Tomorrow we begin the Great Feast of Pascha, Lent. We put our earthly cares and distractions aside to journey with Christ, to be with Christ. We fast and pray as He did before facing and defeating the Devil so that we may do the same. We make the most of this ‘spiritual hospital’ so that we can take several steps forward in faith, growing in the knowledge and love of God in union with Him. We do so to focus on Him and the healing of our souls. Our tools are prayer, fasting, repentance, the giving of alms, the divine services—particularly the Presanctified Liturgies on Wednesdays, in addition to Great Vespers and the Divine Liturgy on the weekends, and the Prayer of St. Ephraim. We struggle vigorously with our passions, making the most of the Sacrament of Confession to give our sins over to Christ, learning to trust Him more and experience His forgiveness, restoration, the cleansing of our souls. That we may purify ourselves inwardly as we begin the Fast, Christ has as our starting place, forgiveness. We acknowledge before God and one another the spiritual pollution of our sins. We ask forgiveness that we, in turn, may find forgiveness from our Lord. It does us no good to fast and pray if we are not prostrating our hearts before God AND our fellow man. Metropolitan Kallistos Ware says, “The fast without mutual love, is the fast of demons!” So, we hope, we pray, we struggle, we worship, we fast, that we may arrive at Holy Pascha changed, transformed more into the likeness of Christ our God In Christ, Fr. Robert+
Important: 2018 Pledges and Commitments: If you have not yet offered your commitment for 2018, PLEASE place it in the offering box today. As of now we have $2500 total in monthly commitments. We need $3,500. To all for whom this Mission is dear, please give generously so we can continue to pay rent and other necessary expenses to provide for our church and her growth. “Let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver” (II Cor. 9:7). Thank you & thanks be to God! The Mission Council
THIS WEEK at HOLY ARCHANGELS
- TODAY, 9:30 Hours, 10, Divine Liturgy, Trapeza of Cheesefare, Expulsion from Paradise, Vespers of Forgiveness with Rite of Forgiveness (Liturgical Entrance into Lent) following Trapeza
- CLEAN Monday, Feb. 19—Beginning of the Great FAST, 6:30 p.m. Canon of St. Andrew (M, T, Th,)
- Wed, Feb. 21, 6:30 p.m., 1st Presanctified Liturgy, Soup Supper
- Sat, Feb. 24, 6 p.m., Great Vespers (confession offered after service)
- Sun, Feb. 25, 9:30 a.m., Hours, 10 a.m., Divine Liturgy with Baptism (Jonathon Ayala, son of James and Olga), Trapeza, Sunday School: Sunday of Orthodoxy procession.
Looking Ahead: Mark your Calendars
- Sunday, March 1, Annual Meeting following Trapeza
- , March 9-Sat., March 17, Fr. Robert leading National OCF Realbreak Romania mission trip to the Pro Vita Orphanage. Fr. Ignatius Green (godson of Fr. Robert) will be supplying.
- Sunday, March 25, Great Feast of the Annunciation
- , March 29, 5:30-7:30 p.m., March Catechumen Meeting
Confession and Reception: In keeping with OCA Guidelines, it is the discipline at Holy Archangels to practice monthly confession. If you wish to receive Communion and a month has passed and you have not made confession for good reason, or, are visiting, please talk with Fr. Robert prior to the service and before approaching the Chalice.
Monthly Giving—Expanding the Mission: Our Mission has taken a big step of faith to move into our new church home, to expand our bookstore and outreach efforts, and make more room for new families and individuals. We need your help to afford our new space. Monthly pledges and giving are key to our sustainability and our growth.
TRAPEZA: The lunch and fellowship we serve after Divine Liturgy is an important part of our Mission’s life together. We cannot draw closer to God if we are not also drawing closer to each other. If we wish to grow “in spirit and in numbers,” such fellowship needs to be part of our life together in Christ. Please sign up to help provide for this important ministry.
Prayer Requests: That our Mission grows “in spirit and in numbers”
- For God’s financial provision for our Mission & college ministry, ACM (Annapolis Pan-Orthodox College Ministry);
- Forgiveness, memory eternal: Newly-reposed servants of God Elder Dobri Dobrev, Lois, Joseph, Anthony, Mary, those who lost their lives in the mass shooting in Florida.
- Isaiah of Georgia, Archpriest George, Priest John, Sbn. John, Gov. Hogan, Frederica, Benedict, Daniel, Eric, Daniel, Noah, Norm, Alex, Gary, Timothy, Sophia, Vivian, Marlena and baby, Beatrice, George, Helen, Helen, Geneva, Phoenix, Sydney, Young, Liam, Cynthia, Valerie, Annette, the Church in Georgia, Romania as they address the relativism of the West, speaking the truth in love, our persecuted brethren in the Middle East, peace in Syria.
From the Fathers on Forgiveness…
“Do not allow the spark of discord and enmity to smolder. The longer you wait, the more the enemy tries to cause confusion among you. Be watchful, so that he does not mock you. Humility destroys all of his schemes.” St. Macarius of Optina
“Do not fall into despair because of stumbling. I do not mean that you should not feel contrition for them, but that you should not think them incurable. For it is more expedient to be bruised than dead. There is, indeed, a Healer for the man who has stumbled, even He Who on the Cross asked that mercy be shown to His crucifiers, He Who pardoned His murders while He hung on the Cross. ‘All manner of sin,’ He said, ‘and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men,’ that is, through repentance.” St. Isaac the Syrian
Troparion (Resurrection) Tone 4
When the women disciples of the Lord
learned from the angel the joyous message of thy Resurrection,
they cast away the ancestral curse
and elatedly told the apostles: // “Death is overthrown!
Christ God is risen,// // granting the world great mercy!”
Troparion (Angels) Tone 4
O 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 (Resurrection) Tone 4
My Savior and Redeemer // as God rose from the tomb and delivered the earth-born from their chains.
He has shattered the gates of hell,
and as Master,// He has risen on the third day!
Kontakion (from the Lenten Triodion) Tone 6
O Master, Teacher of wisdom, // Bestower of virtue,
Who teachest the thoughtless and protectest the poor,
strengthen and enlighten my heart! // O Word of the Father,
let me not restrain my mouth from crying to Thee:
Have mercy on me, a transgressor,//
O merciful Lord!
Kontakion (Angels) Tone 2
Commanders of God’s armies and ministers of the divine glory,//
princes of the bodiless Angels and guides of mankind;
ask for what is good for us, and for great mercy,//
O Supreme Commanders of the Bodiless Hosts.
