By Christ’s victory on the cross, we’re endowed with life. Christ God emerges from His encounter with the cross—the ancient instrument of death—as the Victor; He defeats the enemy—death is slain! By following Christ into this new, redeemed life—part of the new race of Adam—we too can become fellow victors with Christ over sin and death by mortifying the passions, practicing active repentance, participating more and more in the life of the Church; with Christ, we too can find healing from our sin-sickness. So, we cling to Christ and venerate His cross, claiming it as our own weapon against the enemy at work in this world, fighting against us. By ‘owning’ our identity in Christ as “a new creation,” as one “born anew,” and cooperating with the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives and in obedience to the fullness of the way of Christ found only in His holy Church, we find freedom from enslavement to the passions; we learn obedience, humility—the virtues of a citizen of heaven whom the world—the devil—cannot own; we learn to live for God with eternity before our eyes. With the cross before us, we know we too can follow Christ whom we have “put on” in baptism, so that entering likewise into death, we can emerge victorious, for as St. Athanasius says, “that which is assumed (by Christ), is healed.” By His Incarnation, Christ has entered into human nature. He has renewed human nature. By His death, He has destroyed death being Life itself and having raised Himself from the dead. By His ascension, He has gone before us to prepare a place for us.
With Christ’s love and blessing, Fr. Robert+
THIS WEEK at HOLY ARCHANGELS (all services are at 47 Spa Rd)
- TODAY, 9:30, Hours, 10 a.m., Divine Liturgy, Trapeza followed by Sunday School
- We, Sept.13, 6:45; Vesperal Divine Liturgy for the Elevation of the Cross with Litya and Artoklasia, Trapeza following
- Fri, Sept. 15, 9:30-3:30 p.m., Archdiocesan Retreat: “Mission & Small Parish Growth,” St. Matthew Orthodox Church, 7271 Eden Brooke Dr., Columbia. So Important!
- Sat, Sept. 16, 6 p.m., Great Vespers (confession offered after the service)
- Sun, Sept. 17, 9:30 Hours 10 a.m., Divine Liturgy, Sunday after the Cross, Trapeza
Looking Ahead: Mark your Calendars
- NEW BIBLE STUDY: THE BOOK OF DANIEL, Wed., Sept. 20, 6:45-8:15 p.m.
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 to ask for a blessing to receive.
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. Please place your pledge (or increased pledge) in the offering box today!
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 God may grow our Mission “in spirit and in numbers…”
- For God’s financial provision for our Mission & college ministry, ACM (Annapolis Pan-Orthodox College Ministry);
- Forgiveness, memory eternal: Charlie
- Metropolitan Isaiah of Georgia, Archpriest George, Priest John, Rdr. John, Gov. Hogan, Benedict, Daniel, Eric, Daniel, Noah, Norm, Alex, Gary, Timothy, Sophia, Marlena and her baby, Beatrice, George, Linda, 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, esp. Egypt and Syria, a peaceful resolution in Syria.
From the Fathers…
“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up” (John 3:14). And just exactly as all who were bitten by the serpents looked upon the bronze serpent which was suspended and were healed, thus also every Christian who believes in our Christ and has recourse to His life-bearing wounds, who eats His Flesh and drinks His all-holy Blood, is cured of the bits of the spiritual serpent of sin and by this most holy nourishment is made to live unto the renewal of a new creation, that is, new life in harmony with His life-giving commandments.” (Elder Ephraim of Philotheou Mount Athos, “Counsels from the Holy Mountain”)
Troparion (Resurrection) Tone 5
Let us, the faithful, praise and worship the Word,
co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit, // born for our salvation from the Virgin;
for He willed to be lifted up on the Cross in the flesh,
to endure death,// and to raise the dead//by His glorious Resurrection.
Troparion (for the Feast) Tone 4
Thy nativity, O Virgin, // has proclaimed joy to the whole universe!
The Sun of righteousness, Christ our God, // has shone from thee, O Theotokos.
By annulling the curse, // He bestowed a blessing.//
By destroying death, He has granted us eternal life.
Troparion (for the Martyrs) Tone 1
Let all who rejoice at their triumph honor those three virgin martyrs,
who are united to God as^ sisters // and who pour forth fair streams of grace:
Menodora, Metrodora, and Nymphodora,
who were in all things ^courageous;// they ever pray to the Trinity for us.
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 on high
Kontakion (Resurrection) Tone 5
Thou didst descend into hell, O my Savior, // shattering its gates as Almighty,
resurrecting the dead as Creator, // and destroying the sting of death.
Thou hast delivered Adam from the curse, O Lover of man,//
and we cry to Thee: O Lord, save us!
Kontakion (for the Martyrs) Tone 4
Invincible in your struggles for the Holy Trinity,
and through your love for each other as sisters, // ye defeated the foe of the spiritual life,
and with the five virgins, entered victoriously into the heavenly mansions //
where ye ever rejoice with the angels in the presence of the King of all!
Kontakion (for the Feast) Tone 4
By thy nativity, most pure Virgin, // Joachim and Anna are freed from barrenness,
Adam and Eve — from the corruption of death.
And we, thy people, freed from the guilt of sin, celebrate and sing to thee://
“The barren woman gives birth to the Theotokos, the nourisher of our Life.”
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.
