The idea of denying oneself anything in today’s secular culture is considered ‘abnormal.’ The message of the cross of Christ, on the other hand, communicates a complete opposite outlook: Christ God says to us today, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Mk. 8:34). Christ God knows that if we put self, that is, ego, first we become what we ‘eat’ and are swallowed up by our passions and by the world around us. By contrast, the Christian is he or she who comes outside himself to love and to serve God and in learning to live for Him and in the light of His truth, overcomes the passions, step by struggling step, to become the glorified and adopted children of God He’s created us and called us to be. For this reason, Christ also says to us today, “whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it” (Mk. 8:35). This is the paradox presented to us today: in dying to the worst of fallen human nature, we learn to live to Christ and acquire a deified human nature, capable of life with God. Such is God’s loving desire for us, but what about the world and how it views the cross? St. Paul sums it up best: “the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (I Cor. 1:18). With God ALL things are possible, all healing from sin-sickness and the passions, redemption and new life, new chances for all are the daily business of heaven. With the cross before us, we learn to deny ourselves, and look to and follow Christ, so that we may become fellow victors with Him over sin and death through His invincible trophy and weapon of peace, the cross of Christ!
With Christ’s love and blessing, Fr. Robert+
THIS WEEK AT HOLY ARCHANGELS:
- Wed., Sept. 24, 7 p.m., St. John’s Boathouse (parking in Gym lot or on King George St.): Applied Orthodox Theology Discussion: A discussion on the “how” of living out the Orthodox Christian Faith in our daily lives. Have a suggested question/topic for us? Email Fr. Robert. This week: Orthodoxy verses Protestantism II
- Saturday, Sept. 27, 5:30 p.m., Akathist to St. Antim: Come and support this outreach effort to our local Romanian Orthodox. Service will be mostly in Romanian. There will be a short time of greeting and refreshments following the Akathist. A shortened Great Vespers begins at 6:30 followed by our monthly dinner together.
- Sat, Sept. 27, 6 p.m., Great Vespers, Confession following
- Sunday, Sept. 28, 9:30 a.m., Hours, 10 am Divine Liturgy, Trapeza following
Mark Your Calendars!
- Friday-Sunday, Oct. 10-12. OCF Retreat at Sandy Point State Park (the Rectory). Great Vespers, 6 p.m., will move to the Rectory this week and be served outside on the deck, God willing. All are invited and encouraged to attend!
- Saturday, Oct. 25, 11-3 p.m., Centreville Day on the Eastern Shore. Come and share with others the Orthodox Faith in Christ and Holy Archangels. More details TBA.
8-Month Financial Report: Holy Archangels received a total of $1986 in offerings in August. $2500 was pledged. $16,665 was received in offerings from January thru August 2014. The budgeted amount based on pledges is $20,000. This leaves us a gap of over $3000 to make up between now and Dec. to meet our expenses! Please stay current with your pledges/offerings, and consider increasing your offering or making a special one-time gift to help meet this deficit. Thank God for His provision and thank you for your faithful support! Holy Archangels Mission Council
Prayer Requests:
- That God may grow our Mission “in spirit and in numbers…”
- For God’s financial provision for our Mission and ACM (Annapolis College Ministry);
- For our Mission that we may find a Choir Director;
- Departed handmaidens of God, Ana (grandmother of Mihaela Belvie-Ulmer), Mary (Great Aunt of Fr. Robert), Frances (grandmother of Sally Jankovic)
- Metropolitan Isaiah, Archpriest George, Priest John, Dcn. Basil, Rdr. John, Benedict, James, Daniel, Seraphim, Ed, Bede, Adam, Wanda, the Church in Georgia and Romania as they address the relativism of the West, speaking the truth in love, our suffering, persecuted Orthodox brethren in Iraq and Syria, a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Ukraine.
Troparion (Resurrection) Tone 6
The angelic powers were at Your tomb; the guards became as dead men.
Mary stood by Your grave, seeking Your most pure body.
You took captive hell, not being tempted by it.
You came to the Virgin, granting life.//O Lord, Who rose from the dead, glory to You.
Troparion Tone 1 Romanian
O Lord, save Your people Mântuieste Doamne poporul Tau
and bless Your inheritance! si binecuvânteaza mostenirea Ta,
Grant victories to the Orthodox Christians biruinta dreptcredinciosilor
over their adversaries; and by virtue of Your Cross,// asupra potrivnicului daruieste
preserve Your habitation! si cu crucea Ta//pazeste pe poporul Tau.
Kontakion (Resurrection) Tone 6
When Christ God the Giver of Life,
raised all of the dead from the valleys of misery with His mighty hand,
He bestowed resurrection on the human race.//
He is the Savior of all, the Resurrection, the Life, and the God of all.
Kontakion Tone 4
As You were voluntarily raised upon the Cross for our sake,
grant mercy to those who are called by Your Name, O Christ God;
make all Orthodox Christians glad by your power,
granting them victories over their adversaries//
by bestowing on them the invincible trophy, Your weapon of peace!
