Resurrection Sunday

 Resurrection Sunday

                                 

     

   Greetings in Christ Jesus,

 Sunday April 16, 2017

The Feast of Feasts

Epistle: 1 Corinthians 5: 6-8

6 Your glorying is not good. Know you not that a little leaven corrupts the whole lump? 7 Purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new paste, as you are unleavened. For Christ our Passover is sacrificed. 8 Therefore let us feast, not with the old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Gospel: Matthew 28: 1-20

1 And in the end of the Sabbath, when it began to dawn towards the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalen and the other Mary, to see the sepulchre. 2 And behold there was a great earthquake. For an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and coming, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. 3 And his countenance was as lightning, and his raiment as snow. 4 And for fear of him, the guards were struck with terror, and became as dead men. 5 And the angel answering, said to the women: Fear not; for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he is risen, as he said. Come, and see the place where the Lord was laid. 7 And going quickly, tell his disciples that he is risen: and behold he will go before you into Galilee; there you shall see him. Lo, I have foretold it to you. 8 And they went out quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy, running to tell his disciples. 9 And behold Jesus met them, saying: All hail. But they came up and took hold of his feet, and adored him.

10 Then Jesus said to them: Fear not. Go, tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, there they shall see me.

 11 Who when they were departed, behold some of the guards came into the city, and told the chief priests all things that had been done. 12 And they being assembled together with the ancients, taking counsel, gave a great sum of money to the soldiers, 13 saying: Say you, His disciples came by night, and stole him away when we were asleep. 14 And if the governor shall hear this, we will persuade him, and secure you. 15 So they taking the money did as they were taught: and this word was spread abroad among the Jews even unto this day. 16 And the eleven disciples went into Galilee, unto the mountain where Jesus had appointed them.

 17 And seeing him they adored: but some doubted. 18 And Jesus coming, spoke to them, saying: All power is given to me in heaven and in earth. 19 Going therefore, teach all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and behold I am with you all days, even to the end of the world.

Psalm 65

1 Unto the end, a canticle of a psalm of the resurrection. Shout with joy to God, all the earth, 2 sing a psalm to his name; give glory to his praise. 3 Say unto God, How terrible are Your works, O Lord! In the multitude of Your strength Your enemies shall lie to You. 4 Let all the earth adore You, and sing to You: let it sing a psalm to Your name. 5 Come and see the works of God; who is terrible in his counsels over the sons of men. 6 Who turns the sea into dry land, in the river they shall pass on foot: there shall we rejoice in him. 7 Who by his power rules for ever: his eyes behold the nations; let not them that provoke him be exalted in themselves. 8 O bless our God, you Gentiles: and make the voice of his praise to be heard. 9 Who has set my soul to live: and has not suffered my feet to be moved: 10 For You, O God, has proved us: You have tried us by fire, as silver is tried. 11 You have brought us into a net, You have laid afflictions on our back: 12 You have set men over our heads. We have passed through fire and water, and You have brought us out into a refreshment. 13 I will go into Your house with burnt offerings: I will pay You my vows, 14 which my lips have uttered, And my mouth has spoken, when I was in trouble. 15 I will offer up to You holocausts full of marrow, with burnt offerings of rams: I will offer to You bullocks with goats. 16 Come and hear, all you that fear God, and I will tell you what great things he has done for my soul. 17 I cried to him with my mouth: and I extolled him with my tongue. 18 If I have looked at iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. 19 Therefore has God heard me, and has attended to the voice of my supplication. 20 Blessed be God, who has not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.

Psalm 150

1 Alleluia. Praise the Lord in his holy places: praise him in the firmament of his power. 2 Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to the multitude of his greatness. 3 Praise him with sound of trumpet: praise him with psaltery and harp. 4 Praise him with timbrel and choir: praise him with strings and organs. 5 Praise him on high sounding cymbals: praise him on cymbals of joy: 6 let every spirit praise the Lord. Alleluia.

My Friends,

Christ is risen, death is defeated, sin has been overcome, all of this done by our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ through sinless life, His crucifixion, death, and resurrection.  This is a glorious day for those who believe. Praise God and glorify His holy name. I pray that on this day that there is a true awakening in each and every one of us. I pray that as the Psalmist says we have been proven, that during the days leading up to this day we have been tried by fire as silver is tried,  I pray that we have had afflictions laid upon our backs, and that we all have passed through fire and water, and have been brought out into a refreshment. My friends, this is how our faith grows, this is what kindles the fire within us.

By overcoming we gain wisdom and knowledge. So today praise Him that has tried us through fire, glorify the name of the one who teaches us and purifies us and has by His crucifixion, death, and resurrection, given us the ability to attain this new life through His blood. He is our strength; He is our High Priest and Mediator between us and the Father. Jesus the Christ unites us to the Father.

May the peace of our Lord Jesus the Christ be with you throughout this day and the rest of your life. May the Holy Spirit fill us all to overflowing so that everyone in whose path we cross may receive a blessing from our Lord Jesus the Christ.

Blessings

In Christ.

   

Member of the Autocephalous Orthodox Catholic Church of the Americas

Web Page; http://www.monkmichael.com

For Monk Michael's videos; http://www.youtube.com/user/HieroMonkMichael

Many Blessings!

+William

Wednesday of the 5th Week of Great Lent!

Wednesday of the 5th Week of Great Lent!

                      

                

Greetings in Christ Jesus,

Wednesday April 5th 2017

Hosea 6

1 In their affliction they will rise early to me: Come, and let us return to the Lord: 2 For he has taken us, and he will heal us: he will strike, and he will cure us. 3 He will revive us after two days: on the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. We shall know, and we shall follow on, that we may know the Lord. His going forth is prepared as the morning light, and he will come to us as the early and the latter rain to the earth. 4 What shall I do to thee, O Ephraim? what shall I do to thee, O Juda? your mercy is as a morning cloud, and as the dew that goes away in the morning. 5 For this reason have I hewed them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and Your judgments shall go forth as the light. 6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice: and the knowledge of God more than holocausts. 7 But they, like Adam, have transgressed the covenant, there have they dealt treacherously against me. 8 Galaad is a city of workers of idols, supplanted with blood. 9 And like the jaws of highway robbers, they conspire with the priests who murder in the way those that pass out of Shechem: for they have wrought wickedness. 10 I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Israel: the fornications of Ephraim there: Israel is defiled. 11 And you also, O Juda, set thee a harvest, when I shall bring back the captivity of my people.

My Friends,

What is the prophet saying here? From the very start we see the words saying to return to the Lord and He will heal and cure. Return to the Lord, this has been the theme throughout all of Holy Scripture, in all generations man has only needed to return to the Lord and yet it is the one thing that many have refused to do. Man now has science and logic, intellectualism. For the most part man has abandoned the spirit; St. John Chrysostom spoke these very words regarding the church back in the fourth century, how much more so today? Intellectualism prevails throughout the Body of Christ. It is the Spirit that we should be pursuing.

The prophet says; He will revive us after two days: on the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. We shall know, and we shall follow on, that we may know the Lord. His going forth is prepared as the morning light, and he will come to us as the early and the latter rain to the earth. We will soon enough be celebrating this raising of our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ on the third day. In the meantime let us continue our cry to find the spirit.

As we continue reading through the reading we see the results of not turning back to the Lord, seek wisdom, seek the truth which is Jesus the Christ, seek Him through the Holy Spirit. We see here the words of the Lord; for I desired mercy, and not sacrifice: and the knowledge of God more than holocausts. Does this passage mean that God does not want worship?

Of course not, Israel and now the church turned worship into mere ritual, worship has become the only goal and because of this many find the liturgy to be boring. Worship and ritual is not the end result that we want, it is not done simply for the sake of worship and ritual.

We seek communion with our Creator, a return to Almighty God, this is done by joining in spirit to our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ, this is the meaning and purpose of the worship. Seeking God is the purpose. This is our cry to Almighty God in all worship, reunion with Him. We have lost that communion since the fall, it is through our Lord and savior Jesus that Christ that we regain it.  For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice: and the knowledge of God more than holocausts. This is what we are to share with the world, the love of God, mercy and compassion.

This is what we seek from our Creator and this is what we give to others.

Continue this time of repentance and renewal; let us strengthen ourselves in spirit.

Blessings

In Christ.

   

Member of the Autocephalous Orthodox Catholic Church of the Americas

Web Page; http://www.monkmichael.com

For Monk Michael's videos; http://www.youtube.com/user/HieroMonkMichael

Many Blessings!

+William

5th Sunday of Great Lent

5th Sunday of Great Lent!

                                      

Greetings in Christ Jesus,

Sunday April 2nd 2017

Jeremiah  18:

13 Therefore thus says the Lord: Ask among the nations: Who has heard such horrible things, as the virgin of Israel has done to excess? 14 Shall now the snow of Libanus fail from the rock of the field? or can the cold waters that gush out and run down, be taken away? 15 Because my people have forgotten me, sacrificing in vain, and stumbling in their ways, in ancient paths, to walk by them in a way not trodden: 16 That their land might be given up to desolation, and to a perpetual hissing: every one that shall pass by it, shall be astonished, and wag his head. 17 As a burning will I scatter them before the enemy: I will show them the back, and not the face, in the day of their destruction.

 18 And they said: Come, and let us invent devices against Jeremias: for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet: come, and let us strike him with the tongue, and let us give no heed to all his words. 19 Give heed to me, O Lord, and hear the voice of my adversaries. 20 Shall evil be rendered for good, because they have digged a pit for my soul? Remember that I have stood in Your sight, so speak good for them, and turn away thy indignation from them. 21 Therefore deliver up their children to famine, and bring them into the hands of the sword: let their wives be bereaved of children and widows: and let their husbands be slain by death: let their young men be stabbed with the sword in battle. 22 Let a cry be heard out of their houses: for You shall bring the robber upon them suddenly: because they have digged a pit to take me, and have hid snares for my feet. 23 But You, O Lord, know all their counsel against me unto death: forgive not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from Your sight: let them be overthrown before Your eyes, in the time of Your wrath do destroy them.

Romans 6:

17 But thanks be to God, that you were the servants of sin, but have obeyed from the heart, unto that form of doctrine, into which you have been delivered. 18 Being then freed from sin, we have been made servants of justice. 19 I speak an human thing, because of the infirmity of your flesh. For as you have yielded your members to serve uncleanness and iniquity, unto iniquity; so now yield your members to serve justice, unto sanctification. 20 For when you were the servants of sin, you were free men to justice. 21 What fruit therefore had you then in those things, of which you are now ashamed? For the end of them is death. 22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, you have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end life everlasting. 23 For the wages of sin is death. But the grace of God, life everlasting, in Christ Jesus our Lord.

John 11:

47 The chief priests therefore, and the Pharisees, gathered a council, and said: What do we, for this man doth many miracles? 48 If we let him alone so, all will believe in him; and the Romans will come, and take away our place and nation. 49 But one of them, named Caiphas, being the high priest that year, said to them: You know nothing. 50 Neither do you consider that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. 51 And this he spoke not of himself: but being the high priest of that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation. 52 And not only for the nation, but to gather together in one the children of God, that were dispersed. 53 From that day therefore they devised to put him to death.

 54 Wherefore Jesus walked no more openly among the Jews; but he went into a country near the desert, unto a city that is called Ephrem, and there he abode with his disciples. 55 And the pasch of the Jews was at hand; and many from the country went up to Jerusalem, before the pasch to purify themselves. 56 They sought therefore for Jesus; and they discoursed one with another, standing in the temple: What think you that he is not come to the festival day? 57 And the chief priests and Pharisees had given a commandment, that if any man knew where he was, he should tell, that they might apprehend him.

Psalm 52/53

1 Unto the end, for Maeleth, understandings to David. The fool said in his heart: There is no God. 2 They are corrupted, and become abominable in iniquities: there is none that does good. 3 God looked down from heaven on the children of men: to see if there were any that did understand, or did seek God. 4 All have gone aside, they are become unprofitable together, there is none that does good, no not one. 5 Shall not all the workers of iniquity know, who eat up my people as they eat bread? 6 They have not called upon God: there have they trembled for fear, where there was no fear. For God has scattered the bones of them that please men: they have been confounded, because God has despised them. 7 Who will give out of Sion the salvation of Israel? when God shall bring back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

My Friends,

Let us continue our journey towards that glorious day of the Feast of Feasts, the Day of the Resurrection of our Lord and savior Jesus the Christ. Our readings today have a couple of themes, while we are seeking truth and wisdom, both of which are Jesus the Christ, our readings speak of what the world seeks against those who speak the truth. The prophet Jeremiah was sent to speak the truth to Israel and the leaders as well as many of the people begin to devise ways to kill Jeremiah because the truth is not what they wanted, they wanted their ears tickled and their senses delighted with pleasing words of greatness and power for them. The fact that they had strayed was of no importance to them. Self delusion, pride and arrogance filled their heart.

Our Lord and Savior, the vey truth itself, the Word of God who came in the flesh to not just give us the truth but to suffer and die for us, defeating sin and death so that we may have life abundantly was also hated by those in power, they did not want truth, they were also full of self delusion, pride, and arrogance and chose to plot the death of our Lord for speaking truth. Today is not much different, many in the hierarchy of the church in any of it’s so called denominations may not be plotting physical death of others but the lies that are spread about one to another; the self deluded importance of many, the pride in denomination or understanding, the arrogance in the attacks on others, these are the same as death, many of the religious have become legalists, juridical in their understanding, intellectualism reigns in the church rather than the conscious and the heart, the spirit is not what is followed, compassion does not rule, it is the following of the letter of the law according to whatever law any group lays claim to.

This time of reflection and repentance should lead us to a better understanding, we will never be perfect of course until that day comes but we can continue to strive towards that perfect love that is in Christ Jesus. There is indeed truly nothing else in Christ Jesus except perfect love. As the Apostle Paul states in the readings from the letter to the Romans; we were once slaves to sin, but now have obeyed from the heart.

If we indeed obey from the heart we should be ever more striving towards that perfect love that can only be found in the Christ Jesus.  

Continue this time of repentance and renewal, let us strengthen ourselves in spirit.

Blessings

In Christ.

   

Member of the Autocephalous Orthodox Catholic Church of the Americas

Web Page; http://www.monkmichael.com

For Monk Michael's videos; http://www.youtube.com/user/HieroMonkMichael

Many Blessings!

+William

4th Sunday of Great Lent!

4th Sunday of Great Lent!

                     

                 

Greetings in Christ Jesus,

Sunday March 26th 2017

Zechariah 8:

19 Thus says the Lord of hosts: The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth shall be to the house of Juda, joy, and gladness, and great solemnities: only love truth and peace. 20 Thus says the Lord of hosts, until people come, and dwell in many cities, 21 And the inhabitants go one to another, saying: Let us go, and entreat the face of the Lord, and let us seek the Lord of hosts: I also will go. 22 And many peoples, and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to entreat the face of the Lord. 23 Thus says the Lord of hosts: In those days, wherein ten men of all languages of the Gentiles shall take hold, and shall hold fast the skirt of one that is a Jew, saying: We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.

Galatians 1:

3 Grace be to you, and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present wicked world, according to the will of God and our Father: 5 To whom is glory forever and ever. Amen.

 6 I wonder that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ, unto another gospel. 7 Which is not another, only there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach a gospel to you besides that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so now I say again: If any one preach to you a gospel, besides that which you have received, let him be accursed.

Gospel of John 1:

1 After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for he would not walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him. 2 Now the Jews' feast of tabernacles was at hand. 3 And his brethren said to him: Pass from here, and go into Judea; that Your disciples also may see Your works which You do. 4 For there is no man that does anything in secret, and he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, manifest Yourself to the world. 5 For neither did his brethren believe in him. 6 Then Jesus said to them: My time is not yet come; but your time is always ready. 7 The world cannot hate you; but me it hates: because I give testimony of it, that the works thereof are evil. 8 Go you up to this festival day, but I go not up to this festival day: because my time is not accomplished. 9 When he had said these things, he himself stayed in Galilee.

 10 But after his brethren were gone up, then he also went up to the feast, not openly, but, as it were, in secret. 11 The Jews therefore sought him on the festival day, and said: Where is he? 12 And there was much murmuring among the multitude concerning him. For some said: He is a good man. And others said: No, but he seduces the people. 13 Yet no man spoke openly of him, for fear of the Jews.

 14 Now about the midst of the feast, Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. 15 And the Jews wondered, saying: How does this man know letters, having never learned? 16 Jesus answered them, and said: My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. 17 If any man do the will of him; he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. 18 He that speaks of himself, seeks his own glory: but he that seeks the glory of him that sent him, he is true, and there is no injustice in him. 19 Did Moses not give you the law, and yet none of you keeps the law? 20 Why seek you to kill me? The multitude answered, and said: You have a devil; who seeks to kill You? 21 Jesus answered, and said to them: One work I have done; and you all wonder: 22 Therefore, Moses gave you circumcision, (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and on the sabbath day you circumcise a man. 23 If a man receive circumcision on the sabbath day, that the law of Moses may not be broken; are you angry at me because I have healed the whole man on the sabbath day? 24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge just judgment.

 25 Some therefore of Jerusalem said: Is not this he whom they seek to kill? 26 And behold, he speaks openly, and they say nothing to him. Have the rulers known for a truth, that this is the Christ? 27 But we know this man, whence he is: but when the Christ comes, no man knoweth whence he is. 28 Jesus therefore cried out in the temple, teaching, and saying: You both know me, and you know whence I am: and I am not come of myself; but he that sent me, is true, whom you know not. 29 I know him, because I am from him, and he has sent me. 30 They sought therefore to apprehend him: and no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.

Psalm 45 (46)

1 Unto the end, for the sons of Core, for the hidden. 2 Our God is our refuge and strength: a helper in troubles, which have found us exceedingly. 3 Therefore we will not fear, when the earth shall be troubled; and the mountains shall be removed into the heart of the sea. 4 Their waters roared and were troubled: the mountains were troubled with his strength. 5 The stream of the river makes the city of God joyful: the most High has sanctified his own tabernacle. 6 God is in the midst thereof, it shall not be moved: God will help it in the morning early. 7 Nations were troubled, and kingdoms were bowed down: he uttered his voice, the earth trembled. 8 The Lord of armies is with us: the God of Jacob is our protector. 9 Come and behold the works of the Lord: what wonders he has done upon earth, 10 making wars to cease even to the end of the earth. He shall destroy the bow, and break the weapons: and the shield he shall burn in the fire. 11 Be still and see that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, and I will be exalted in the earth. 12 The Lord of armies is with us: the God of Jacob is our protector.

My Friends,

We often fall so far short in our own sight or vision that we simply cannot see the love of God that completely surrounds us. In our first reading this morning from the prophet, we see the understanding is found in Jesus the Christ, ‘in those days’ of course are words speaking to the days of our Lord which we are in. Regardless of any denial of who Jesus the Christ is or is not in any nation, people from all the nations have come to know something and many have sought and are now seeking Him. There are many who are seeking truth and do not yet know that truth is Jesus the Christ. Are we praying for these people?

The world today is not less wicked than in the days in which these words today were originally preached or written down.  The love of God demands that we pray for one another and for the salvation of all people hoping that we all will indeed come to the fullness of truth. Truth is not selfish; it shares itself through us, through our actions. Our fasts become joyful feasts as the prophet says here in the beginning of today’s readings.

The Lord of the Armies or the Hosts of the Heavens is with those who choose to follow the Lord. The days are wicked and evil upon the earth, this is indeed a combat arena, we fight against principalities and power (evil and malicious spirits), against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places. Therefore take unto you the armour of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and to stand in all things perfect. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of justice, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace: In all things taking the shield of faith, wherewith you may be able to extinguish all the fiery darts of the most wicked one. And take unto you the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit (which is the word of God). By all prayer and supplication praying at all times in the spirit; and in the same watching with all instance and supplication for all the saints:

Continue this time of repentance and renewal, let us strengthen ourselves in spirit.

Blessings

In Christ.

   

Member of the Autocephalous Orthodox Catholic Church of the Americas

Web Page; http://www.monkmichael.com

For Monk Michael's videos; http://www.youtube.com/user/HieroMonkMichael

Many Blessings!

+William

monkmichael.com

3rd Sunday of Great Lent

3rd Sunday of Great Lent!

 

                           

       

Greetings in Christ Jesus,

Sunday March 19th 2017

Isaiah 58

1 Cry, cease not, lift up your voice like a trumpet, and show my people their wicked doings, and the house of Jacob their sins. 2 For they seek me from day to day, and desire to know my ways, as a nation that has done justice, and has not forsaken the judgment of their God: they ask of me the judgments of justice: they are willing to approach to God. 3 Why have we fasted, and You have not regarded: have we humbled our souls, and You have not taken notice? Behold in the day of your fast your own will is found, and you exact of all your debtors. 4 Behold you fast for debates and strife. And strike with the fist wickedly. Do not fast as you have done until this day, to make your cry to be heard on high. 5 Is this such a fast as I have chosen: for a man to afflict his soul for a day? is this it, to wind his head about like a circle, and to spread sackcloth and ashes? will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the Lord?

 6 Is not this rather the fast that I have chosen? loose the bands of wickedness, undo the bundles that oppress, let them that are broken go free, and break asunder every burden. 7 Deal thy bread to the hungry, and bring the needy and the harbourless into thy house: when you shall see one naked, cover him, and despise not your own flesh. 8 Then shall your light break forth as the morning, and your health shall speedily arise, and your justice shall go before your face, and the glory of the Lord shall gather you up.

My friends, there is nothing to add here. The prophet says it all. Crying out to Almighty God in any fashion whatsoever when all the while one continues to do that which is wrong and continues to not do that which is right, is a complete waste of time. God will not listen. We must change our life and do what are supposed to do to the best of our ability. Then our fasting and our cries will be heard. We can begin new each day. If we fall down one moment, we can get up the next. Our Lord and God is a patient God, However, we do not know when our life will be ended here. Now is the appropriate time.

Blessings

In Christ.

   

Member of the Autocephalous Orthodox Catholic Church of the Americas

Web Page; http://www.monkmichael.com

For Monk Michael's videos; http://www.youtube.com/user/HieroMonkMichael

Many Blessings!

+William