“We fast in order to … We fast not because we follow some strict rules, imposed by the Church, but because we love God more than the gifts He gives us. We love Him, the Giver, more than our material food, than our convenience, or than our success. So, fasting is a sign of our love for God.” (Commentary following) …
Author: seraphimholland
Clean Friday 2011. The Spoil of the poor and other posts.
The Lord himself shall enter into judgment with the elders of the people, and with their rulers: but why have ye set my vineyard on fire, and why is the spoil of the poor in your houses?
Friday in the First Week – At the Sixth Hour – Is 3:1-14
Why is the spoil of the poor in your houses?
The Lord asks a question of the Jews through the prophet. Does this question apply to us? …
Also links to the entire lectionary, other meditations and homilies for this week.
Ambvon Prayer on the First Sunday of Great Lent
We give thanks unto Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, that Thou hast brought us this present time of fasting unto salvation, so as to heal the great wounds of our souls in a short span, seeking to lift from us the burden of our many sins; and we pray Thee, O All-Good One: …
(Provided by Fr John Shaw (Bishop Jerome), From an ancient Ambon Prayer)
The purpose of Great Lent, by Deacon Nicholas Park
Beloved brothers and sisters, what is the purpose of Great Lent?
The purpose of the Great Fast is the same as that of our entire life: the attainment of God’s likeness. Last Sunday we heard about the Last Judgment, when at the 2nd coming of our Lord we will all be judged on the basis of our works of mercy — on the extent to which we have become like our merciful and loving God. …
Links to Lenten Lectionary, Great Compline, Great Canon, Prayer of St Ephrem, Life of St Mary of Egypt in multiple formats.
Links to Lenten Lectionary, Great Compline, Great Canon, Prayer of St Ephrem, Life of St Mary of Egypt in multiple formats.
Forgiveness Sunday And Cheesefare Sunday. Instructions For Great Lent. Romans 13:11-14 Matthew 6:14-21
The Epistle and Gospel for today provide excellent instructions for the beginning of Great Lent, as a thorough exegesis of these readings shows. Let us understand what the purpose of Great Lent is and understand how we can “make no provision for the flesh” in order to learn to forgive completely.
Forgiveness Sunday And Cheesefare Sunday. The Triodion teaches us how to think.
An exposition of two hymns from the Triodion for Forgiveness Sunday, after Vespers. It is important to know how to think about ourselves and God, and how to approach God in prayer. More than any other season, the Triodion teaches this in almost every hymn. We look in detail at the hymns:
“Adam was cast out of Paradise through eating from the tree. / Seated before the gates he wept, / lamenting with a pitiful voice and saying: / ‘Woe is me, what have I suffered in my misery! / I transgressed one commandment of the Master, / and now I am deprived of every blessing. / O most holy Paradise, / planted for my sake and shut because of Eve, / pray to Him that made thee and fashioned me, / that once more I may take pleasure in thy flowers.’ / Then the Savior said to him: ” and
“O Master, Guide to wisdom, / Giver of prudent counsel, / Instructor of the foolish and Champion of the poor, / make firm my heart and grant it understanding. / O Word of the Father, give me words, / for see, I shall not stop my lips from crying out to Thee: / I am fallen, // in Thy compassion have mercy on me.”
Thoughts At The Threshold Of The Holy Great Lenten Fast. The Prayer of the Publican. Archbishop Averky Of Syracuse
Money! Money! Power! Honor! these are the temptations which, unfortunately, many people are unable to resist. This is the source of all the disputes, disagreements and divisions among Christians. This is the root of people's forgetting the "one thing needed" which is proposed to us by the true Christian faith and which consists of prayer,… Continue reading Thoughts At The Threshold Of The Holy Great Lenten Fast. The Prayer of the Publican. Archbishop Averky Of Syracuse
The Sunday of Forgiveness We are going to do violence now.
Today is the Sunday of Forgiveness, and it is also the day we enter Great Lent. After we pray the Vespers service of Forgiveness early this afternoon, we will then be in the Holy Fast. Why is it that we fast? We have a blueprint for our life, and why we fast, in the Gospel today. …
St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, McKinney, Texas Electronic Newsletter February 21 / March 6, 2011 Sunday of the Forgiveness (Cheesefare)
Announcements Prayer Requests Schedule of Divine Services in the Coming week Fasting in the Coming week The Newsletter is also at: http://docs.google.com/View?id=d926dxr_107fpq5mcc3. Brothers and sisters, we are seven weeks away from the Feast of Feasts, Holy Pascha. On that Bright day, we will celebrate our entrance into the joy of our Lord, accorded to… Continue reading St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, McKinney, Texas Electronic Newsletter February 21 / March 6, 2011 Sunday of the Forgiveness (Cheesefare)