Saints Cyril & Methodius
Bulgarian Orthodox
Mission
McLean, VA
)
Meeting of
Our Lord in the Temple
Sunday, February 3,
2008
Orthodox Church in
America
Diocese of Washington
and New York
Our Bishop is His
Beatitude HERMAN,
Archbishop of Washington and New York,
Metropolitan of All America and Canada
The Divine
Liturgy
The word liturgy means
common work or common action.
The Divine Liturgy is the common work of the Orthodox
Church. It is the official action of the Church formally gathered together as
the chosen People of God. The word church, as we
remember, means a gathering or assembly of people specifically chosen and
called apart to perform a particular task.
The Divine
Liturgy is the common action of Orthodox Christians officially gathered to
constitute the Orthodox Church. It is the action of the Church assembled by God
in order to be together in one community to worship, to pray, to sing, to hear
God's Word, to be instructed in God's commandments, to offer itself with
thanksgiving in Christ to God the Father, and to have the living experience of
God's eternal kingdom through communion with the same Christ Who is present in
his people by the Holy Spirit.
The Divine
Liturgy is always done by Orthodox Christians on the Lord's
Day which is Sunday, the "day after Sabbath"
which is symbolic of the first day of creation and the last day -- or as it is
called in Holy Tradition, the eighth day -- of the
Kingdom of God. This is the day of Christ's resurrection from the dead, the day
of God's judgment and victory predicted by the prophets, the Day
of the Lord which inaugurates the presence and the power of the
"kingdom to come" already now within the life of this present world.
The Divine
Liturgy is also celebrated by the Church on special feast days. It is usually
celebrated daily in monasteries, and in some large cathedrals and parish
churches, with the exception of the week days of Great Lent
when it is not served because of its paschal character.
As the
common action of the People of God, the Divine Liturgy may be celebrated only
once on any given day in an Orthodox Christian community. All of the members of
the Church must be gathered together with their pastor in one place at one
time. This includes even small children and infants who participate fully in
the communion of the liturgy from the day of their entrance into the Church
through baptism and chrismation. Always everyone, always
together. This is the traditional expression of the Orthodox Church
about the Divine Liturgy.
Because of
its common character, the Divine Liturgy may never be celebrated privately by
the clergy alone. It may never be served just for some and not for others, but
for all. It may never be served merely for some private purposes or some
specific or exclusive intentions. Thus there may be, and usually are, special
petitions at the Divine Liturgy for the sick or the departed, or for some very
particular purposes or projects, but there is never a Divine Liturgy which is
done exclusively for private individuals or specific isolated purposes or
intentions. The Divine Liturgy is always "on behalf of
all and for all."
Because
the Divine Liturgy exists for no other reason than to be the official
all-inclusive act of prayer, worship, teaching, and communion of the entire
Church in heaven and on earth, it may not be considered merely as one devotion
among many, not even the highest or the greatest. The Divine Liturgy is not an
act of personal piety. It is not a prayer service. It is not merely one of the
sacraments. The Divine Liturgy is the one common sacrament of the very being of
the Church Itself. It is the one sacramental manifestation of the essence of
the Church as the Community of God in heaven and on earth. It is the one unique
sacramental revelation of the Church as the mystical Body and Bride of Christ.
As the
central mystical action of the whole church, the Divine Liturgy is always
resurrectional in spirit. It is always the manifestation to his people of the
Risen Christ. It is always an outpouring of the life-creating Spirit. It is
always communion with God the Father. The Divine Liturgy, therefore, is never
mournful or penitential. It is never the expression of the darkness and death
of this world. It is always the expression and the experience of the eternal
life of the Kingdom of the Blessed Trinity.
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The Divine Liturgy celebrated by the Orthodox
Church is called the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom.
It is a shorter liturgy than the so-called Liturgy of St. Basil
the Great that is used only ten times during the Church Year. These two
liturgies probably received their present form after the ninth century. It is
not the case that they were written exactly as they now stand by the saints
whose names they carry. It is quite certain, however, that the eucharistic
prayers of each of these liturgies were formulated as early as the fourth and
fifth centuries when these saints lived and worked in the Church. The Divine Liturgy has two main parts.
The first part is the gathering, called the synaxis. It has its origin in the synagogue gatherings of
the Old Testament, and is centered in the proclamation and meditation of the
Word of God. The second part of the Divine Liturgy is the eucharistic
sacrifice. It has its origin in the Old Testament temple worship, the
priestly sacrifices of the People of God; and in the central saving event of
the Old Testament, the Passover (Pascha).
In the New
Testament Church Jesus Christ is the Living Word of God, and it is the
Christian gospels and apostolic writings which are proclaimed and meditated at
the first part of the Divine Liturgy. And in the New Testament Church, the
central saving event is the one perfect, eternal and all-sufficient sacrifice
of Jesus Christ, the one great High Priest who is also
the Lamb of God slain for the salvation of the world,
the New Passover. At the Divine Liturgy the faithful
Christians participate in the voluntary self-offering of Christ to the Father,
accomplished once and for all upon the Cross by the power of the Holy Spirit.
In and through this unique sacrifice of Christ, the faithful Christians receive
Holy Communion with God. For
centuries it was the practice of the Church to admit all persons to the first
part of the Divine Liturgy, while reserving the second part strictly for those
who were formally committed to Christ through baptism and chrismation in the
Church. Non-baptized persons were not permitted even to witness the offering
and receiving of Holy Communion by the faithful Christians. Thus the first part
of the Divine Liturgy came to be called the Liturgy of the
Catechumens, that is, the liturgy of those who were receiving
instructions in the Christian Faith in order to become members of the Church
through baptism and chrismation. It also came to be called, for obvious
reasons, the Liturgy of the Word. The second part of
the Divine Liturgy came to be called the Liturgy of the
Faithful.
Although
it is generally the practice in the Orthodox Church today to allow non-Orthodox
Christians, and even non-Christians, to witness the Liturgy of the Faithful, it
is still the practice to reserve actual participation in the sacrament of Holy
Communion only to members of the Orthodox Church who are fully committed to the
life and teachings of the Orthodox Faith as preserved, proclaimed and practiced
by the Church throughout its history.
February
Parish Council Meeting
The February Parish Council meeting will
take place at St. LukeÕs Orthodox Church on Thursday, February 14 from 7 pm to
no later than 9 pm. The newly
elected Parish Council members will elect officers, discuss the 2008 goals,
hear the TreasurerÕs Report, discuss real estate opportunities, and take up
other business. All are welcome at
the Parish Council meetings, however only Parish Council members may hold
office, make motions and vote.
Officers to be elected include, 1/ President, 2/ Vice-President, 3/
Treasurer, and 4/ Secretary.
Next Service (Services begin at 2:00)
Sunday, February 17: Sunday of the Publican & the
Pharisee.
Sunday, March 2: Sunday of the Last
Judgement.
Sunday, March 16: Sunday of Orthodoxy – the First
Sunday of Great Lent.
Fasting: One Perspective
Jesus
Himself fasted and taught His disciples to fast.
And
when you fast, do not look dismal like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their
faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have
their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your
fasting may not be seen by men, but your Father who is in secret; and your Father
who sees in secret will reward you. (Matthew 6:16-18)
The
purpose of fasting is to gain mastery over oneself and to conquer the passions
of the flesh. It is to liberate oneself from dependence on the things of this
world in order to concentrate on the things of the Kingdom of God. It is to
give power to the soul so that it would not yield to temptation and sin.
Man does
not fast because it pleases God if His servants do not eat, for, as the lenten
hymns of the Church remind us, "the devil also never eats." (Lenten Triodion) Neither do men fast in order to afflict
themselves with suffering and pain, for God has no pleasure in the discomfort
of His people. Neither do men fast with the idea that their hunger and thirst
can somehow serve as a "reparation" for their sins. Such an
understanding is never given in the scriptures or the writings of the saints
which claim that there is no "reparation" for man's sin but the
crucifixion of Christ. Salvation is a "free gift of God" which no "works" of man can
accomplish of merit. (cf. Romans 5:15-17, Ephesians 2:8-9)
Men fast,
therefore, and must fast, only to be delivered from carnal passions so that the
free gift of salvation in Christ might produce great fruit in their lives. Men
fast so that they might more effectively serve God who loves them and has saved
them in Christ and the Spirit. Fasting without effort in virtue is wholly in
vain.
Why
have we fasted, and Thou seest it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and Thou
takest no knowledge of it?
Behold,
in the day of your fast, you seek your own pleasure and oppress all your workers. Behold, you fast
only to quarrel and fight...Fasting like yours ... will not make your voice to
be heard on high.
Is
not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness...to let the
oppressed go freeÉis it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the
homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them...
Then
shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily;
your righteousness shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall protect
you. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; then you shall cry, and He
will say: Here I am. (Isaiah 58:3-9)
"Fasting
in the body, 0 brethren, let us also fast from sin." This is the Church's
song in the lenten season of fasting. It is also the teaching of the saints.
...in
fasting one must not only obey the rule against gluttony in regard to food, but
refrain from every sin so that, while fasting, the tongue may also fast,
refraining from slander, lies, evil talking, degrading one's brother, anger and
every sin committed by the tongue. One should also fast with the eyes, that is,
not look at vain things...not look shamefully or fearlessly at anyone. The
hands and feet should also be kept from every evil action.
When
one fasts through vanity or thinking that he is achieving something especially
virtuous, he fasts foolishly and soon begins to criticize others and to
consider himself something great.
A
man who fasts wisely...wins purity and comes to humility...and proves himself a
skillful builder. (St. Abba Dorotheus, 7th c., Directions on Spiritual
Training)
Saint
Paul himself fasted, and in his teaching on food insists that men fast and do
so in secret, without mutual inspection and judgment.
Brethren,
join in imitating me, and mark those who so live as you have an example in us.
For many of whom I have often told you and now tell you with tears, live as
enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their
belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.
(Philippians 3:17-19)
All
things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful
for me, but I will not be enslaved by anything. Food is meant for the stomach,
and the stomach for food - and God will destroy both one and the other. The
body is not meant for immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.
(I Corinthians 6:12-13)
Let
not him who eats despise him who abstains, and let not him who abstains, pass
judgment on him who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass
judgment on the servant of another?
He
who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. He also who eats, eats
in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; while he who abstains,
abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.
Do
not let what you eat cause the ruin of him for whom Christ has died ... for the
Kingdom of God does not mean food and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy
in the Holy Spirit, he who thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved
by men.
Do
not for the sake of food destroy the work of GodÉthe faith that you have keep
between yourself and God...whatever does not proceed from faith (whether eating
or abstaining) is sin. (cf Romans 14)
The
spiritual fathers, as strictly ascetic as they were, are very clear in their
teaching about fasting. They insist with the Lord and the scriptures that men
must fast in order to be free from passions and lust. But they insist as well
that the most critical thing is to be free from all sin, including the pride,
vanity and hypocrisy which comes through foolish and sinful fasting.
...eating
beyond the point of being satisfied is the door of madness through which lust
enters, for the belly is the queen of passions which man serves as a slave.
But
you, firm in this knowledge, choose what is best for you, according to your own
powers...for the perfect person, according to Saint Paul ought both "to be
full and be hungry...and do all things through Christ who strengthens
(Philippians 4:12-13)
Thus
a man who strives for salvation...must not allow himself to eat to
fullness...but should still eat all kinds of food so that on the one hand he
avoid boastful pride and on the other not show disdain for God's creation which
is most excellent...Such is the reasoning of those who are wise! (St. Gregory of Sinai, Instruction to
Hesychasts)
St.
Isaac of Syria says, "Meager food at the table of the pure cleanses the
soul of those who partake from all passion...for the work of fasting and vigil
is the beginning of every effort against sin and lust...almost all passionate
drives decrease through fasting."
For
the holy fathers taught us to be killers of passions and not killers of the body.
Partake of everything that is permissible with thanksgiving, to the glory of
God and to avoid boastful arrogance; but refrain from every excess. (The Monks
Callistus and Ignatius, 14th c., Directions to Hesychasts)
Great Lent
This year Great Lent
begins on Monday, March 10.
TodayÕs Commemorated Feasts and Saints
36th
SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST — Tone 3. Afterfeast of the Meeting. Holy and
Righteous Simeon the God-receiver and Anna the Prophetess. Rt. Blv. Prince
Roman of Uglich (1285). Prophet Azariah (2 Chronicles 15—10th c. B.C.).
Martyrs Papias, Diodorus and Claudianus, at Perge in Pamphylia (250). Martyrs
Adrian and Eubulus, at C¾sarea in Cappadocia (ca. 308-309). Martyr Blaise of
C¾sarea in Cappadocia.
Those Who Are
In Need of Prayer
Stefan, Nancy,
Timothy, Catherine, Demetrius, Hannah, John, Carmeta, Presbyteras Artemis,
Evelyn, Barbara, Miriam, & Marie, Priests Joseph, Anthony, and John.
May Their
Memory Be Eternal
Christo, Radka,
Stephen, Anna, Caroline, Christophor, Dale, Carmel, Thomas, Vasili, Mary Ellen,
George, Rada, Julia, Priests
Peter, Leo, Homer, Ishmael, Elary, Michael, &, Presbyteras Elizabeth,
Platonida, Stephanida, Sophronia & Mary.
Sts.
Cyril & Methodius Bulgarian Orthodox Mission
Bulletins prepared by Fr. Timothy.
For more information
please contact:
(Fr. Timothy Perry)
703.385.2049 or (Mr. Mat Mathews) 703.759.5528
www.freewebs.com/stscyrilandmethodius
