Tomorrowwe begin Great and Holy Lent. We put our earthly cares and distractions aside to journey with Christ into the desert with Christ. We fast and pray as He did before facing and defeating the Devil. 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. We focus on Him for the healing of our souls, to enter more fully into the Kingdom of God. Our tools are prayer, fasting, 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. We prayer the Prayer of St. Ephraim twice daily, we struggle vigorously with our sin-sickness, making the most of the Sacrament of Confession to give our sins over to Christ, learning to trust Him more to experience His healing, forgiveness, and the cleansing of our souls. So that we may purify ourselves inwardly as we begin the Fast, Christ has as our starting place for the Fast, forgiveness. We acknowledge before God and before one another the spiritual pollution that our sins cause, how they harm us and those around us. We ask forgiveness, so that we, in turn, may find forgiveness from our Lord for the many ways that we abandon through our sins our calling to sonship, our inheritance with Him in the Saints. As Metropolitan Kallistos Ware says, “The fast without mutual love, is the fast of demons!” And so, we hope, we pray, we struggle, we worship, we fast, so that we may arrive at Holy Pascha changed people, transformed more and more into the likeness of Christ. May it be so! Amen! In Christ’s love, Fr. Robert+
TIME, TALENT, TREASURE: First Fruits Pledge 2020.
Throughout time, God’s people have given back to God a tenth, i.e., a Tithe, of all they had. In the early Church, some gave away all to build up the Church and glorify God. While as Christians we recognize that everything belongs to God, the tithe is an important way to open our hearts to God, to learn to love God more, to step forward in faith and trust in God. Please offer your “Time, Talent, Treasure” pledge today, knowing that God will give you much more in return. “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” (II Cor. 9:6)
THIS WEEK at HOLY ARCHANGELS:
- TODAY 9:30 am, Hours, 10 am, Sunday of the Expulsion of Adam from Paradise (Cheesefare, Forgiveness Sunday,Trapeza),Vespers, Rite of Forgiveness (liturgical start of Lent)
- · Mon., 2 March,Clean Monday, 1stDay of the Great Fast!
- Mon., 2 March, 6 p.m., First part, Canon of St. Andrew
- Tues., 3 March, 6 p.m., 2nd part, Canon of St. Andrew
- Wed., 4 March, 6:30 pm,1st Presanctified Liturgy, trapeza
- Fri., 6 March – 14 March,Fr. Robert leading OCF Realbreak to Romania with 8 students. Dn. Matthew Prentice serving Great Vespers and Divine Liturgy in Fr. Robert’s stead.
- Sun., 8 March,9:30 am., Hours, 10 am., Sunday of Orthodoxy,Typika with Reserved Sacrament, Deacon Matthew Prentice serving (trapeza)
Looking Ahead: Important/Mark your Calendars!
- Wed., 11 March, No Presanctified,Fr. Robert in Romania leading OCF Realbreak Misison Trip
- Sun., 15 March, 9:30 Hours, 10 a.m.,Divine Liturgy, Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas (Fr. Robert back, trapeza served after the service)
- Wed, 18 March, 6:30 pm,Presanctified Liturgy, trapeza
- Tue., 24 March, 6:30 pm,Great Feast of Annunciation of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos, Trapeza (fish, wine, oil)
Confession & Reception:In keeping with OCA Guidelines, it’s the discipline at Holy Archangels to practice monthlyconfession. If a month has passed and you’ve not made confession for good reason, or, are visiting, please talk with Fr. Robert to ask a blessing to receive prior to the serviceand before approaching the Chalice.
TRAPEZA:The lunch and fellowship served after Divine Liturgy is an important part of our Mission’s family life together. We cannot draw closer to God if we’re not also drawing closer to each other. To grow “in spirit and in numbers,” such fellowship is important. Please sign up to help provide for this important ministry!
Prayer Requests: Our Mission’s Growth “in spirit & in numbers”
- For God’s financial provisionfor our Mission & college ministry, ACM (Annapolis Pan-Orthodox College Ministry);
- Departed founders: Archpriest George the Confessor, Gabriel, Rafael, Serafim, Basil, Rdr. Michael, Handmaidens of God Estera (great Aunt of Fr. Robert) and Cristiana
- Met. Isaiah of Georgia, Archbishops Yohanna Ibrahim, Boulos Yazigi of Syria, Sbn. John, Benedict, Benjamin, Daniel, Noah, Alex, Gary, Timothy, Vivian, Beatrice, George, Helen, Helen, Sydney, Young, Valerie, Anastasia, Valentina, Linda, Susan, Michael, Elizabeth, Noah, Tommy, Thomas, Mat. Alexandra, Judith, Maggie, Frank, Karley, Christina, Erin, Joseph, James, Julie, Elaine, Steven, Lia, Jordan, Cezar, Daria, the Church in Georgia, Romania as they battle relativism in the West, speaking the truth in love, our persecuted brethren in the Middle East, peace in Syria.
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:
“Deathis overthrown!
Christ God is risen,//
granting the world great mercy!”
Troparion(Angels) Tone 4
O Commanders of the heavenly hosts, // we who are unworthy beseechyou: // by your prayers encompass us beneath the wings of your immaterial glory, // and faithfully preserve us who fall down and cryto you://Deliver us from all harm, for you are the Commanders of the Powers on high!
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 guidesof mankind// askfor what is good for us, and for great mercy,//O Supreme Commanders of the Bodiless Hosts.
Glory to God for All Things!
