Time flies! We can easily become distracted by so many things. In the midst of our rapid pace of life, we can also ‘lose track’ of where we’re headed and the priority we place on our souls and “the one thing needful,” our life with God, Him who is Eternal Life. In the end, what will all our hurrying here and there and the busyness with which we fill our days and weeks matter? For us as Christians we know that death is not the end, but that we will all come before the Judgment Seat of Christ to answer for how we have lived. For this reason, we strive to live with eternity before us, even as we keep ourselves focused on our source of Life, the Life of the world, and our Eternal Life, Jesus Christ. In our Epistle today we’re reminded of this truth: “You, LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You remain…” Lent gives us the opportunity to re-focus on that “One thing needful,” our life with God and working out our salvation with Him. For this reason, during Lent we increase our prayers as we fast, we prioritize the divine services of the Church that are so helpful in teaching us and continuing to grow us in the “faith once received” even as they unite us further in communion with God. We work on growing in humility and love, as we repent of all that’s not in keeping with our life with holy God. St. Paul asks us today, “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation”? If we prioritize Christ and His Church this holy season we’ll make great gains in our deification, we’ll arrive at Pascha refreshed and energized, having taken several steps further up and in the Kingdom of our LORD.
With much love in Christ, Fr. Robert+
This week at Holy Archangels:
- Today: Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas; Memorial Service, Departed Rdr. Michael (40th Day)
- Wed., March 19, 6:30 pm, Third PRESANCTIFIED LITURGY, Lenten potluck, St. Martin’s (Sign-Up Sheet for all Potlucks for the Presanctified Liturgies is located at Entrance Table).
- March 22-29, Fr. Robert out-of-country leading OCF (Orthodox Christian Fellowship) Realbreak in Valea Plopului, Romania at the Pro Vita Orphanage.
- Saturday, March 22, 6:00 p.m., Readers Great Vespers
- Sunday, March 23, 9:30 Hours, 10 a.m., Divine Liturgy for Sunday of the Cross. Fr. John Monto serving the Liturgy in Fr. Robert’s absence.
Save the Dates:
- Thursday, April 3, 6:00 p.m., The GREAT CANON of St. Andrew, St. John’s Boathouse
- Saturday, April 12, 10 a.m., Divine Liturgy of LAZARUS SATURDAY
- Sunday, April 13, PALM SUNDAY. HOLY WEEK BEGINS (Please see handout at Entrance Table)!
$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. Non-pledged donations will go to help meet this goal. So far $3,260 has been raised.
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, Ed, Patricia, 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.
- The newly-departed Reader Michael (40th Day)
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 (St Gregory Palamas) Tone 8
O light of Orthodoxy, teacher of the Church, its confirmation,
O ideal of monks and invincible champion of theologians,
O wonderworking Gregory, glory of Thessalonica and preacher of grace,//
always intercede before the Lord that our souls may be saved!
Kontakion (from the Lenten Triodion) Tone 4
Now is the time for action! // Judgment is at the doors!
So let us rise and fast, // offering alms with tears of compunction and crying:
“Our sins are more in number than the sands of the sea;
but forgive us, O Master of all,// so that we may receive the incorruptible crowns!”
Kontakion (St Gregory Palamas) Tone 8
Holy and divine instrument of wisdom, // joyful trumpet of theology,
together we sing your praises, O God-inspired Gregory.
Since you now stand before the Original Mind, guide our minds to Him, O Father,//
so that we may sing to you: “Rejoice, preacher of grace!”
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
