Listen to this weeks homily:
In the Feast of the Meeting of Christ in the Temple, we celebrate Christ’s obedience to the Law and what this means for our growth in godliness, healing, and our salvation. Through our having “put on Christ” in baptism and having been sealed by the Holy Spirit, we are made a new creation. That which Christ has fulfilled becomes ours through our inheritance in Him, as those called to co-reign with Him and be glorified with Him. Purity, chastity, all godliness, are not now made up of outward sacrifice, external to our life in God that we must strive to manufacture on our own, but rather, these and the other virtues become ours by virtue of the sacrifice that comes from cooperation with the Holy Spirit now dwelling in us, of our “Yes!” to God and His work in us and through us. Each of us who have put on Christ, carry the fulfillment of the Law in our hearts because Christ God has taken it on Himself. That which He has assumed He has healed, St. Athanasius assures us. Through Christ we are enabled to also be obedient so that we can grow in holiness, in Christ-likeness, and become fit for the Kingdom of God. We are, in other words, given the means, to learn obedience, to overcome the flesh and its passions, and all those things that could otherwise keep us from life with God in His Kingdom.
What in the Law pointed to this saving fulfillment has now come to pass. God has established a means of our true healing in His Christ. Each one of us now has the opportunity through our life in Christ in the Church to become a Saint, to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, step by step, as we journey further up and further in this new life with Christ. What grace! What joy! Blessed Feast!
In His love, Fr. Robert+
This week at Holy Archangels:
- Wednesday, February 6, 6:30 p.m., Daily Vespers, St. John’s College Boathouse
- Saturday, February 9, 6 p.m.,Great Vespers with Matins Gospel. Confession following.
- Sunday, February 10, 9:30 a.m. Hours, Divine Liturgy followed by Trapeza.
Looking Ahead: Save the Dates!
- Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 23-24 , Meet His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon on His Visit to Holy Archangels.
Prayer Requests:
- Pray for God’s ongoing financial provision for our Mission as our giving is down.
- Please pray for our Mission that we may find a Choir Director and that we may continue to grow in spirit and in numbers as a living witness of God’s love, healing, and power.
- Thanksgiving for the safe delivery of Nino and Noel’s baby boy, Emiliane.
- Healing for Fr. George Johnson, Viorica, Benedict, Marina, Colette, Mary, Leah and her baby, Katherine, Carol, Omari.
Troparion (Resurrection)Tone 2
When You descended to death, O Life Immortal,
You destroyed hell with the splendor of Your Godhead.
And when from the depths You raised the dead,
all the powers of heaven cried out://
“O Giver of life, Christ our God, glory to You!”
Troparion (Meeting of Our Lord) Tone 1
Rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos, Full of Grace!
From you shone the Sun of Righteousness, ^Christ our God,
enlightening those who sat in darkness.
Rejoice and be glad, O righteous Elder,
you accepted in your arms the ^Redeemer of our souls,
Who grants us the Resurrection!
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 (Resurrection) Tone 2
Hell became afraid, O almighty Savior,
seeing the miracle of Your Resurrection from the tomb!
The dead arose! Creation, with Adam, beheld this and rejoiced with You,//
and the world, my Savior, praises You forever.
Kontakion (Meeting of Our Lord) Tone 1
By Your Nativity You sanctified the Virgin’s womb
and blessed Simeon’s hands, ^O Christ God.
Now You have come and saved us through love.
Grant peace to all Orthodox Christians,
O only Lover of Man!
Kontakion (Holy Archangels) 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,//
Supreme Commanders of the Bodiless Hosts.
