Sunday, March 30, 2003: THIRD SUNDAY OF THE GREAT FAST. Tone 7.

On this day we commemorate the VENERATION OF THE HOLY CROSS. We also remember our holy Father, the Venerable John, abbot of the Monastery of St. Catherine on Mt. Sinai, author of The Ladder of Divine Ascent (6th c.), St. Sophronius, bishop of Irkutsk (1771), the Prophet Joad (10th c. B.C.), the Apostles Sosthenes, Apollos, Cephas, Caesar and Epaphroditus, of the Seventy (1st c.), St. Eubula, mother of St. Panteleimon (ca. 303), Ven. John the Silent of St. Sabbas Monastery (6th c.), St. Zosimas, bishop of Syracuse (ca. 662), the holy New-Martyr Zacharias, bishop of Corinth (1684), and St. Osburga of Coventry, virgin (c. 1015).

SERVICES THIS WEEK

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

• If you have made a pledge of donation to the parish, now is the acceptable time! Please help to keep the parish on a firm financial footing. We are stewards of God's gifts, and will be held accountable for the blessings we have received!

ON WATCHFULNESS OF THE TONGUE

In His Sacred Gospel our Lord Jesus says to us: "Enter ye in at the narrow gate" (Matthew 7:13). Again He says that through many tribulations we must enter the Kingdom of God (Acts 14:22). What this narrow gate is through which we must enter the wise Solomon makes clear to us where he says: "My son, give not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin" (Eccles. 5:5). And again, "The mouth of a fool is his destruction." (Proverbs 18:3). Let us therefore strive to place a strong guard on our lips, that they may not utter anything evil: for evil speech is worse than all poisons. All other wounds may be healed, but the wound of the tongue has no cure. The tongue of the dragon is less evil than that of the whisperer, which in turn comes from a most evil demon: for it provokes quarreling and bitter strife between brethren, sows evil and discord among the peaceful, scatters many communities. If you permit the whisperer to approach you, he will strip you of every merit you possess. Whosoever becomes involved with him has already become an accomplice to his bloodshed, in his murders, and in his slayings! For a whisperer and a murderer spawn the same offspring: if they do not slay you with the sword, they will bring the same disaster on you with the tongue.

The tongue of the whisperer differs little from the serpent's bite; rather, better to live with serpents and scorpions than to dwell with a whisperer. All sins are less grievous to God than those of the whisperer. The whisperer and those who give ear to him receive the same condemnation. Better for you to come close to fire and be burned than to come near a whisperer. Should you tread on boiling pitch, and go carefully, you may escape hurt. But should you chance to pass by a whisperer, keep far from him, lest he lead you into irreparable disasters; for his mouth at all times is filled with treachery and death.

Because of these things, I charge you severely, that you separate yourself from a whisperer as speedily as you can. Let him be a monk, let him be a champion of virtue or but a novice, whoever he is, as long as he is a whisperer, flee from him. Though he should be your own father, or your brother, if he is a whisperer, keep far away from him! For it is better to dwell with a lion or a lioness than with one who is a whisperer. And do not be ashamed to fly from him: so that he shall not infect you with the poison of his sin.

So then, my sons, have no part in murmuring; do your work earnestly and in silence; for he who is devoted to silence is close to God and His angels and dwells in Heaven. For the Lord tells us that, "he that keepeth his mouth keepeth his soul" (Prov. 13:3). And then in the day of our visitation He shall say to us: "Blessed are you, Israel, because you kept watch on your tongue; who is like unto you?" (Deut. 33:29). May the Lord preserve you in His grace and peace. Amen!

- From a sermon by St. Anthony the Great (4th c.)

ON SUFFERINGS AND OUR CROSS

• God does not create crosses for people, i.e., cleansing spiritual and physical sufferings. And however heavy that cross may be for that individual, the tree that produces its timber grows from the soil of his heart.
  
  
• If a person walks a straight path, for him there is no cross. However, when he starts to lurch from one side to the other, then different circumstances appear which push him back onto the right track. These elements constitute a cross for a person. Of course they occur differently, according to the individual's needs.
  
  
• "Sometimes the cross is a mental one, confusing the individual with sinful thoughts. But the person is not at fault if he doesn't accede to them." The Elder cited an example: "Once a female ascetic was agitated for a long period over having unchaste thoughts. When Christ appeared and drove them away from her, she cried out to Him: 'Sweet Jesus, where were You up to this time?' Christ replied, 'I was in your heart.' She said, 'How can that be? But my heart was filled with unchaste thoughts.' And Christ said to her, 'Therefore understand that I was in your heart, and that you had no disposition toward those unclean thoughts, but even endeavored to free yourself from them. Not being able to do so, you suffered over them, thereby preparing a place for me in your heart.'"
  
  
• Sometimes suffering is sent to an innocent person, so that he, as with the example of Christ, suffers for others. Christ Himself suffered for people. Likewise, His Apostles were tortured for the Church and the people. To have absolute love means to suffer for your close ones.
  

ON THE CROSS OF CHRIST

• "As I have been telling you, we should take all our sorrow and place it at the Feet of Christ, because He suffered on the Cross for our sins, and for our sorrows, and for our problems, and for all the gloom of our souls. For everything! And when you remember that the Blood of our Lord is cleansing us from everything, that is the end of it. Nothing of these exists anymore. If you take the time to think through this thoroughly, then you will understand. There are limits to what we can do. We cannot give help to all. We cannot be physically present both here and there. In spirit, of course, we can be everywhere. This is exactly why you must convert your sensibilities into prayer. Something wonderful will happen then. Because you could take in your heart all those in need of help and place them at the Feet of Christ, who was crucified for your, for me , for all the world."
  
  
• "Love is persecuted, Love is sacrificed, Love is on the Cross -- no matter what you do. But the joy of the Cross is in the Resurrection. This is why you feel joy even though you are on the Cross. You see the joy of the Confessors, you see those who were cast into the fire, those who were crucified, how they sang hymns and glorified God."
  

COUNSELS FROM THE HOLY FATHERS

From ages and generations God's way is carved out by the Cross and death. Where did you get this idea of treading the way of God in comfort? . . . The way of God is a daily cross. No one has ascended to Heaven through the easy life. We know where the easy way leads.

- St. Isaac the Syrian (6th c. )

Remember that each of us has his own cross. The Golgotha of this cross is our heart: it is being lifted or implanted through a zealous determination to live according to the Spirit of God. Just as the salvation of the world is by the Cross of God, so our own salvation is by our crucifixion on our own cross.

- St. Theophan the Recluse (19th c.)

PRAYER OF ST. PHILARET, METROPOLITAN OF MOSCOW (+1867)

O Lord, I know not what to ask of Thee. Thou alone knowest what are my true needs. Thou dost love me more than I myself know how to love. Help me to see my real needs, which are concealed from me. I dare not ask for a cross or comfort, I can only wait on Thee. My heart is open to Thee. Visit and help me for Thy great mercies? sake. Strike me and heal me. Cast me down and raise me up. I worship in silence Thy Holy will and Thy mysterious ways. I offer myself as a sacrifice to Thee. I put my trust in Thee. I have no other desire than to fulfill Thy will. Teach me to pray. Pray Thou Thyself in me. Amen.