St. Michael the Archangel Orthodox Church

Announcements
+ Last updated on February 20, 2009 +

• Bible Study wil take place on February 28th and March 28th.

• The first Akathist service begins Friday, February 19th and the last one will end on Friday, March 19th at the rectory at 7:30p.m.

Calendar
February and March 2010

February 21
First Sunday of Lent
Sunday of the Orthodoxy

February 28
Second Sunday of Lent
Commemoration of St Gregory Palamas, Bishop of Thessalonica

March 7
Third Sunday of Lent
The Adoration of the Holy Cross

March 14
Fourth Sunday of Lent
Commemoration of St. John the Ladder

March 21
Fifth Sunday of Lent
Commemoration of St. Mary of Egypt

Sunday, February 21, 2010
First Sunday of Lent
Sunday of Orthodoxy

• Troparion of the Resurrection, Tone 4

Having learned the joyful message of the resurrection from the angel, the women disciples of the Lord cast from them their parental condemnation, and proudly broke the news to the disciples, saying: Death hath been spoiled; Christ God is risen, granting the world great mercy.

• Troparion of the First Sunday in Lent, Tone 2

O Christ our God, begging forgiveness of our sins, we venerate your pure image, O Good One. Of Your own will You condescended to ascend upon the Cross in the flesh and delivered those you created from the bondage of the enemy. Wherefore, thankfully we cry out: When You came to save the world You filled all things with joy, O our Savior.

• Troparion of St. Michael, Tone 4

O Commanders of the Heavenly Hosts, we the unworthy beseech you, that through your entreaties you will fortify us, guarding us in the shelter of the wings of your ethereal glory, even as we fervently bow before You, crying: " Deliver us from all danger as commanders of the powers on high."

• Kontakion fo the Sundays in Lent, Tone 8

To thee the Champion Leader, we thy flow dedicate, A vista victory and the Thanksgivings, as one's rescued of the sufferings, O Theotokos; but as thou one, one with might which is invincible, from all dangers that can be due thou delivers us, that we may cry to thee, rejoiced thou Bride unwedded.

Epistle: Hebrews 11: 24-26, 32-40
Gospel: John 1:43-51

Great Lent
(Forty Days of Fasting)

Great Lent is the time for self-examination, a time for prayer and almsgiving, a time for repentance and a time of abstinence from certain types of food.

Prayer of St. Ephrem
O Lord and Master of my life!
Take from me the spirit laziness,
meddling, ambition and vain talk.
But give me a spirit of prudence,
humility, patience, and love.
Yes Lord and King grant me
To see my own sins and faults
And not judge my brother.
For you are blessed
forever and ever. Amen.

Why this short prayer of St. Ephrem is important during the entire Lenten Worship? Because it enumerates in unique Way all the negative and positive elements of repentance and constitutes a “check list” for our individual Lenten effort.

Sunday, February 28, 2010
Second Sunday of Lent
Commemoration of St. Gregory Palamas,
Bishop of Thessalonica

• Troparion of the Resurrection, Tone 5

Let us believers praise and worship the Word, coeternal with the Father and the Spirit, born of the Virgin for our salvation; for he took pleasure in ascending the Cross in the flesh to suffer death and to raise the dead by his glorious Resurrection.

• Troparion of St. Gregory, Tone 8

O Gregory, the miracle worker, light of Orthodoxy, support and teacher of the church, Holiness of monastic, invincible defender of Theologians, the Pride of Thessalonica and preacher of grace. Intercede forever that our souls be saved.

• Troparion of St. Michael, Tone 4

O Commanders of the Heavenly Hosts, we the unworthy beseech you, that through your entreaties you will fortify us, guarding us in the shelter of the wings of your ethereal glory, even as we fervently bow before You, crying: " Deliver us from all danger as commanders of the powers on high."

• Kontakion for the Sundays in Lent, Tone 8

To thee the Champion Leader, we thy flow dedicate, A vista victory and the Thanksgivings, as one's rescued of the sufferings, O Theotokos; but as thou one, one with might which is invincible, from all dangers that can be due thou delivers us, that we may cry to thee, rejoiced thou Bride unwedded.

Epistle: Hebrews 1:10-2:3
Gospel: Mark 2:1-12

Sunday, March 7, 2010
Third Sunday of Lent
The Adoration of the Holy Cross

• Troparion of the Resurrection, Tone 6

When Mary stood at thy grave, looking for the sacred Body, angelic powers shone above thy revered tomb; and the soldiers who were to keep guard became as dead men. Thou led hades captive and wast not tempted there by. Thou didst meet the Virgin and didst give life to the world. O thou who art risen from the dead, O Lord, glory to thee.

• Troparion of the Holy Cross, Tone 1

O Lord, save Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance, granting our believing kings victory over the barbarians, and by the power of Cross preserving thy common wealth.

• Troparion of St. Michael, Tone 4

O Commanders of the Heavenly Hosts, we the unworthy beseech you, that through your entreaties you will fortify us, guarding us in the shelter of the wings of your ethereal glory, even as we fervently bow before You, crying: " Deliver us from all danger as commanders of the powers on high."

• Kontakion for the Sundays in Lent, Tone 8

To thee the Champion Leader, we thy flow dedicate, A vista victory and the Thanksgivings, as one's rescued of the sufferings, O Theotokos; but as thou one, one with might which is invincible, from all dangers that can be due thou delivers us, that we may cry to thee, rejoiced thou Bride unwedded.

Epistle: Hebrews 4:14-5:6
Gospel: Mark 8: 34 to end; 9:1

Mid-Lent: The Veneration of the Cross

Now we are in Mid-Lent, our effort begins to felt; we need all kind of help and encouragement. We are now at the top of the hill and we’ve reached the half way point as we descend to the bottom of the hill and into the valley of Holy Week and the Passion Week of our Lord. At Mid-Lent, We still receive our spiritual energy and revitalizing ourselves to continue our pilgrimage to Holy Week and Holy Pascha. Jesus said: “If anybody would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34).

Sunday, March 14, 2010
Fourth Sunday of Lent
Commemoration of St. John the Ladder

• Troparion of the Resurrection, Tone 7

Thou didst shatter death by thy Cross, thou didst open Paradise to the thief; thou didst turn the sadness of the ointment bearing women into joy, and didst bid thine apostles proclaim a warning that thou hadst risen, O Christ, granting to the world the great mercy.

• Troparion of St. John, Tone 8

With the Rivers of your tears, you have made fertile the barren desert. Through sighs of sorrow from deep within you, your labors have borne fruit of hundred- fold. By your miracles you have become a light, shining upon the world. O John, our Holy Father, intercedes to Christ our God to save our souls.

• Troparion of St. Michael, Tone 4

O Commanders of the Heavenly Hosts, we the unworthy beseech you, that through your entreaties you will fortify us, guarding us in the shelter of the wings of your ethereal glory, even as we fervently bow before You, crying: " Deliver us from all danger as commanders of the powers on high."

• Kontakion for the Sundays of Lent, Tone 8

To thee the Champion Leader, we thy flow dedicate, A vista victory and the Thanksgivings, as one's rescued of the sufferings, O Theotokos; but as thou one, one with might which is invincible, from all dangers that can be due thou delivers us, that we may cry to thee, rejoiced thou Bride unwedded.

Epistle: Hebrews 6: 13-20
Gospel: Mark 9: 17-30

Fourth Sunday of Great Lent
The Ladder of Divine Ascent

St. John Climacus wrote the book bearing the name "The Ladder of Divine Ascent". It talks about our journey to Heaven involving steps. The 30 steps represent the Great Lent. The icon shows how difficult is to climb to Heaven. It shows monks on the ladder, the demons are trying to pull them off, the mouth of Hades are swallowing up those who have fallen off, the angels are lamenting over those, who have fallen, and people on the earth are praying for those on the ladder. Also, the icon depicts Christ at the top of the ladder, waiting for our entrance to His holy Kingdom. St. John Climacus is at the top of the ladder and the one with white robe behind St. John is probably the Archbishop Antonios. Every step that we make during Great Lent is our own sacrifice that we give to God, thus when we do this it becomes our own ladder to Heaven like as St John Climacus.

Sunday, March 21, 2010
Fifth Sunday of Lent
Commemoration of St. Mary of Egypt

• Troparion of the Resurrection, Tone 8

From the heights thou didst descend, O compassionate One, and thou didst submit to the three-day burial; that thou might deliver us from passion. Thou art our life and our resurrection, O Lord, glory to thee.

• Troparion of St. Mary, Tone 8

Through thee, the divine likeness was securely preserved, O righteous Mother Mary; for thou didst carry the cross and followed Christ. By example and precept, thou didst teach us to ignore the body, because it is perishable, and to attain to the concerns of the undying soul. Therefore, doth thy soul rejoice with the angels.

• Troparion of St. Michael, Tone 4

O Commanders of the Heavenly Hosts, we the unworthy beseech you, that through your entreaties you will fortify us, guarding us in the shelter of the wings of your ethereal glory, even as we fervently bow before You, crying: " Deliver us from all danger as commanders of the powers on high."

• Kontakion for the Sundays of Lent, Tone 8

To thee the Champion Leader, we thy flow dedicate, A vista victory and the Thanksgivings, as one's rescued of the sufferings, O Theotokos; but as thou one, one with might which is invincible, from all dangers that can be due thou delivers us, that we may cry to thee, rejoiced thou Bride unwedded.

Epistle: Hebrews 9:11-14
Gospel: Mark 10: 32-45

Commemoration of St Mary of Egypt

Mary the Egyptian lived in Alexandria as a prostitute. At the age of 29, out of curiosity she joined a group of pilgrims bound for the Holy Land. While sailing with the pilgrims on the ship, Mary did not cease from sinning. On getting to Jerusalem, she joined the pilgrims who were heading for the church of Christ's Resurrection. People were entering the church in a large throng, but Mary was stopped at the entrance by an invisible hand and could not enter it by any efforts. Here she understood that the Lord was not permitting her to enter into the holy place because of her impurity. Feeling of profound repentance, she began to entreat God to forgive her sins, promising to correct her life. The Theotokos icon told her to go to Jordan, where she would find rest. She begged the Theotokos to plead for her before God. Mary poured out abundant tears at the Lord's Tomb and went out of the church a completely different person.
In the Jordanian Desert, she lived the rest of her life in repentance, complete solitude, fasting and prayer. A monk named Zosima (Zosimus) met her and heard her story. He brought her Holy Communion. She asked him to return the next year. When he returned, he found her dead, with instructions for her burial written in the sand next to her. The Elder Zosima, who lived in the Jordanian monastery of the prophet John the Forerunner, was struck by her holiness during her life. He saw her once during prayer as if raised up above the earth, and another time walking over the river Jordan, as if on dry land. Thus, from a great sinner, Venerable Mary became, with God's help, a very great saint and left such a striking example of repentance.

Thank you for visiting St. Michael the Archangel Website,
and we are hoping to see you this Sunday!

If you would like to contact us, please send an e-mail to StMichaelOC@yahoo.com,
or you can simply click “comments” below and leave a message right here on this page!