Assumption Greek Orthodox Church
March 7th, 2021: Judgement Sunday SAINTS: Lavrentios of Megara, the Righteous; Paul the Simple; Arkadios & Nestor Bsps of Cyprus; Ephraim, Patriarch of Antioch; John Bsp of York; Spyridon & Nicodemos in the cave; All Saints of Dodecanese MARTYRS: Vasilef, Ephraim, Eugene, Capito, Aetherios, Agathodoros, and Elpidios Bsps of Cherson; Emil the Roman, together with James & Marian
ANNOUNCEMENTS Prayer to Virgin Mary (Paraklesis): Wednesday, March 10th, 5:00 PM 2nd Saturday of the Souls: Saturday, March 13th, Orthros 9:00 AM, Div. Liturgy 10:00 AM Kathara Deftera (Ash Monday): Monday, March 15th, 5:00 PM Great Compline / Great Lent Starts
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Matins Gospel Reading – Sixth Orthros Gospel - Luke 24:36-53 At that time, Jesus, having risen from the dead, stood in the midst of his disciples and said to them, "Peace to you." But they were startled and frightened and supposed that they saw a spirit. And he said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do questionings rise in your hearts? See my hands and feet, that it is I myself; handle me, and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see that I have." And when he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy, and wondered, he said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?" They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them. Then he said to them, "These are my words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled. Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city, until you are clothed with power from on high." Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them, and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him, and they returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God. AMEN
Epistle Reading – St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 8:8-13; 9:1-2 BRETHREN, food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. Only take care lest this liberty of yours somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone sees you, a man of knowledge, at table in an idol's temple, might he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? And so by your knowledge this weak man is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food is a cause of my brother's falling, I will never eat meat, lest I cause my brother to fall. Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. AMEN
Gospel Reading – Judgment Sunday (Meatfare - 3rd Triodion Sunday) - Matthew 25:31-46 The Lord said, "When the Son of man comes in his glory and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.' Then he will say to those at his left hand, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?' Then he will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.' And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." AMEN
The Sheep and the Goats
Today we are on the 3rd step of the 10-step ladder leading to Holy Resurrection: Judgement Sunday. Last Sunday we dealt with repentance and forgiveness. This is because with God, forgiveness and patience precedes judgement. God does not want the death of a sinner, but awaits his return and repentance. Yet, the time for repentance and forgiveness is separate from the time of judgement. Currently we are living in the 7th Day of Creation, and there is patience and forgiveness. But when we will enter the 8th Day, the time for repentance will be over. We all count on the Lord’s mercy the Day we will stand before Him. Yet, without repentance in this life, there will not be mercy on Judgement Day. What is even more certain, there will be no mercy for those who showed no mercy.
In the Creed of Faith, we recite: “He will come again to judge the living the dead; His Kingdom will have no end.” So, we declare there will not be one coming of the Lord, but two. During His First Coming, our Lord was full of patience; but during the Second, there will be judgement. The presence of angels, the blowing of the trumpet, the thunder, the clouds, the throne, all give a measure of dreadfulness and at the same time signify the beginning of a New Creation! But as much as we may fear that day, for those who love the Lord, it will also be a relief. This is because prior to His Second Coming, a very difficult period of the Antichrist will drive many to choose between perdition or martyrdom. If it was not for the Lord shortening that period, no one will be able to be saved. This is why, He urged us in yesterday’s Holy Gospel reading: “Watch at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things and stand before the Son of man” (Luke 21:36).
On that Day, He will no longer stand silent in front of His judges, but He will judge His judges! He will quickly give witness on witches, adulterers and slanderers, as prophet Malachi tells us. Like divine fire, He will make those whose works are of gold to shine, but those whose works are of weeds to burn. Awesome as it will be, His Second Coming will put an end to sin, decay and death. “The almond tree will blossom, the grasshopper will be fattened and the caper berry scattered” (Eccl. 12:5). The winter will be over and the sinners will be destroyed. He will not despise the slaves, the sick, or those working in the fields. “Two women will be grinding with the hand mill; one will be taken and the other left” (Matt 24:41). But this will not happen at the time of the Antichrist, as the Protestant Rapture declares, else there would be three Comings of the Lord and not two.
On Judgement Day, He will separate the sheep from the goats. But how does a shepherd separate sheep from goats, St. Cyril of Jerusalem asks? Does he read a book to learn which is which? Or does he recognize them from their appearance? Doesn’t the soft white coat of a sheep differ from the harsh dark hair of goats? Same way you and I will be recognized from our garments. If our baptismal garment is white-washed clean, as we received it during our Holy Baptism, we will be put with the sheep. If it is found dirty and dark, then with the goats. But what gets the garment of our soul clean or dirty? Our way of life does! Did we feed, water, dress and welcome the stranger? Did we visit the sick and the imprisoned? Did we unite with Christ, by participating in His Sacraments during our lifetime? If we did, we will share God’s Kingdom, if not, we will be condemned. Holding a dark lamp, like the 5 Foolish Virgins, will not open the door for us! Our good works must shine! Our evil deeds must be confessed and forgiven! We should worship the One, Triune God, avoiding heresy, idolatry and the Antichrist. We should regularly participate in Holy Communion, having properly prepared ourselves. Then, we will be able to stand in front of the Son of man and ask for His mercy. AMEN