Newsletter Mar. 15, 2023

Metropolitan SABA has been publishing a weekly article for his flock in America as he is working out the details of his relocation here. Here is a link to the most recent:

The Approach to God: The East versus the West
https://www.antiochian.org/regulararticle/1544

Since we have a large group of people preparing for Baptism/Chrismation this Lent, we will reserve our Wed. evening classes during Lent for just the current catechumens only. After Pascha, the classes will again be open to everyone.

Note: There will be no class on Wed. March 1 since well be praying the Great Canon of Repentance that evening.

The Denver area Orthodox Churches will again share a pan-Orthodox Vespres service each Sunday evening during Great Lent. The schedule is included here and on our website calendar.

March 5, Assumption Theotokos Cathedral, Denver 6:00 PM
March 12, Holy Transfiguration Cathedral, Denver 5:00 PM
March 19, Ss. Peter & Paul, Boulder 5:00 PM
March 26, St Spyridon, Loveland 5:00 PM
April 2, St Elias, Arvada 5:00 PM

Please remember that our full calendar continues to be available at our parish web site. Here is a link:
http://stjfc.org/Pages/Calendar/calendar.php

Full schedule:
https://stjfc.org/Pages/Ministries/Prosphora/Docs/prosphora sched 2023 web.pdf

Full schedule:
https://stjfc.org/Pages/Ministries/Altar/Docs/epistle readers for 2023.pdf

Epistle: ST. PAUL’S LETTER TO THE HEBREWS 4:14-16; 5:1-6

BRETHREN, since we have a high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this he is bound to offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. And one does not take the honor upon himself, but he is called by God, just as Aaron was. So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, ‘Thou art my Son, today I have begotten thee’; as he says also in another place, ‘Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek.’

Gospel: MARK 8:34-38; 9:1

The Lord said: “If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? For what can a man give in return for his life? For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power.

Forgiveness for All the Sundays to Come
Fr. Stephen Freeman

This primal unity is completely present in Christ. His death on the Cross is not His alone – He dies the death of every single human being – bearing the sins of all. The insight of the saints tells us that this same reality must be ours as well. Christ has not done something for us in our absence. The Cross He endured is the same Cross He invites us to take up. And that Cross is also a universal Cross (the Cross of the whole Adam). We do not go there only for our own death, but for the death of everyone (and thus the resurrection of all).

The privatization of our religious faith has obscured this fundamental reality. We hear the command of Christ as directed solely to ourselves as a private matter. But the nature of that Cross includes its universal aspect. The Cross cannot bear my sins if it does not bear the sins of all. It is one of the primary meanings of Christ’s title, the “Second Adam.” For He is not a mere repeat of the First, but the recapitulation of all, just as the First Adam was the head of all. (Romans 5:18-19)

Read the entire article:
https://blogs.ancientfaith.com/glory2godforallthings/2023/02/25/forgiveness-for-all-the-sundays-to-come/