News of March - April 7
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News of March - April 7. H.H. Pope Tawadros II: + On Januaruy 5, Pope Tawadros received 1. The Holy Lent: the President of Egypt Mr. Adly Mansour The Holy Lent started on Monday, February 24, until who came to the Cathedral to congratulate the Feast of the Resurrection on Sunday, April 20 2014. him and all the Copts on Christmas. Daily Liturgies during the Lent are as follows: 8. H.G. Bishop Serapion: + Wednesday and Thursday: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon. + His Grace ordained four new Presbyters + Monday, Tuesday and Friday: 12:00– 3:00 p.m. for the Diocese. + Bishop Serapion + Saturday from 8: 10 a.m. established the first church named after St. Pope Kyrillos VI in Santa Ana. 2. Appearance of the Holy Cross: + H.G. received recognition for his successful On Wednesday, March 19, the church efforts in enhancing Interfaith Dialogue. celebrates the Feast of the Appearance of the Holy Cross. The Liturgy will be in festal 9. The 2nd Annual Commemoration of tunes of Palm Sunday. The procession of H.H. Pope Shenouda III: the cross takes place during matins 7:30 H.G. Bishop Serapion, the Clergy and the a.m. Vespers, Tuesday, 7 pm people of the diocese of Los Angeles are holding a special prayer in commemoration 3. March Famous Saints: of the second year of the departure of our March 8: Martyrdom of St. Policarp (Rev. 2:8). beloved father the Thrice Blessed H. H. Pope Shenouda on March 9: Departure of Pope Kyrellos 6. Sunday, March 16, 2014 at 12:00 at St. John Church, Covina. March 17: Martyrdom of the Apostle Matthias. Monday, March 17 Departure of Pope Shenouda III 10. Apparition of St. Mary at her church March 21: Departure of Fr. Bishoy Kamel. in Zytoum, Egypt: Wednesday, April 2nd March 26: Departure of Fr. Mikhail Ibrahim. Liturgy is from 9 a.m. 11. Baptism Sunday & Lenten Luncheon: On Sunday, April 6, St. John church celebrates Baptism Sunday; then the Annual Lenten Luncheon will follow right after the Liturgy. Tickets will be available in the Book Store on behalf of the needy. 4. The 33rd. Anniversary of Fr. Gawargious Kolta: 12. Feast of Annunciation: + St. John’s priests, congregation and the Board On Monday, April 7, the church celebrates this Major Lord’s of Deacons congratulate Rev. Fr. Gawargious Feast; Liturgy from 8:00 - 10:00 a.m. on his ordination in priesthood on March 15, 13. Palm Sunday: April 13 1981; wishing him health, strength and more fruitful service and long life. + On Feb. 16. Fr. St. John Church celebrates this Major Lord’s Feast on April Kolta travelled to Egypt to share some views on 13, in one Liturgy. The service starts from 7:30 a.m.to 12:00 the Myroun Oil with the Holy Synod. noon, followed by the general funeral until 2:00 p.m. 14. Covenant Thursday: (April 17) 5. The 1st. Anniversary of Fr. George Aziz Pascha prayers start at 8:00 a.m. followed by the rite of & Archdeacons Thomas and Antonious’ washing the feet, then the Liturgy Ordination: of the Eucharist until 2:00 p.m. The St. John church congratulates Fr. George and evening Pasch is from 5:00 - 9:00 pm. Archdeacons Thomas and Antonious on their 15. Good Friday: (April 18) first anniversary, praying the Lord Jesus Christ The church celebrates this great Day to grant them every blessing in their life and ministry. of Redemption and Salvation from 8:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. 6. St. John’s 25th Annual Family Convention: 16. Feast of the Resurrection (April 20): St. John Church in Covina holds her Annual Family The Easter Liturgy will be celebrated on Saturday, April 19 Conference during the Memorial Day long-weekend from 7:00 p.m. until after mid-night, follo-wed by the Feast’s from May 24- 26, 2014. Details will be announced later. Agape meal in the Church Hall. YEAR TWENTY FIVE - ISSUE 279 - March - April 2014 St. John 3 THE 7 WORDS Resurrection is the OF CHRIST Festival of Festivals ON THE CROSSCROSS 1 The First Word “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do” (Luke 23”34). Easter is the highest holy day of our Orthodox The Second Word 2 Christian faith. Without the resurrection of Jesus Christ, life has no meaning. Referring to the burial “Today you will be with Me in Paradise” of our body after we die, Pascal said, “The last act (Luke 23:43) is bloody; however fine the rest of the play. They throw dirt over your head and it is finished forev- The Third Word er.” Without the resurrection, the ultimate end of 3 man is nothing more than a shovel full of dirt over “Woman, behold your son. John be- a dead body. Without the resurrection of Jesus, to use the words of Eric Hoffer, “we are condemned hold your mother” (John 19:26, 27). to death at birth, and life is a bus ride to the place of execution. All of our struggling and fighting is 4 The Fourth Word about seats on the bus, and the ride is over before we know it.” “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46). As Father Dimitri Duddko, has written, “What sense is there if everything ends in death? A per- son dies and that is it. One can only really speak of 5 The Fifth Word life if life is eternal.” And that is why Easter is the festival of festivals for Orthodox Christianity. It “I thirst” (John 19:28). is the festival of the most radical, decisive and ul- timate deliverance this universe has ever seen. As 6 The Sixth Word one of our hymns says: “Today hell groans and cries aloud: ‘My dominion “It is finished” (John 19:30). has been swallowed up; the Shepherd has been cru- cified and He has raised Adam and his offspring. 7 The Seventh Word He who was crucified has emptied the tombs; the power of death has no more strength.’ Glory to “Father, into Your hands I com- Your Cross, O Lord, and to Your Resurrection.” mend My Spirit.” (Luke 23:26). 4 St. John YEAR TWENTY FIVE - ISSUE 279 - March - April 2014 “My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?” by H. H. Pope Shenouda III (Matthew 27:46 & Psalm 22:1) This is the forth word of Christ cially of Psalm 22, as a Messianic on the Cross. The statement does Psalm, which starts with the same not mean a separation of the Di- words. They were referred to as vine nature of Jesus Christ from those who, “You are mistaken, not His human nature; nor does it knowing the Scriptures” (Matt. mean that the Father has forsaken 22:29), while this Scriptures testify the Son. But it means that the Fa- of Me” (Kn. 5:39). ther has allowed Jesus “The Son” to suffer and to be tormented in- What does Psalm 22 say about stead of us. We firmly believe the Passion of Christ? + “They and pray in the Holy Liturgy, that have pierced My hands and My “His Divinity parted not from feet” (22:16) + “I can count My His Humanity neither a moment bones. They look and stare at Me. nor a twinkling of an eye.” If His They divide My garments among Divine nature ever deserted Him, them, and for My clothing they His redem-ption could never have cast lots” (Ps. 22:17, 18). been considered as infinite, render- ing infinite salvation, capable of atoning for the sins of all + “A reproach of men, and despised of the people. All humanity throughout the ages. As for the relationship with those who see Me, laugh Me to scorn…They shake the the Father, the later did not forsake Him. Let us just con- head, saying, He trusted in the Lord let Him rescue Him” sider this verse: “Believe Me that I am in the Father, the (Ps. 22:7, 8). Father in Me” (Jn.14:11). That entire Psalm was fulfilled. Thus, He was able to say + So, what is the meaning of, “Why have You forsaken shortly after, “It is finished.” Therefore, “He opened their Me?” It indicates only that the Father did allow the suffer- understanding that they might comprehend the Scriptures.” ing and pain of the Son a SUBSTITUTE, and a REDEEM- He said, “All things must be fulfilled which were written in ER who must bear the blame and judgment of God’s wrath the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms con- over the sin of the world. That goes for the emotional tor- cerning Me” (Luke 24:44, 45). ment He went through. As for the physical pain; God in Why did Jesus say, “My God, My God?” He said that as His omnipotence, could have made Him insensible to pain. a representative of humanity, because “He made Himself But if that had happened, the Crucifixion would have been of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, and coming null and void, for pain would never have been experienced in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as and consequently, no penalty has been inflicted, and no re- a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the demption accomplished. It is written that, “Yet it pleased point of death, even the death of the cross” (Phil, 2:5-8). the Lord to bruise Him, He has put Him to grief as an of- Christ represented humanity in almost everything, fering for sin” (Isa.