St. Alexis of Wilkes-Barre Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2025-04-13
Bulletin Contents
Welcome
Announcements
Prayers, Intercessions and Commemorations
Parish Calendar
Saints and Feasts
Hymns of the Day
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Wisdom of the Fathers
Beyond the Sermon
A Little Extra

Organization Icon
St. Alexis of Wilkes-Barre Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • 860-664-9434
  • Street Address:

  • PO Box 134, 108 E Main St

  • Clinton, CT 06413-0134

Contact Information

Fr Steven Hosking
Rector

[email protected] | 860-322-2906 (Message)
Dn Timothy Skuby
Attached

[email protected] | (808) 341-1813

Services Schedule

Please see our online calendar for dates and times of Feast Day services.

Past Bulletins


Welcome

Jesus Christ taught us to love and serve all people, regardless of their ethnicity or nationality. To understand that, we need to look no further than to the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). Every time we celebrate the Divine Liturgy, it is offered "on behalf of all, and for all." As Orthodox Christians we stand against racism and bigotry. All human beings share one common identity as children of God. "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatian 3:28)

Members of our Parish Council are:

Carolyn Neiss- President     Greg Jankura - Vice President
Boris Doph - Treasurer     
Sharon Hanson - Member at Large
Luba Martins - Member at Large    
Brett Malcolm - Member at Large

Pastoral Care - General Information

Emergency Sick Calls can be made at any time. Please call Fr Steven at (860) 322-2906, when a family member is admitted to the hospital.
Anointing in Sickness: The Sacrament of Unction is available in Church, the hospital, or your home, for anyone who is sick and suffering, however severe. 
Marriages and Baptisms require early planning, scheduling and selections of sponsors (crown bearers or godparents). See Father before booking dates and reception halls!
Funerals are celebrated for practicing Orthodox Christians. Please see Father for details. The Church opposes cremation; we cannot celebrate funerals for cremations.

BACK TO TOP

Announcements

St Mary Book and Movie Club
On Tuesday, April 22, 2025, after the 9 AM mass, we will be viewing the movie Babette’s Feast
Some movies can only be described as delicious. In Babette's Feast, a woman flees the French civil war and lands in a small seacoast village in Denmark, where she comes to work for two spinsters, devout daughters of a puritan minister. After many years, Babette unexpectedly wins a lottery, and decides to create a real French dinner--which leads the sisters to fear for their souls. Joining them for the meal will be a Danish general who, as a young soldier, courted one of the sisters, but she turned him away because of her religion. The village elders all resolve not to enjoy the meal, but can their moral fiber resist the sensual pleasure of Babette's cooking? Babette's Feast deservedly won the 1987 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. This lovely movie is impeccably simple, yet its slender narrative contains a wealth of humor, melancholy, and hope. The film is listed as one of the  Vatican’s best religions movies and is a favorite of Pope Francis. For further information contact Jim Pepitone at [email protected] or 203-779-9066. 

 Schedule of Holy Week Services

The full schedule for Holy Week is on the parish calendar, as well as listed here. Please make not of the dates and times. Any changes to this schedule will be announced in as much advance as possible via email. Please note, there will be no morning Matins schedule this week. All services will be held in person but will be streamed as well.

Soup Kitchen

St Alexis will be hosting the Soup Kitchen on Wednesday, April 23rd. If you can volunteer or make a donation please contact Susan Egan or Luba Martins.

BACK TO TOP

Prayers, Intercessions and Commemorations

Many Years! to Nina Naumenko, Lisa Egan and Christine Jankura on the ocassions of their birthdays.

Memory Eternal to Alla Hamisevich on the anniversary of her repose.

Pray for: All those confined to hospitals, nursing homes, and their own homes due to illness; for all those who serve in the armed forces; widows, orphans, prisoners, victims of violence, and refugees;

  • All those suffering chronic illness, financial hardship, loneliness, addictions, abuse, abandonment and despair; those who are homeless, those who are institutionalize, those who have no one to pray for them;
  • All Orthodox seminarians & families; all Orthodox monks and nuns, and all those considering monastic life; all Orthodox missionaries and their families.
  • All those who have perished due to hatred, intolerance and pestilence; all those departed this life in the hope of the Resurrection.

Please let Fr. Steven know via email if you have more names for which to pray.

  • Departed: Nicholas, William, Timothy
  • Clergy and their families: Fr Sergei B, Fr Vladimir, Matushka Anne, Fr Vasily, Fr Justin, Fr Vladimir
  • ​Catechumen: James
  • Individuals and Families: Luba, Suzanne, Rosemary, Daniel & Dayna, Kristen, Charles, Victor, Susan, Gregory,
  • Birthdays and Name’s Days this Month: Jack Jankura (B-1 Apr), Maureen Skuby (B - 4 Apr), Nina Naumenko (B - Apr 13) Christine Jankura (B-18 Apr), Valery Danilack-Fekete (B - 25 Apr) Sarah Senercen (B - 27), Cathy Martins (B - 29 Apr)
  • Anniversaries this Month:
  • ​Expecting and Newborn: Katie and Aaron and their unborn child, Valery and Jason and their new born, Augusta Mary
  • ​Traveling:

  • ​Sick and those in distress: Thomas, Sheri, Joanna, Joshua, Julia, Stormy, Scott, Anne, Noah, Nancy, Sophia, Gregory, Tomas, Nancy, Nicholas, Carol, Vincent, Matthew, Mark, Hermon, Sandra, Dorothy, Alan, Phyllis, Peter, Loretta

Today’s commemorated feasts and saints

ENTRY OF OUR LORD INTO JERUSALEM. Palm Sunday. Hieromartyr Artemon of Laodikeia in Syria (303). Martyr Crescens, of Myra in Lycia. Martyr Thomaïs, of Alexandria (5th c.).

  • Again we pray for those who have lost their lives because of the wars in Ukraine and in the Middle East: that the Lord our God may look upon them with mercy, and give them rest where there is neither sickness, or sorrow, but life everlasting.
  • Again we pray for mercy, life, peace, health, salvation, for those who are suffering, wounded, grieving, or displaced because of the wars in Ukraine and in the Middle East.
  • Again we pray for a cessation of the hostilities against Ukraine and the Middle East, and that reconciliation and peace will flourish there, we pray thee, hearken and have mercy.
BACK TO TOP

Parish Calendar

  • St Alexis Parish

    April 13 to April 21, 2025

    Sunday, April 13

    Palm Sunday

    Nina Naumenko

    9:30AM Divine Liturgy

    4:00PM Bridegroom Matins - Hartford

    Monday, April 14

    Holy Monday

    6:00PM Bridegroom Matins

    Tuesday, April 15

    Holy Tuesday

    6:00PM Bridegroom Matins

    Wednesday, April 16

    Holy Wednesday

    Lisa Egan

    6:00PM Matins of Holy Thursday

    Thursday, April 17

    Holy Thursday

    Anita Boruch

    9:30AM Liturgy of The Last Supper

    6:00PM Passion Gospels

    Friday, April 18

    Repose of Alla Hamisevich

    Holy Friday

    Christine Jankura

    4:00PM Vespers of the Entombment

    6:00PM Matins of Holy Saturday

    Saturday, April 19

    Holy Saturday

    10:00AM Liturgy of Holy Saturday

    10:30PM Nocturns, Matins, Liturgy of Pascha

    Sunday, April 20

    Great and Holy Pascha

    12:00PM Paschal Vespers

    Monday, April 21

    Renewal Monday

BACK TO TOP

Saints and Feasts

April 12

Lazarus Saturday

Lazarus and his sisters Martha and Mary, the friends of the Lord Jesus, had given Him hospitality and served Him many times (Luke 10:38-4z; John 12:2-3). They were from Bethany, a village of Judea. This village is situated in the eastern parts by the foothills of the Mount of Olives, about two Roman miles from Jerusalem. When Lazarus - whose name is a Hellenized form of "Eleazar," which means "God has helped," became ill some days before the saving Passion, his sisters had this report taken to our Saviour, Who was then in Galilee. Nonetheless, He tarried yet two more days until Lazarus died; then He said to His disciples, "Let us go into Judea that I might awake My friend who sleepeth." By this, of course, He meant the deep sleep of death. On arriving at Bethany, He consoled the sisters of Lazarus, who was already four days dead. Jesus groaned in spirit and was troubled at the death of His beloved friend. He asked, "Where have ye laid his body?" and He wept over him. When He drew nigh to the tomb, He commanded that they remove the stone, and He lifted up His eyes, and giving thanks to God the Father, He cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth." And he that had been dead four days came forth immediately, bound hand and foot with the grave clothes, and Jesus said to those standing there, "Loose him, and let him go." This is the supernatural wonder wrought by the Saviour that we celebrate on this day.

According to an ancient tradition, it is said that Lazarus was thirty years old when the Lord raised him; then he lived another thirty years on Cyprus and there reposed in the Lord. It is furthermore related that after he was raised from the dead, he never laughed till the end of his life, but that once only, when he saw someone stealing a clay vessel, he smiled and said, "Clay stealing clay." His grave is situated in the city of Kition, having the inscription: "Lazarus the four days dead and friend of Christ." In 890 his sacred relics were transferred to Constantinople by Emperor Leo the Wise, at which time undoubtedly the Emperor composed his stichera for Vespers, "Wishing to behold the tomb of Lazarus . . ."

April 13

Palm Sunday

On Sunday, five days before the Passover of the Law, the Lord came from Bethany to Jerusalem. Sending two of His disciples to bring Him a foal of an ass, He sat thereon and entered into the city. When the multitude there heard that Jesus was coming, they straightway took up the branches of palm trees in their hands, and went forth to meet Him. Others spread their garments on the ground, and yet others cut branches from the trees and strewed them in the way that Jesus was to pass; and all of them together, especially the children, went before and after Him, crying out: "Hosanna: Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord, the King of Israel" (John 12:13). This is the radiant and glorious festival of our Lord's entry into Jerusalem that we celebrate today.

The branches of the palm trees symbolize Christ's victory over the devil and death. The word Hosanna means "Save, I pray," or "Save, now." The foal of an ass, and Jesus' sitting thereon, and the fact that this animal was untamed and considered unclean according to the Law, signified the former uncleanness and wildness of the nations, and their subjection thereafter to the holy Law of the Gospel.

April 14

Holy Monday

The holy Passion of our Saviour begins today, presenting Joseph the all-comely as a prefiguring of Christ. He was the eleventh son of Jacob, and his first son by Rachel; because he was so beloved of his father, his own brethren came to envy him and cast him into a pit. Later they sold him to foreigners for thirty pieces of silver, who later sold him again in Egypt. Because of his virtue, his master gave him much authority in governing his house; because he was fair of countenance, his master's wife sought to draw him into sin with her; because of his chastity, he refused her, and through her slanders was cast into prison. Finally, he was led forth again with great glory and was honoured as a king. He became lord over all Egypt and a provider of wheat for all the people. Through all this, he typifies in himself the betrayal, Passion, death, and glorification of our Lord Jesus Christ (see Gen., chapters 37, 39 41).

To the commemoration of Patriarch Joseph is added also the narration concerning the fig tree, which on this day was cursed and subsequently dried up because of its unfruitfulness. It portrayed the Jewish synagogue, which had not produced the fruit demanded of it, that is, obedience to God and faith in Him and which was stripped of all spiritual grace by means of the curse (Matt. 21:18-20).

April 15

Holy Tuesday

Today we bring to mind the parable of the ten virgins, which our Saviour related as He was coming to His Passion. This parable teaches us that the accomplishment of the great work of virginity should not make us careless in other matters, especially in almsgiving, wherewith the lamp of virginity is made radiant. Furthermore, it teaches us that we should not be remiss about the end of our life, but should be prepared for it at every moment, like the wise virgins, so that we may meet the Bridegroom, lest He come suddenly and the doors of the heavenly bridechamber be shut, and we also, like the foolish virgins, hear that dread sentence: "Amen, I say unto you, I know you not" (Matt. 25:1-13).

April 16

Holy Wednesday

Two women - say the more discerning interpreters of the Gospel - anointed the Lord with myrrh; the one, a long time before His Passion; the other, a few days before. One was a harlot and sinner; the other, chaste and virtuous. The Church commemorates this reverent act today. While mentioning herein the person of the harlot, it also mentions Judas' betrayal; for, according to the account in Matthew, both of these deeds took place two days before the Passover, on Wednesday.

That woman, then, anointed Jesus' head and feet with very precious myrrh, and wiped them with the tresses of her hair. The disciples, especially the avaricious Judas, were scandalized, supposedly because of the waste of the myrrh, which could be sold for a great price and given to the poor. The Lord Jesus reproved them and told them not to trouble the woman. Indignant, Judas went to the high priests, who were gathered in the court of Caiaphas and were already taking counsel against Jesus. On agreeing with them to betray his Teacher for thirty pieces of silver, Judas sought from that time opportunity to betray Him (Matt. 26:14-16). Because the betrayal took place on Wednesday, we have received the tradition from Apostolic times to fast on Wednesday throughout the year.

April 17

Holy Thursday

On the evening of this day, which was the eve of the feast of unleavened bread (that is, the Passover), our Redeemer supped with His twelve disciples in the city. He blessed the bread and the wine, and gave us the Mystery of the Divine Eucharist. He washed the feet of the disciples as an example of humility. He said openly that one of them was about to betray Him, and He pointed out the betrayer by revealing that it was he "that dippeth his hand with Me in the dish." And after Judas had straightway gone forth, Jesus gave the disciples His final and sublime instructions, which are contained in the first Gospel Reading of the Holy Passion (John 13:31-18:1 known as the Gospel of the Testament). After this the God-man went forth to the Mount of Olives, and there He began to be sorrowful and in anguish. He went off alone, and bending the knees He prayed fervently. From His great anguish, His sweat became as it were great drops of blood falling to the ground. As soon as He had completed that anguished prayer, lo, Judas came with a multitude of soldiers and a great crowd; on greeting the Teacher guile fully with a kiss, he betrayed Him.

The Lord Jesus was then apprehended and taken prisoner to the high priests Annas and Caiaphas. The disciples were scattered, but Peter, who was more fervent than the others, followed Him even into the court of the high priest, but in the end denied thrice that he was His disciple.

Then our divine Teacher was brought before the lawless Sanhedrin and was interrogated concerning His disciples and His teaching. The high priest adjured Him before God that He tell them whether He was truly the Christ. And having spoken the truth, He was judged guilty of death, supposedly as one who had blasphemed. Then they spat in His face, beat Him, smote Him with the palms of their hands, and mocked Him in every way, throughout the whole night until the morning.

April 18

Holy Friday

When Friday dawned, Christ was sent bound from Caiaphas to Pontius Pilate, who was then Governor of Judea. Pilate interrogated Him in many ways, and once and again acknowledged that He was innocent, but to please the Jews, he later passed the sentence of death against Him. After scourging the Lord of all as though He were a runaway slave, he surrendered Him to be crucified.

Thus the Lord Jesus was handed over to the soldiers, was stripped of His garments, was clothed in a purple robe, was crowned with a wreath of thorns, had a reed placed in His hand as though it were a sceptre, was bowed before in mockery, was spat upon, and was buffeted in the face and on the head. Then they again clothed Him in His own garments, and bearing the cross, He came to Golgotha, a place of condemnation, and there, about the third hour, He was crucified between two thieves. Although both blasphemed Him at the first, the thief at His right hand repented, and said: "Remember me, O Lord, when Thou comest in Thy Kingdom," to which our Saviour answered, "Today shalt thou be with Me in Paradise." As He hung upon the Cross, He was blasphemed by those who were passing by, was mocked by the high priests, and by the soldiers was given vinegar to drink mixed with gall. About the ninth hour, He cried out with a loud voice, saying, "It is finished." And the Lamb of God "Which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29) expired on the day when the moon was full, and at the hour when, according to the Law, was slain the Passover lamb, which was established as a type of Him in the time of Moses.

Even lifeless creation mourned the death of the Master, and it trembled and was altered out of fear. Yet, even though the Maker of creation was already dead, they pierced Him in His immaculate side, and forthwith came there out Blood and Water. Finally, at about the setting of the sun, Joseph of Arimathea came with Nicodemus (both of them had been secret disciples of Jesus), and they took down the all-holy Body of the Teacher from the Cross and anointed it with aromatic spices, and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth. When they had buried Him in a new tomb, they rolled a great stone over its entrance.

Such are the dread and saving sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ commemorated today, and in remembrance of them, we have received the Apostolic commandment that a fast be observed every Friday.

April 19

Holy Saturday

On Saturday, the high priests and Pharisees gathered together before Pilate and asked him to have Jesus' tomb sealed until the third day; because, as those enemies of God said, "We suspect that His disciples will come and steal His buried body by night, and then proclaim to the people that His resurrection is true, as that deceiver Himself foretold while He was yet alive; and then the last deception shall be worse than the first." After they had said these things to Pilate and received his permission, they went and sealed the tomb, and assigned a watch for security, that is, guards from among the soldiers under the supervision of the high priests (Matt. 27:62-66). While commemorating the entombment of the holy Body of our Lord today, we also celebrate His dread descent with His soul, whereby He destroyed the gates and bars of Hades, and made His light to shine where only darkness had reigned (Job 3 8 : 17; Esaias 49:9; 1 Peter 3:18-20); death was put to death, Hades was stripped of all its captives, our first parents and all the righteous who died from the beginning of time ran to Him Whom they had awaited, and the holy angelic orders glorified God for the restoration of our fallen race.

April 20

Great and Holy Pascha

Mary Magdalene, and the other women who were present at the burial of our Saviour on Friday evening, returned from Golgotha to the city and prepared fragrant spices and myrrh, so that they might anoint the body of Jesus. On the morrow, because of the law which forbids work on the day of the Sabbath, they rested for the whole day. But at early dawn on the Sunday that followed, almost thirty-six hours since the death of the Life-giving Redeemer, they came to the sepulchre with the spices to anoint His body. While they were considering the difficulty of rolling away the stone from the door of the sepulchre, there was a fearful earthquake; and an Angel, whose countenance shone like lightning and whose garment was white as snow, rolled away the stone and sat upon it. The guards that were there became as dead from fear and took to flight. The women, however, went into the sepulchre, but did not find the Lord's body. Instead, they saw two other Angels in the form of youths clothed in white, who told them that the Saviour was risen, and they sent forth the women, who ran to proclaim to the disciples these gladsome tidings. Then Peter and John arrived, having learned from Mary Magdalene what had come to pass, and when they entered the tomb, they found only the winding sheets. Therefore, they returned again to the city with joy, as heralds now of the supernatural Resurrection of Christ, Who in truth was seen alive by the disciples on this day on five occasions.

Our Lord, then, was crucified, died, and was buried on Friday, before the setting of the sun, which was the first of His "three days" in the grave; observing the mystical Sabbath, that "seventh day" in which it is said that the Lord "rested from all His works" (Gen. 2:2-3), He passed all of Saturday in the grave; and He arose "while it was yet dark, very early in the morning" on Sunday, the third day, which, according to the Hebrew reckoning, began after sunset on Saturday.

As we celebrate today this joyous Resurrection, we greet and embrace one another in Christ, thereby demonstrating our Saviour's victory over death and corruption, and the destruction of our ancient enmity with God, and His reconciliation toward us, and our inheritance of life everlasting. The feast itself is called Pascha, which is derived from the Hebrew word which means "passover"; because Christ, Who suffered and arose, has made us to pass over from the curse of Adam and slavery to the devil and death unto our primal freedom and blessedness. In addition, this day of this particular week, which is the first of all the rest, is dedicated to the honour of the Lord; in honour and remembrance of the Resurrection, the Apostles transferred to this day the rest from labour that was formerly assigned to the Sabbath of the ancient Law.

All foods allowed during Renewal Week.

BACK TO TOP

Hymns of the Day

The First Antiphon

I love the Lord because He has heard the voice of my supplication.
Refrain: Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us!

Because He inclined His ear to me, therefore I will call on Him as long as I live.
Refrain: Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us!

The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of hell laid hold on me.
Refrain: Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us!

I suffered distress and anguish, then I called on the Name of the Lord.
Refrain: Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us!

I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.
Refrain: Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us!

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Refrain: Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us!

The Second Antiphon

I kept my faith, even when I said, “I am greatly afflicted.”
Refrain: O Son of God, seated on the colt of an ass, save us who sing 
 to You: Alleluia!

What shall I render to the Lord for all the things He has given me?
Refrain: O Son of God, seated on the colt of an ass, save us who sing 
 to You: Alleluia!

I will receive the cup of salvation, and call upon the Name of the Lord.
Refrain: O Son of God, seated on the colt of an ass, save us who sing 
 to You: Alleluia!

I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all His people.
Refrain: O Son of God, seated on the colt of an ass, save us who sing 
 to You: Alleluia!

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

(“Only-begotten Son and immortal Word of God… “)

The Third Antiphon

Reader: O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy endures forever.

Choir: Tone 1 Troparion

By raising Lazarus from the dead before Your Passion,
You confirmed the universal resurrection, O Christ God.
Like the children with the palms of victory,
we cry out to You, O Vanquisher of Death:
“Hosanna in the highest!//
Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord.”

Reader: Let the house of Israel say that He is good; for His mercy endures forever.

Choir: Tone 1 Troparion

By raising Lazarus from the dead before Your Passion,
You confirmed the universal resurrection, O Christ God.
Like the children with the palms of victory,
we cry out to You, O Vanquisher of Death:
“Hosanna in the highest!//
Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord.”

Reader: Let the house of Aaron say that He is good; for His mercy endures forever.

Choir: Tone 1 Troparion

By raising Lazarus from the dead before Your Passion,
You confirmed the universal resurrection, O Christ God.
Like the children with the palms of victory,
we cry out to You, O Vanquisher of Death:
“Hosanna in the highest!//
Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord.”

Reader: Let those who fear the Lord say that He is good; for His mercy endures forever.

Choir: Tone 1 Troparion

By raising Lazarus from the dead before Your Passion,
You confirmed the universal resurrection, O Christ God.
Like the children with the palms of victory,
we cry out to You, O Vanquisher of Death:
“Hosanna in the highest!//
Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord.”

Deacon: Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord. God is the Lord and He has revealed Himself to us.

Choir: Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, O Son of God, who rose from the dead, save us who sing to You. Alleluia.

Choir: Tone 1 Troparion
By raising Lazarus from the dead before Your Passion,
You confirmed the universal resurrection, O Christ God.
Like the children with the palms of victory,
we cry out to You, O Vanquisher of Death:
“Hosanna in the highest!//
Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord.”

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,

Choir: Tone 4 Troparion
When we were buried with You in baptism, O Christ God,
we were made worthy of eternal life by Your Resurrection.
Now we praise You and sing:
“Hosanna in the highest!//
Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord!”

now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Tone 6 Kontakion
Sitting on Your throne in Heaven,
carried on a foal on earth, O Christ God,
accept the praise of angels and the songs of children, who sing://
“Blessed is He Who comes to recall Adam!”

HYMN TO THE THEOTOKOS
God is the Lord and has revealed Himself to us! Celebrate the feast and come with gladness! Let us magnify Christ with palms and branches, singing: “Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord, our Savior!”

COMMUNION HYMN
Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord. God is the Lord and has revealed Himself to us. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

BACK TO TOP

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. 4th Tone. Psalm 117.26,1.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Verse: Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His mercy endures forever.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Philippians 4:4-9.

BRETHREN, rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let all men know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, do; and the God of peace will be with you.

Gospel Reading

Palm Sunday
The Reading is from John 12:1-18

Six days before Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazaros was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. There they made him a supper; Martha served, and Lazaros was one of those at table with him. Mary took a pound of costly ointment of pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was to betray him), said "Why was this ointment 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 as he had the money box he used to take what was put into it. Jesus said, "Let her alone, let her keep it for the day of my burial. The poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me."

When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came, not only on account of Jesus but also to see Lazaros, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazaros also to death, because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.

The next day a great crowd who had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!" And Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it; as it is written, "Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt!" His disciples did not understand this at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that this had been written of him and had been done to him. The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazaros out of the tomb and raised him from the dead bore witness. The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign.

BACK TO TOP

Wisdom of the Fathers

But observe the wisdom of the Evangelist, how he is not ashamed to parade their former ignorance. That it was written they knew, that it was written of Him they knew not. For it would have offended them if He being a King were about to suffer such things, and be so betrayed.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 66 on John 12, 2. B#58, p.245., 4th Century

Besides, they could not at once have taken in the knowledge of the Kingdom of which He spake; for another Evangelist saith, that they thought the words were spoken of a kingdom of this world. (Matt. xx. 21.)
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 66 on John 12, 2. B#58, p.245., 4th Century

BACK TO TOP

Beyond the Sermon

Six days before Passover, the Lord Jesus enters the final week on His way to the Cross. Passover was the most important Jewish feast, pointing back to the deliverance of the Jews from Egypt. At that time, lambs were sacrificed for the salvation of the Jewish people from captivity, as the angel of God kept their firstborn safe by “passing over” them and ultimately delivering them from the Egyptians. Since then, once a year, they celebrate the feast of Passover, which in Hebrew is called “Pesach,” from which the word Pascha is derived.

On Saturday before Passover, the Lord goes to Bethany, to the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazaros. This family loved the Lord, and they were close friends with Him. The Lord had dined with the sisters before (Luke 10:38-42), and He had raised their brother Lazaros from the dead (John 11:1-44) as an indication of His own Resurrection. Mary and Martha were deeply grateful to the Lord for raising their brother from the dead. Now, they are making Him supper, and this meal with friends anticipates the Mystical Supper, which we commemorate on Holy Thursday.

Lazaros is sitting at the table with Jesus Christ. In this respect, Saint Cyril of Alexandria remarks that “in amazement the Evangelist says that he who had been four days dead [Lazaros] was eating with the Christ, to remind us of His God-befitting power. And he adds that Martha, out of her love towards Christ, served, and ministered at the labors of the table.” Mary anoints the feet of the Lord in an act of worship, using costly ointment, and wipes them with her hair as an act of love. Jesus’s disciples were present, and Judas, who will betray the Lord, objects to the use of costly spices not because he cared about frugality, but because he was stealing from the treasury and desired the money for himself. Judas is an individual, yet he represents the entire human race in this respect. Judas stands for each one of us when we allow our passions to rule over us. We become blind, our hearts harden, and we betray the Lord because we love the things of this world more than we love Him. The next day, on Palm Sunday, a great crowd who came to celebrate Passover in Jerusalem heard that Jesus was on the way there from Bethany, less than two miles away. 

So, they take branches of palm trees and meet Him, pronouncing out loud, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” Saint John Chrysostom says that “The words show us the divinity of Christ. Hosanna is, Save us; and salvation in Scripture is attributed to God alone. And comes, it is said, not is brought: the former befits a lord, the latter a servant…. He does not come in the name of a servant, but in the name of the Lord.”

Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, fulfilling the prophecy made five hundred years earlier by the Prophet Zechariah: “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt!” The great King had come, and instead of riding on a horse and a chariot to defeat worldly enemies, He came in humility and service. He hid His divine glory to defeat not earthly powers but a much greater adversary, indeed the most significant enemy: He came to trample down upon death by His death.

The Messiah is ready to enter Jerusalem, the city of the King. Spreading people’s outer garments and branches on the pathway was customary to greet a royal figure entering the city. But this was no ordinary King, but the King of Israel and the King of the Universe, the creator and ruler of all, the Angel of Great Counsel who brings His peace unto the world. The branches of the palm trees symbolize Christ’s victory over the devil
and death.

However, the people of Israel, primarily represented by the religious establishment, did not want a Messiah of peace. According to their own Messianic ideas, they wanted a Messiah who would liberate them from the Romans. Because of this, many of the people who now exclaim “Hosanna!” would be calling for Him to be crucified six days later.

This reminds us to try to ground our faith in a proper understanding of Christ’s love and character. The Lord’s work is not meant to fulfill our selfish expectations because then we would be worshiping a god of our imagination. In turn, this may easily become a temptation for us, to blame God for not doing what we want Him to do. If we do not understand who Christ is and how He loves us, we might find ourselves looking for Him to act how we want when difficult situations arise. And we might even be tempted to turn away from Christ as Judas did.

The Lord loves us so much more than our limited comprehension allows. His purposes are beyond our understanding, and they are always intended for our salvation. Let us always remember that when good or bad things happen to us, God allows them. On Palm Sunday, the Blessed Lord comes as a humble King, and the entrance of Christ into Jerusalem is a symbol of His entrance into our hearts. Christ is our King Who reigns even now in the middle of our sufferings and in the middle of our failures. Salvation has come to us if we trust our King as our only hope. The Lord Jesus is always with us. He has entered the Temple, He established the Church, and ministers at the altar of our hearts. Let us remember Mary and Martha’s joy and gratefulness to the Lord, who brought the Resurrection to their own home, as He does with us. Let us also remember Judas’ betrayal, for we, too, can allow our passions to overcome us if we do not trust in the Lord completely. This is why we fast on Wednesdays throughout the year: because we remember the betrayal of Judas, and we soberly contemplate our own faithfulness to the Lord. Trusting in Him and accepting His grace, we follow Him and His example on how to struggle, how to love, and how to forgive. We learn humility from the great King who rode on a donkey and participated in the crowd’s joy, knowing they would crucify Him six days later. Christ is full of compassion and love. His love does not falter. His love does not waver. His love is steadfast no matter what is done to Him. He is always with us as we continue our journey through the events that follow during Holy Week on our way to Great and Holy Pascha.

As He enters Jerusalem, let Him enter our hearts. Let us receive Him with joy. Let us walk with Him on the path of agony towards the Crucifixion. The glory of Palm Sunday preceded the humiliation of the Cross. The Cross, however, preceded the ultimate glory of the Resurrection of Christ. Let us nail on His Cross our own struggles, temptations, and sins. Let us resurrect ourselves with Him in a new life—a life of faith, peace, and love.

https://www.goarch.org/documents/32058/6612234/Palm+Sunday/8e31f5c6-1f82-7ed4-3b71-7484307a2a96

BACK TO TOP

BACK TO TOP