now, having been revealed as the Giver of Life who has power over death. He’s vanquishing the false ideas and expectations of the Jewish leaders, who in their pride and fear thought that He’d overthrow the Romans. Jesus, the Messiah, comes riding humbly, on the foal of an ass, just as the Prophet Zechariah had foretold: “Do not fear, O daughter of Zion, behold thy King cometh unto thee: He is just and having salvation… lowly and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt, the foul of an ass.” (Zech 9:9) Those with child-like faith laid a carpet of clothes before Him, waving their palms in a sign of victory. They received Him and unto them, salvation came: “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12).
Now, it’s our turn: Will we receive Him? Will we journey with Him to the cross, the grave, the resurrection? Christ God gives us in this one week the opportunity to journey with Him, to join with Him, to receive Him, experiencing all that He has endured for our sake, for our salvation, so that, experiencing His triumph over sin and death, we too may become fellow victors, uniting ourselves with Him in His passion and death, burial, and glorious resurrection on the third day.
This is the opportunity that stands before us: what will you do? I urge you as we accompany Christ into Jerusalem, to follow Him that you may be changed, deified, and glorified with Him. Nothing is more important! Our salvation is at hand!
TODAY:
- Palm Sunday with Procession at end of Divine Liturgy
- Festal TRAPEZA following Divine Liturgy (fish, wine, oil)
- FIRST BRIDEGROOM MATINS following Trapeza
THIS WEEK AT HOLY ARCHANGELS:
- April 13-20th HOLY WEEK (For details, please see handout at Entrance Table)!
- Sunday, April 19-20, 10 p.m. Saturday, HOLY PASCHA
- Sunday, April 20, 3 p.m. Sunday, AGAPE VESPERS, Gospel read in many languages!
Save the Dates:
- Saturday, April 26, 6 p.m., Great Vespers of Thomas Sunday
- Sunday, April 27, 9:30 Hours, 10 a.m., Divine Liturgy of Thomas Sunday. Fr. Robert’s Presentation on ministry and pilgrimage in ROMANIA during Trapeza.
$5,000 Matching Grant Update
We’ve been offered a $5,000 matching grant by an anonymous donor, the goal of which we must reach by Pascha. Please forward the weekly email to friends and family to help us spread the word to meet this challenge! Non-pledged donations will go to help meet this goal.
Prayer Requests:
- That God may grow our Mission “in spirit and in numbers…”
- For God’s financial provision for our Mission and ACM;
- For our Mission that we may find a Choir Director;
- Archpriest George, Archpriest Michael, Priest John, Dcn. Basil, Rdr. John, Benedict, Colette, Mary, Carol, Katherine, James, Daniel, Sarah, Seraphim, Patricia, George, Anne, the Church in Georgia and Romania as they address the relativism of the West, speaking the truth in love, our suffering Orthodox brethren in Syria, a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Ukraine.
Troparion Tone 1
By raising Lazarus from the dead before Your Passion,
You confirmed the universal resurrection, O Christ God.
Like the children with the palms of victory,
we cry out to You, O Vanquisher of Death: // “Hosanna in the highest!//
Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord!”
Troparion Tone 4
When we were buried with You in baptism, O Christ God,
we were made worthy of eternal life by your Resurrection.
Now we praise You and sing: // “Hosanna in the highest!//
Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord!”
Troparion (Holy Archangels) Tone 4
Commanders of the heavenly hosts, // we who are unworthy beseech you:
by your prayers encompass us beneath the wings of your immaterial glory,
and faithfully preserve us who fall down and cry to you://
“Deliver us from all harm, for you are the Commanders of the Powers on high!”
Kontakion Tone 6
Sitting on Your throne in Heaven, // carried on a foal on earth, O Christ God,
accept the praise of angels and the songs of children, who sing://
“Blessed is He Who comes to recall Adam!”
