“When Thou comest, O God, to earth with glory, and all creatures tremble before Thee, and the river of fire floweth before the Altar, and the books are opened and sins revealed, deliver me then from that unquenchable fire, and make me worthy to stand at Thy right hand, O righteous Judge.”
Dear brothers and sisters,
Christ is in our midst.
This Sunday in the Holy Orthodox Church is known as “Sunday of the Last Judgment (Meat Fare)“. The Holy Church based on the Scripture and the words of our Lord teaches that there is a final judgement for every human being. We pray this Sunday that we are made “worthy to stand at Thy right hand, O righteous Judge”.
Fr. Philip writes: “We learn from this passage that our relationship with God is manifested—is shown—in our relationship to the people we encounter every day. The Christian life does not require us to perform extraordinary displays of asceticism and piety, but instead to become living icons of our Lord’s love and mercy in the mundane details of our lives, in our interactions with others, in our use of time, energy, and all our gifts and resources.
St. John wrote in his Epistle, “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” He also writes, “But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”
This Sunday is the last day we eat meat.
March is “Women Month”, the ladies of our church will read the epistles and ushers. Please, see one of the Ladies Committee to participate.
The Synaxarion of this Sunday reads: “It is the Sunday of the Last Judgment—known also as Meat Fare Sunday—the lesson of which occurs in today’s Holy Gospel. Jesus illustrates to us God’s ineffable goodness and His great love for mankind. And so lest some who are lazy should loiter and spend the time appropriate to their salvation in the pursuit of sin, and be suddenly overtaken by death, the divine Fathers decree that on this day the remembrance of the Second Appearance of Christ may be celebrated. The intention is to remind them that, as God is good and loving to mankind, He is also a very righteous Judge Who recompenses each according to his deeds. Our Lord teaches us that when we minister to our brother or sister, we really minister to Him. This brings us righteousness and life eternal. By Thine ineffable love for mankind, O Christ God, make us worthy of Thy devoted voice, number us among Thy righteous ones and have mercy on us. Amen.”
“The trumpets shall blow, and the graves shall be empty, and all
mankind shall rise trembling. They who have done good shall rejoice with
joy, expecting their reward; and those who have done evil shall tremble
greatly, moaning and shaking, as they are sent to suffering, separated
from the elect. Wherefore, O Lord of glory, be compassionate toward us,
and make us worthy to be of those who love thee; for thou art good.” + from Vespers, Tone 6
“Then the King will say to those at His right hand, ‘Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed Me, I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me, I was in prison and you came to Me.’” Amen
~Pastor’s Message of March 07, 2021~