Glad Tidings~Outreach

Christ Is Risen! Truly He Is Risen! Krishti Ungjall! Vertet Ungjall! Christos Anesti! Alithos Anesti! Christos Voskrese! Voistinnu Voskrese! Hristos a Inviat! Adevarat a Inviat! El Messieh Kahm! Hakken Kahm!

Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!

NOTE: THE CHURCH WILL NOT BE OPEN FOR SERVICES SUNDAY, MAY 3RD AND SUNDAY, MAY 10TH.

Christ Is Risen! Truly He Is Risen!

I pray you are well as we continue to celebrate the Lord’s Glorious Resurrection.

Sunday, May 3, 2020 Today, the third Sunday of Pascha the church commemorates the myrrh-bearing women. These women followed the Lord, along with His Mother. They remained with her during the time of His Passion, and anointed the Lord’s body with myrrh. Joseph of Arimathea and Nikodemos asked for and received the Lord’s body from Pilate. They took it down from the Cross, wrapped it in linen cloths and spices and laid it in a new tomb. Then they placed a great stone over the entrance of the tomb. According to the Evangelist Matthew, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joses were there sitting opposite the sepulcher, and saw where He had been laid.

Today the church honors Saints Mary Magdalene, Mary the wife of Cleopas, Joanna, Salome, mother of the sons of Zebedee, Martha and Mary the sisters of Lazarus and the Most Holy Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary, who was the stepmother of her husband Joseph’s sons James and Joses. Today the church also remembers St. Joseph of Arimathea, who was a secret disciple, and St. Nikodemos, who was a disciple by night.

Epistle Lesson: Acts of the Holy Apostles 6: 1-7 Gospel Lesson: St. Mark 15: 43-16: 8

Troparion (Tone #2)

The Noble Joseph, when he had taken down Your most pure body from the tree, wrapped it in fine linen and anointed it with spices, and placed it in a new tomb. But You rose on the third day, O Lord, granting the world great mercy.

Troparion (Tone #2)

The angel came to the myrrh-bearing women at the tomb and said: myrrh is meet for the dead; but Christ has shown Himself a stranger to corruption! So proclaim: The Lord is risen, granting the world great mercy!

Kontakion (Tone #2)

You commanded the myrrh-bearers to rejoice, O Christ! By Your Resurrection, You stopped the lamentation of Eve, the first mother! You commanded them to preach to Your Apostles: The Savior is Risen from the tomb!

Sunday, May 10, 2020 Mother’s Day 2020 Memory Eternal to our departed mothers and Many Years to our living mothers!

Today, the fourth Sunday of Pascha the church remembers the man who laid by the Sheep’s Pool in Jerusalem for thirty-eight years, waiting for someone to put him into the pool. The first one to enter the pool after an angel troubled the water would be healed of his infirmities. Unfortunately someone always entered the pool before him. Seeing the man, the Lord felt compassion for him and healed him.

Epistle Lesson: Acts of the Holy Apostles 9: 32-42 Gospel Lesson: St. John 5: 1-15

Troparion (Tone #3)

Let the heavens rejoice! Let the earth be glad! For the Lord has shown strength with His arm! He has trampled down death by death! He has become the first born of the dead! He has delivered us from the depths of hell, and has granted to the world great mercy.

Kontakion (Tone #3)

By your divine intercession , O Lord, as You raised up the paralytic of old, so raise up my soul, paralyzed by sins and thoughtless acts; so that being saved I may sing to you: “Glory to Your power, O compassionate Christ!”

Wednesday, May 13, 2020 Today the church commemorates the mid~feast of the fifty days between the Feasts of Pascha and Pentecost. “In the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the Temple, and taught.” The Feast in question is the Feast of Tabernacles, not Pentecost. The church has appointed the Gospel of John 7: 14-30 to be read for the mid~feast linking Pascha and Pentecost. In St. John’s Gospel, Chapter 8, Our Lord came to the Temple again and taught the people who came to Him.

Epistle Lesson: Acts of the Holy Apostles 14:16-18 Gospel Lesson: St. John 7: 14-30

Troparion (Tone #8)

In the middle of the Feast, O Savior, fill my thirsting soul with the waters of godliness, as You did cry to all: If anyone thirst let him come to me and drink! O Christ God, fountain of our life, glory to you!

Kontakion (Tone #4)

Christ God, Creator and Master of all cried to all in the midst of the Feast of the law: Come and draw the water of immortality! We fall before You and faithfully cry: Grant us your bounties, for You are the fountain of our life! +++ Reminders: “I lift up my eyes to you, to you whose throne is in heaven. As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid look to the hand of her mistress so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he shows us his mercy.” (Psalm 123: 1-2) --Please know you are not alone! Continue to pray daily for each other, as I pray for you. -Please call my office (508) 481-2028 or cell phone (508) 735-7782 to contact me for any reason. -Continue to take a moment to pray for the first responders, health care workers, volunteers, those who support them, and most of all the patients who are afflicted and their family members.

Christ Is Risen! Truly He Is Risen! Fr. Joseph