Weekly Diocesan Bulletin - Sunday, March 13, 2016
Sunday of Forgiveness (Cheesefare):
Venerable John Cassian
RESURRECTIONAL TROPARION - TONE EIGHT: Thou didst descend from on high, O Merciful One! Thou didst accept the three day burial to free us from our sufferings! O Lord, our Life and Resurrection: Glory to Thee!
TROPARION TO VENERABLE JOHN CASSIAN - TONE EIGHT: Having cleansed yourself through fasting, you attained the understanding of wisdom, and from the desert fathers you learned the restraint of the passions. To this end, through your prayers grant our flesh obedience to the spirit. For you are the teacher, O venerable John Cassian, of all who in Christ praise your memory.
RESURRECTIONAL KONTAKION - TONE EIGHT: By rising from the tomb Thou didst raise the dead and resurrected Adam. Eve exults in Thy Resurrection, and the world celebrates Thy rising from the dead, O greatly Merciful One!
KONTAKION TO VENERABLE JOHN CASSIAN - TONE FOUR: As a venerable monk, you consecrated your life to God, and radiant with virtue, O John Cassian, you shine like the sun with the splendor of your divine teachings, illumining ever the hearts of all who honor you. Entreat Christ earnestly in behalf of those who praise you with fervent love.
THE SUNDAY OF FORGIVENESS KONTAKION - TONE SIX: Teacher of wisdom, Bestower of reason, Instructor of the foolish and Protector of the poor; strengthen and enlighten my heart, O Master. You have given me words, O Word of the Father, and behold, I will not restrain my lips from crying to You: ‘O Merciful One, have mercy on me who am fallen.’
EPISTLE READING
The Prokimenon in the 8th Tone:
Pray and make your vows before the Lord our God.
Sunday of Forgiveness: Romans 13: 11 – 14: 4
Brethren, do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore, let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.
The Alleluia Verses: It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare Your mercy in the morning, and Your faithfulness by night.
GOSPEL READING
Sunday of Forgiveness: Matthew 6: 14-21
Jesus said, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
From The Prologue
For February 29/March 13 by St. Nikolai Velimirovic:
The Venerable John Cassian
John, this great spiritual father, was born in Rome of renowned parents. In his youth he studied all the secular sciences, especially philosophy and astronomy. Afterward he devoted himself completely to the study of Holy Scripture. Striving to go from good to better and desiring even higher levels of perfection, Cassian traveled from Rome to Constantinople to personally hear and see St. John Chrysostom. Chrysostom instructed him and ordained him a deacon. Benefiting much from the wise Chrysostom, Cassian traveled farther east, to learn even more and achieve greater perfection. He remained in Egypt, spending the longest time in Nitria among the famous spiritual athletes, from whom he learned the art of every virtue. He finally returned to the West and settled in the town of Marseilles. There he established two monastic communities—one for men and one for women. At the request of the monks, Cassian wrote many essays. Especially beneficial for lovers of the spiritual life is his work, “Eight Books on the Struggle Against the Eight Principle Passions” (The Institutes of the Monastic Life). Of great importance is his essay against the heretic Nestorius. This essay was written at the request of Archdeacon Leo. He served our Lord faithfully and enriched many with his wisdom, then took up his habitation in eternal life in the year 435. The relics of St. John lie in Marseilles even to this day.
The Venerable Barsanuphius
Barsanuphius was born a pagan in Palestine. He was baptized in his eighteenth year and immediately was tonsured a monk, taking the name of John. When he became known for his virtuous life, Barsanuphius was elected Archbishop of Damascus. He did not remain long in this position. Yearning for the reclusive, ascetic spiritual life, he secretly left Damascus and went to the wilderness of Nitria. There he presented himself as the monk Barsanuphius. As an obedience, he was immediately assigned to be a water-carrier for the monastery. The former archbishop accepted this obedience with joy. By his wise discourse, his meekness and his diligence, Barsanuphius soon became a model to all the monks. Only before his death was it revealed to the monks who this Barsanuphius was. Thus this saint, by his example, served as a reproach to the proud and power-loving, and as a comfort to the humble and meek. He died peacefully and took up his habitation with the Lord in the year 457.
HYMN OF PRAISE: St. John Cassian on the passions
Cassian numbered eight terrible passions,
And yet there is a ninth—impure thoughts.
Gluttony in food and drink is the first,
Promiscuity in spirit and body is the second.
Avarice: a shackle, which ties one to metal.
Anger: the frost of man’s heart, which freezes and constricts.
Melancholy: the insatiable worm, which eats at the soul.
Despondency: drowsiness, also called death of the soul.
Vanity: a serpent, a many headed serpent,
Which is everywhere and nowhere, concealed by the grass.
Pride: a double-edged sword that cuts and hews,
Mercilessly destroying both the young and old:
The vigorous ones become proud because of their strength,
And the spiritual elders become dear to themselves.
Against all these passions, our defense is God,
Through the prayers of the holy St. John Cassian.
REFLECTION
St. John Cassian writes of the struggle with the spirit of lust in this manner: “The struggle with the spirit of lust is a bitter struggle, longer than other struggles, a daily struggle accomplished victoriously and completely by only a small number of people. This struggle begins with the first mature growth and does not cease until all the other passions are defeated. In this struggle, a twofold weapon is necessary. For the achievement of perfect and pure chastity, bodily fasting alone is not sufficient (although, before everything else, fasting is necessary). Along with this, meekness of the spirit and unremitting prayer are necessary against this most impure spirit. After that, continual study of Holy Scripture, together with prudent mental exercises, are necessary; then, physical labor and handiworks. All of these keep the heart from lusting and restore it to itself. Above all, profound and true humility are needed, without which victory can never be achieved over any passion. Victory over this passion is conditional upon the perfect purification of the heart—the vessel from which, according to the words of the Lord, flows the poison of this sickness: For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies (Matthew 15:19). One must have constant humility and patience in the heart, and carefully guard oneself from anger and other passions during the course of the day. For the more the fire of anger enters us, the easier the embers of lust penetrate us afterward.” It is interesting that many other great spiritual fathers draw a causal connection between the passion of anger and the passion of lustful desire. From this it follows that the most angry ones are the most lustful ones.
CONTEMPLATION
Contemplate the Lord Jesus as the vigilant Watchman over His Church (Matthew 28:20):
1. How He watches over the entire created world and especially His Church acquired by His Blood;
2. How He watches over every baptized soul, as a gardener watches over his plantings;
3. How He leads His Church through tranquility and through tempest, leading her to ultimate victory;
4. How He also watches over my life, that it may grow and be built into His Eternal Kingdom.
HOMILY on the living presence of Christ
I am with you always, even unto the end of the world (Matthew 28:20).
Here is consolation beyond consolations!
Here is consolation for those broken by the tempest! Let them only remember that Christ is there beside them, and let them not be afraid. He is the Helmsman.
Here is consolation for those who are sick! Let them know that Christ is there beside their bed, and let them not despair. He is the Physician.
Here is consolation for those who grow old! Let them not lose sight of the fact that Christ travels with them through time to all eternity, into eternal youth, and let them be at peace.
Here is consolation for those who are tormented by men! Let them not think that they are abandoned, for Christ is with them in all suffering, in court and in prison, and let them rejoice. He is the Judge.
Here is consolation for those who are disturbed by evil spirits! Let them remember that Christ is the Conqueror of evil spirits, that He is on their side, and let them be strengthened. He is the Victor.
Here is consolation for all who seek the light of justice and truth! Let them believe that Christ is closer to their souls than their eyes, and let them adhere to His leadership. He is Light.
O my brethren, in truth, Christ is constantly with us as light is constantly with eyes that see. But it is to our sorrow if the eyes of our souls are closed, for then in vain does the light labor to encounter the pupils of our eyes! Oh, our sorrow and grief when we are not with Christ!
He goes out to meet us. Are we going out to meet Him? He wants to be with us. Do we want to be with Him? If we want consolation, we must be with Him every day, to the end of our lives.
O Lord, our only Consolation, do not leave us!
To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.
