Rejoice, unwedded Bride
Tuesday March 11/24 ns 2026
Great Lent
Fast Day
St. Sophrónios, Patriarch of Jerusalem;
St. Theodora, Queen of Arta
St. Theodora, Queen of Arta
Sophrónios was born in Damascus of distinguished parents. Having acquired worldly wisdom, he was, nevertheless, not satisfied but went to seek and acquire spiritual wisdom. In the monastery [Lavra] of St. Theodosius, he found himself in the company of a monk, John Moschus, whom he choose for his teacher, and together with him traveled about and visited monasteries and those ascetics in Egypt who were practicing the life of asceticism. His watch word was "Each day learn more about spiritual wisdom." All that they had learned they wrote down and later published two books under the title, "Spiritual Meadow."
Later on, they traveled to Rome, where Moschus died leaving a testament to Sophrónios to have his body taken, either to Sinai or to the Monastery of St. Theodosius. Sophrónios fulfilled the desires and wishes of his teacher and translated his body to the Monastery of St. Theodosius and thereafter remained in Jerusalem which, at that time, was liberated from the Persians. He was present at the Translation of the Honorable Cross from Persia which the Emperor Heraclius carried on his shoulders into the Holy City.
The aged Patriarch Zacharias, who had also returned from bondage, did not live long thereafter when he took up habitation in the other world. Patriarch Zacharias was replaced by Módestos who died in 634 A.D. Módestos was replaced by Blessed Sophrónios. He governed the Church for ten years with exceptional wisdom and zeal. He rose up in defense of Orthodoxy against the heresy of Monothelitism which he condemned at his Council in Jerusalem before it was condemned at the Sixth Ecumenical Council [Constantinople, 680 A.D.]. He wrote The Life of St. Mary the Egyptian, compiled The Order of the Greater Blessing of Water, and introduced several new hymns and songs in the various liturgical services.
When the Arab Caliph captured Jerusalem, Sophrónios begged him to spare the lives of the Christians which Omar insincerely promised. When Omar immediately began to plunder and maltreat the Christians in Jerusalem, Sophrónios, with lamentation, prayed to God to take him from among the living on earth, so that he would not witness the desecration of the Holy Shrines. God heard his prayer and took Sophrónios to Himself into His heavenly mansion in the year 644 A.D.
Holy Prophet Isaiah 40:18-31 KJV
18 To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?
19 The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains.
20 He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved.
21 Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?
22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:
23 That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.
24 Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble.
25 To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.
26 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.
27 Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God?
28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Genesis 15:1-15 KJV
15 After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
2 And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?
3 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.
4 And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.
5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
6 And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
7 And he said unto him, I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.
8 And he said, Lord God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?
9 And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.
10 And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.
11 And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away.
12 And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.
13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.
Proverbs 15:7-19 KJV
7 The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish doeth not so.
8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.
9 The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord: but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness.
10 Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die.
11 Hell and destruction are before the Lord: how much more then the hearts of the children of men?
12 A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him: neither will he go unto the wise.
13 A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.
14 The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge: but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness.
15 All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.
16 Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith.
17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.
18 A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.
19 The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain.
ON THE LAW OF GOD
by St. Philaret of New York
Section 29
The Model of Christian Prayer
Ends with Section 30
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For Orthodox Christians, the model of prayer is, of course, the "Our Father" (the "Lord's prayer"). If we look at its composition and content, we see that, externally, it is divided into three parts: invocation, seven petitions, and a glorification. In its inner content, it can be divided into three common parts: the main one, which encompasses an invocation and the first three petitions; the petition about daily bread; and, three petitions about our personal sins.
What is the foremost thing about which a Christian must pray? - About that goal for which we must strive most of all: the Kingdom of God and His Truth. We see that this is the first part of the prayer. In appealing to God as the Heavenly Father, an Orthodox Christian testifies that our true fatherland is not on earth, but in heaven. "Our abode is in the heavens," the Apostle firmly says.
In this appeal to the Father, a Christian prays that God's name be hallowed, both in the personal life of each of us and in human history. It is especially hallowed when we Orthodox Christians, through the example of our own lives, lead unbelievers to glorify the name of our Heavenly Father. Further, we pray that the Kingdom of God be manifested on earth. Observing life, we see in it a constant struggle between two principles: light and darkness, truth and falsehood, good and evil. When we see this, we cannot but pray that there will be a victory of light over darkness and that there will be a triumph of God's Kingdom - the kingdom of Truth and Good.
In the third petition of the Lord's prayer, we pray that God's will be fulfilled in man's life in the same way that it is fulfilled in the Heavenly world. The Christian conscience is aware and firmly convinces us that not only is it our duty, but it is real wisdom and the truth of life to submit to God's will. The Heavenly Father knows what is beneficial and necessary for each one of us, and through His infinite love and goodness, wishes us good and salvation even more than we desire it for ourselves. Therefore, Apostle Peter says, "Cast all your cares on Him; for He cares for you" (I Pt. 5:7).
The fourth petition of the Lord's prayer is the only one which deals with bodily needs. We also turn to God and ask for all that is necessary for bodily life.
The fifth petition of the Lord's prayer concerns forgiveness of sins. In this petition, as elsewhere in His teaching, our Savior makes it clear that an indispensable precondition of our receiving forgiveness of sins from God is our own forgiveness of our neighbors. But how often this petition is spoken falsely! We read, "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors," while in reality, we neither forgive nor forget, but are offended and conceal vexation in our heart, even a desire for revenge. Therefore, each time a Christian repeats this petition, he must consider whether he has forgiven his enemies and offenders. If not, how can he expect forgiveness from God for himself.
The last two petitions, the sixth and seventh ones, speak of one thing: the causes of sin. At first we ask that its embryos be removed from us, that is, that we be delivered from enticements and temptations, and then that we be delivered from the evil-one, that is, from the root of all sins, Satan. People usually fear external misfortunes: failures, illnesses, poverty, etc. Christianity teaches us to be more fearful for our immortal soul. "Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot harm the soul," our Lord said, "but rather fear the one who can destroy the body and the soul." Concerning external misfortunes, particularly trials and persecutions endured for the faith, our Lord said to those who suffer them, "Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in the heavens."
It is not external misfortunes and poverty that the Orthodox Christian must fear, but rather he must fear his own sins and falls. Everyone knows how much we become accustomed to sinning literally sinning at each step and at each moment of our life. Sin is violation of the Truth of God's Law, and the result of sin is suffering and grief. The Lord's prayer instills in our hearts a great aversion to these spiritual evils, so that while humbly confessing our weakness and inclination toward sin, we ask God to preserve us from falling into sins and to deliver us from the evil master of sin - the devil.
At the end of these seven petitions, there has been added a solemn glorification of God's power, authority and glory. This glorification of God's grandeur contains a filial expression of unwavering and clear conviction that everything we ask for will be given to us from the love of the Heavenly Father: for His is "the kingdom and the power and the glory, unto the ages of ages. Amen."
The Lord's prayer is not the only prayer of glorification, however. There are prayers which are purely and simply glorifications, such as "Praise the name of the Lord" or "Holy, Holy, Holy." We do not use them often, but they are representative of the endings of our prayers, especially in the Divine Services. Prayers of glorification must be seen as especially elevated, for in them, we express Christian love for God and bow before the Most High.
The third aspect of prayer is thanksgiving. Quite understandably, a Christian who loves God and knows of His love, mercy and benefits cannot but experience feelings of thanksgiving in his heart. The most important prayer of thanksgiving is the most important Divine Service - the Holy Liturgy. Its main part, referred to as the "Thanksgiving (Eucharistic) Canon" begins with the words, "We thank the Lord..." And the pure, bloodless sacrifice, a sacrifice of truth, a sacrifice of the Body and Blood of Christ which is given us in the Holy Communion, is fulfilled by Christ Himself, by His Grace and almighty power, and it is only received by us, with a devotion of thankful love. This is why in the most important moments of the Liturgy, the priest solemnly exclaims, "Thine own of Thine Own, we offer to Thee, in behalf of all and for all," while the faithful respond with the hymn of thanksgiving, 'We hymn Thee, we praise Thee, we give thanks to Thee, O our God...'
MY SOUL, MY SOUL, ARISE! WHY ARE YOU SLEEPING?
THE END IS DRAWING NEAR AND YOU WILL BE CONFOUNDED, AWAKE THEN, AND BE WATCHFULL, THAT CHRIST OUR GOD, WHO IS EVERYWHERE PRESENT FILLING ALL THIINGS, MAY SPARE YOU - St. Andrew of Crete
WHY ARE WE SLEEPING?On Wednesday, we will hear the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete read in its entirety.
15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.St. Matthew 11:15 KJV
IF YOU WISH TO SERVE GOD
By St Sergius of Radonezh
“If you want to serve God, prepare your heart not for food, not for drink, not for rest, not for ease, but for suffering, so that you may endure all temptations, trouble and sorrow. Prepare for severities, fasts, spiritual struggles and many afflictions, for “by many afflictions is it appointed to us to enter the Kingdom of Heaven” (Acts 14,22); ‘the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.’ (St. Matt 11:12)
A n e c d o t e s
Arrogance: It doesn’t always claim to be more intelligent than everyone but rather treats everyone else as stupid.
"The heart of an Orthodox Christian is filled with such divine love and radiates it everywhere and upon everyone." St. Philaret
Dear Orthodox Christian, Does the quote above quote from St. Philaret, describe you?
- What cannot be seen, can be revealed.
- I personally think that one reason all the planets are round is to send us a message, the message being that no matter where you go, you end up where you started. If you desire a destination, transcend "mammon" while you have "time".
- Being familiar with the immense power of desire, must we obey? On occasion, we wake from a dream thankful, thankful that it wasn’t real
- God gave woman a smile that is all her own
- God's love is so deep that He can endure and love all of His creation - past, present and future, men and women, who pay no attention to Him at all.
- Isn't it time to admit and show regret and sorrow? We have a lifetime to do so! How long is that?
- Only He Who is beyond male or female can Create male and female.
- Make no mistake, to put on Christ through Holy Baptist is a wedding garment. We can be no less than be married to our Lord Jesus Christ in order to be one with Him. The pearls, jewels and embroidery on this wedding garment are the jewels and ornaments of self-denial, the Cross lying across our shoulders, the same Cross of the same love and forgiveness Christ showed all mankind no matter how brutal, no matter how hateful, no matter how estranged from Him we are.
- Make no mistake, this is a garment that cannot be put on at the last moment when we meet our Creator Christ - it will not fit over the obesity of our attachments to the temporary life, to the attachments of our desire for material things, all of which must have been shed.
- Make no mistake !! This life, although only somewhat of a facsimile, since it is temporary, is not a life of continual fear but one that can blossom into the love of God and neighbor - our ticket to entry into the bridal chamber called Paradise Eternal. In unfailing love, we remain clothed in our baptismal garment throughout our lives and therefore found to radiantly beautiful in the image of Christ when we meet Him face to face.
- Our Lord inspired those who would hear Him with words and acts that would guard and protect, that would guide us and help us maintain our wedding garments. If you have no use for their words or example, what are you saying to Christ? Are you saying He inspired them in vain?
- En guarde! Satan never sleeps and never prays. He hates God and hates every one of us. He lurks in the shadows,; silently and relentlessly attacking. He doesn't want us to hear God but wants us to hear and obey only him. He knows Christ speaks to us continually but can only be heard in stillness.
- Why do you read what they saints say? Why do you believe what thy say? Simple: because you believe God speaks through the prophets! No? You claim you do! Reread the Nicene Creed!
- Love: Experienced, but has only one definition, obtained by revelation.
- Anyone who has fallen in love knows that once it happens, it needs no reminding, no prompting, no reasoning, no examination because it is unfathomably simple and constantly experienced/treasured and inexplicable. You wake in it, you sleep in it, it never wavers. And in many cases, it is mutual.
- Such it is with Christ. However, when we seek with all our heart to love Him, it tis the ecstasy of worship and is always mutual.
- If and again if desired, a taste is given and one is on the way.
- Christ gave you a head start didn’t He? How? In His love He gave you life didn’t He?
- Don't judge yourself by how well you follow the rules or how poorly others do, simply love God with all your heart and you will follow Him as you should because when you genuinely love Him, He will correct any failure you make, and, in addition He will confirm for you that you have pleased Him and that you really do love Him and all others! Do you want to feel you truly love God or would you rather than He, Himself confirm it for you directly? Can we ask for more?
Now wait just a minute!
Saint John 15:5 KJV
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.- If we can do nothing without Christ why do we credit or glorify ourselves for our accomplishments? He quickens all of us and all things. Pleasing Him is a great form of gratitude.
- From where does fruit get its color, its sweetness, its nutrients? Is it not by accepting what comes from the vine that it becomes beautiful, delicious and nutritious! Are we who follow Christ, expected to be like Him. Did He not say that we are made in His image?
- We must stop giving ourselves credit. What we have, has been given as a gift otherwise why would our Lord say, "... for without me you can do nothing.". What we do with what He gives, is what's profitable because it glorifies the Giver who is Christ our Father Who in turn glorifies us because it is His pleasure.
Wouldn't you agree that it is easier to motivate yourself than to move a mountain?
Reflect! It only takes a mustard seed of genuine faith/love for God to move a mountain.
Reflect! Where does that leave our so-called love of God?
Reflect! What purpose does an ice cube serve once it has melted?
This LIFE is melting and for a reason. Do you know why?
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED READING
THE DEPARTURE OF THE SOUL ACCORDING TO ORTHODOX TEACHING
{References the Ladder of Divine Ascent by St. John Climacos}
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