seraphimholland – Page 21 – Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church

5th Sunday of Pascha – The Samaritan Woman. Literacy, thirst, humility. zeal.

he story of the woman at the well, the Samaritan woman, Photini, must be understood in a historical, theological, mystical and practical context. She said “the well is deep”, and this story can be discussed from many perspectives, many of which are, alas, unintelligible to most because of their low level of theological knowledge and interest. The most important one for us is what we must do do get the living water, the Holy Spirit. Saint Photini shows us several things that we MUST be if we are to be saved – theologically literate, having thirst for righteousness, humility, and zeal. Her conversation with the Lord and subsequent actions show all these things. Audio also available.

The doctrine of the cross in the hymns of the Octoechos Victory over death and healing. Sunday Octoechos Tone 3

The Orthodox dogma about the cross is often displayed in the Sunday hymns for Vespers and Matins. Many or even most who identify with Christianity and are not Orthodox only have a legal view of what happened on the cross. For us Orthodox, what happened on the cross was the destruction of death, and our healing. We have a relational view. What good is it to be forgiven and not also healed? Two hymns from the Sunday Octoechos help illustrate a part of our understanding of the significance of the cross: “By Thy cross, O Christ our Savior, the dominion of death hath been destroyed, and the deception of the devil hath been abolished; and the race of man, having been saved by faith, doth ever offer praise to Thee” (Lord I have cried, Sunday Octoechos, Tone 3), “Thy precious cross do we worship O Christ, and Thy resurrection do we praise and glorify, for by Thy wounding are we all healed.” (Lord I have cried, Sunday Octoechos, Tone 3)

The paralytic at the sheep’s pool. The healing of the paralytic teaches the doctrine of baptism and gives important baptismal admonitions.

The healing of the paralytic teaches the doctrine of baptism and gives important baptismal admonitions.

The Paralytic: “Today Is A Feast Day For All Of Us Paralytics” Archimandrite Tikhon (Shevkunov), Sretensky Monastery, Moscow

Today is a feast day for all of us paralytics. Today, brothers and sisters, we to a certain degree are meeting our name-day, our feast day. Who among us can boast that he is strong, courageous, bearing all the misfortunes of this age, fulfilling all of Christ?s commandments? Deliver us, O Lord, if such a person stands in our midst — one cannot imagine a worse righteous or strong man! The Apostle Paul says: Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ?s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong (2 Cor 12:10). But the Apostle did not deprive himself of one thing: strong faith and undoubting hope in the Savior. How can the world, which does not believe in God and preaches the illusory omnipotence of mankind, understand this? Paralytic brothers and sisters! Let us rejoice that we at least understand ourselves as we are! …

4th Sunday of Pascha – The Paralytic “Wilt thou be made whole??” – 3 ways we must answer this question. John 5:1-15.

Today, brothers and sisters, we continue on the Paschal theme, which is the enlightenment of the Resurrection and how it occurs in real life, not in our fantasy, but how it really occurs. In this story there are basically three things that the Lord is teaching to be made whole. It all depends how we answer the question "Wilt thou be made whole?". We must learn to hear this question reverberating in us ALL THE TIME, and answer it in three ways EVERY TIME.

The Myrrhbearing Women. Joseph became bold and who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?

The most important parts of the reading for the Holy Myrhhbearers are the actions of Joseph and the myrhhbearers. We are told that “Joseph became bold” – the same man who had been a secret follower of Christ because of fear. Why did he become bold? This is very important. Three of the myrhhbearers observed the burial of Jesus. Why is this important? Life is full of ordinary things,. but sometimes when we do them, they are extraordinary,. We must do ordinary things in an extraordinary way, as did Joseph and Nicodemus and the Holy Myrhhbearers. In doing these things, we will encounter obstacles, and ask like the myrhhbearers “who shall roll away the stone”, and if have fidelity to Christ as they had, the stone will always be rolled away.

Sunday of the Holy Myrhbearers. Homilies in Text, audio, and questions and answers

Today is the third Sunday after Pascha, and it is the Sunday of the myrrh-bearing women. And it is quite an interesting reading which we have because these women and these men, Joseph of Arimathaea, who is mentioned today, and also Nicodemus, who acted with great love, but also in great ignorance. They were trying to do something that they were not going to be able to accomplish. These women wanted to anoint the Lord with myrrh, and Joseph and Nicodemus had prepared the Lord’s body so carefully, wrapping it in clean, fine linen. Myrrh and aloes had been applied, according to the custom of the Jews. All this they did in ignorance. They acted without full knowledge, but with great desire and with great love.

There is a lesson for us. Pascha is God making man able to know God. This is really what Pascha is. It is not an event only; it is a fundamental change in human nature. The God-man becoming incarnate made us able to live. He accomplished our salvation by His death and His resurrection, and basically all of the period from Pascha to Pentecost we think about how He enlightens us and the practical ramifications of what Pascha means for the soul. In essence, it means enlightenment. It means to know God. But to know God you have to be able to live like God, and you must live in virtue before you have full enlightenment. ? (text homily)
—–
The story of the myrhhbearers is like ours, in microcosm. Life is full of moments when we must “become bold” as Joseph (and the myrhhbearers) did, and do what is right, even if we do not how we can accomplish the task (roll away the stone and deal with the armed guards) or what will come of it. Even when we have accomplished something, or grace visits us, we may not recognize it or understand it, just like the myrrhbearers, who were afraid after hearing the announcement of the resurrection from the angel. The myrhhbearers who us the way – do what is right, or even what we think is right, no matter ho “possible” it seems or how likely that the outcome will be pleasing, and in time, all will be revealed to us. This Gospel continues the theme of how the enlightenment of the resurrection is actualized in us (audio homily)

Plus more homilies and questions & answers about the myrhhbearers
a few examples:
* Where was Jesus buried? Is there any significant meaning to this place?
* The Gospel reading for the Sunday of the Myrrh-bearing women includes the name of one man. There was another man also involved who was mentioned in another place. Describe who they were and what they did. Don’t just describe cold historical facts – what do their actions mean?
* A great stone was rolled across the entrance to the sepulchre, sealing it. Can we understand anything from this?

Tons of Pascha music from our choir.

Several videos of our choir singing Paschal hymns , plus an opportunity to listen and watch 55 choir and other vidoes from our church.

Radonitsa (day of rejoicing) explained.

On this day, the Tuesday of St. Thomas week, according to the order instituted by our Holy Fathers, we call to remembrance, in Paschal joy, all those who have died from the beginning of the ages in faith and in the hope of resurrection and life eternal….

Lots more about Radonitsa, with links to other articles.