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Fr George's Letter

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Written by: Fr George

PALM SUNDAY.

“The virtues build a new person radiating love to the world.”

(Metropolitan Paul (Yazigi) of Aleppo who consecrated our temple.)

“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

                                                                                        (Hebrews 4:15-16)

SUNDAY 5^th APRIL. St. Mark the Anchorite of Athens (400). St. Theodora of Thessaloniki (892).

“Completely have trust in God, leave everything in His hands, and believe that His love will act for your own benefit. Then God will take care of everything, because there is nothing He cannot do; everything is easy for Him. The difficult thing is for man to decide to humble himself and leave everything to God’s providence and love.” (St. Paisios of Mount Athos) 

“Open to me the door of loving-kindness, O our Lord, Who are full of mercy; stretch out Thine hand to me, O good and Merciful One, and return me to the fold of Thy sheep, that I may glorify Thy kindness.” (St. Ephraim the Syrian) 

TODAY’S GOSPEL. JOHN 12:1-18. “Then six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put into it. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.” Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus. The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out:

“Hosanna!

‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’

The King of Israel!” Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written:

“Fear not, daughter of Zion;

Behold, your King is coming, 

Sitting on donkey’s colt.”

His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him. Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness. For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign.”

“Hosanna!” the crowd shouted as Jesus, riding on a young donkey, entered the Holy City of Jerusalem. What did this mean? Hosanna literally means, ‘save we pray’. The palm branches were a sign of victory and royalty, welcoming Christ on His triumphant entry into Jerusalem. He came not as a power-hungry earthly ruler but He came in humility knowing that He was going to His death that we may be saved from death. Were some of the throng who shouted “Hosanna!” on this momentous day, also part of the crowd that shouted “Crucify Him!” on the following Friday? 

As we enter Holy Week when we carry palms in remembrance of this event, we also should try to be with Him at the Last Supper, in the Garden of Gethsemane in His agony, in His betrayal and on His road to Calvary and be witnesses to His Crucifixion and death. In following the events of Holy Week we are led through the trials and tribulations of our own lives and our inevitable earthly death. In following Him we see His terrible death that leads us into a dark sealed tomb...............that bursts forth with heavenly light when the Saviour of the world rose from the pains of death in order that we may rise from death. Today let us shout ‘Hosanna' when we welcome our King and anticipate His resurrection when at last we can shout with joy “Christ is Risen!”

                                                                                            Much Love, 

                                                                                            Fr. George.

Services in Holy Week:- 

Thursday 9^th April,10.00 am. Divine Liturgy and Washing of Feet.

Friday 10^th April, 7.00 pm. Vespers of Good Friday.

Saturday 11^th April, 8.00 pm. Rush Procession.

Sunday 12^th April, Holy Pascha, Divine Liturgy 10.00 am. Followed by the Parish Feast. Please bring whatever you can that we may continue our tradition of having a splendid Paschal Feast together.

There will be a Church Council meeting after the Divine Liturgy on Sunday 19^th April in the Sacristy, there is a lot to discuss.