Sunday, March 6, 2010
Third Sunday of Great Lent: Sunday of the CrossSpecial Hymns at the Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great
RESURRECTIONAL TROPARION - TONE SIX:
The angelic powers were at Your tomb; and the guards became as dead men; and Mary stood by Your grave, seeking Your most pure Body. You did capture hell, not being tempted by it. You did come to the Virgin, granting life. O Lord who did rise from the dead: Glory to You!EXALTATION OF THE LIFE-GIVING CROSS TROPARION - TONE ONE:
O Lord, save Your people, and bless Your inheritance. Grant victories to the Orthodox Christians over their adversaries; and by virtue of Your Cross, preserve Your habitation.EXALTATION OF THE LIFE-GIVING CROSS KONTAKION - TONE SEVEN:
Now the flaming sword no longer guards the gates of Eden; it has been mysteriously quenched by the wood of the Cross! The sting of death and the victory of hell have been vanquished, for You, O my Savior, have come and cried to those in hell: “Enter again into paradise.”HYMN TO THE THEOTOKOS (INSTEAD OF “IT IS TRULY MEET”):
All of creation rejoices in you, O full of grace; the assembly of angels and the race of men. O sanctified temple and spiritual paradise, the glory of virgins, from whom God was incarnate and became a Child, our God before the ages. He made your body into a throne, and your womb He made more spacious than the heavens. All of creation rejoices in you, O full of grace. Glory to you!The Epistle Lesson— Hebrews 4:14—5:6
The PROKIMENON in the 6 TH TONE: O Lord, save Your people, and bless Your inheritance!
Brethren, seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 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. For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sin. He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness. Because of this he is required as for the people, so also for himself, to offer sacrifices for sins. And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was. So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him: “You are My Son, today I have begotten You.” As He also says in another place: “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.”
ALLELUIA
Remember Thy congregation, which Thou hast acquired from old. God is our King before the ages; He has worked salvation in the midst of the earth.COMMENTARY
Jesus Christ, the Great High Priest, provides the fulfillment of all that we aspire to be as human beings. His priesthood is not just perfect; it is complete in its perfection. When the Son of God took on our humanity, He also took on the ability to sympathize with our weakness to sin. This, combined with God's perfect love for humanity, transforms the throne at the right hand. No longer is it solely a throne of judgment. Now, because Christ was tempted as we all are, it is a throne of grace, through which He grants mercy and help to us in time of need. And as often as we repent, and turn toward Christ, this grace will be granted to us! May our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, grant us the humility to turn from our wickedness and beg for His grace as we make our journey through this Great Lenten season!The Holy Gospel— Mark 8:34—9:1
At that time, when Jesus had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” And He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power.”
COMMENTARY
Every day as Orthodox Christians we are called to deny the self, take up our cross, and follow Christ. And every day we falter, grabbing hold of our own agendas, believing our will to be more important than God's. Yet, continually, Christ asks us to deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow Him. This gospel proclaiming the good news of the cross may strike us as rather contradictory. Is it good news to suffer? Absolutely! For Christ tells us that the suffering of this world prepares us for the joy of the next when He says, “whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.” May Christ our God grant us the discernment to understand that the trials and tribulations of this world are for our salvation, and the perseverance and strength to endure for the glory of God.
SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR THE WEEKMonday, March 8
Isaiah 14: 24-32, Genesis 8:21-9:7; Proverbs 11:19-12:6Tuesday, March 9
Isaiah 25: 1-9; Genesis 9:8-17; Proverbs 12: 8-22Wednesday, March 10
Isaiah 26:21-27:9; Genesis 9:18-10:1, Proverbs 12:23-13:9Thursday, March 11
Isaiah 28:14-22; Genesis 10:32-11:9; Proverbs 13:20-14:6Friday, March 12
Isaiah 29:13-23; Genesis 12:1-7; Proverbs 14: 15-26Saturday, March 13
Hebrews 6: 9-12; Mark 7: 31-37
Bulletin BoardTHE SACRAMENT OF HOLY CONFESSION DURING GREAT LENT
Please refer to the Lenten Guide on the Cathedral Website for more information about how to prepare for the Sacrament of Penance, an indispensible part of our Christian journey during Great Lent. The Cathedral clergy are available every Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. prior to the beginning of the liturgy, and every Saturday after the Vespers service. For those who wish more time, the clergy are available by appointment any day of the week.YOUNG ADULT RETREAT
The Annual Lenten Retreat for Young Adults will again take place at Camp Wrightwood on March 19, 20 and 21. This year, the Young Adults at St. Steven's Cathedral will be joined by those from St. Sophia's Greek Orthodox Cathedral in what is sure to be an inspiring Pan-Orthodox event. Dr. John Coroneus, the featured speaker, will talk about the relationship of science to God in the twenty-first century. It is a “don't miss” opportunity for fellowship and growth in the faith! Call the Cathedral Office, or e-mail Fr. Norman Kosanovich for details (frnorman@saintstevens.org).WOMEN'S RETREAT
The Diocesan KSS, with the blessings of His Grace, Bishop MAXIM, is holding the 13th Annual Lenten Women's Retreat on March 19-21 at the St. Sava Mission in Jackson, CA. The guest speaker will be the renowned Prebytera Kyriaki Fitzgerald, speaking on the topic: “Seeking ‘Life in Abundance' with St. Mary of Egypt”. For additional information, please contact the KSS President, Laura Burge (626) 441-4949, or the Jackson contact, Djakonica Danica Paul (209) 223-4640.