Liturgical Feasts, Scripture Readings and Propers
lITURGICAL cELEBRATIONS
Thursday, February 23: PARAKLESIS TO THE HOLY THEOTOKOS
6:30 p.m. Bible Study 10:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, February 25: SECOND
SATURDAY OF SOULS Orthros 8:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy 9:30
a.m.
Sunday, February 26:
FORGIVENESS SUNDAY (The Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise)
CHEESEFARE SUNDAY Orthros 8:45 a.m. Divine
Liturgy 10 a.m.
Monday, February 27: THE
BEGINNING OF GREAT LENT Great Compline 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, February 29:
PRE-SANCTIFIED LITURGY 6:30 p.m. followed by Lenten Supper and
first speaker in the Lenten Series: Evangelization - Spreading the Gospel
to the World Fr. Maximos of the
Orthodox Church in America (OCA)
SCRIPTURE READINGS
SUNDAY OF THE EXPULSION OF ADAM AND EVE FROM PARADISE
fORGIVENESS SUNDAY
Matins Gospel
Luke 24:1-12
On the first day of the week, at early
dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices which they had prepared.
And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went
in they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this,
behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel; and as they were
frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them,
"Why do you seek the living among the dead? Remember how he told you,
while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of man must be delivered in
to the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day
rise." And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they
told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary
Magdalene, and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women
with them who told this to the apostles; but these words seemed to them
an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter rose and
ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by
themselves; and he went home wondering at what had happened.
Epistle
Romans 13:11-14; 14:1-4
Brethren, salvation is nearer to us now
than when we first believed; the night is far gone, the day is at hand.
Let us then cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of
light; let us conduct ourselves becomingly as in the day, not in
reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in
quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no
provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. As for the man
who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not for disputes over opinions.
One believes he may eat anything, while the weak man eats only
vegetables. 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? It is
before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld,
for God is able to make him stand.
Holy Gospel
Matthew 6:14-21
The Lord said, "If you forgive men their
trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do
not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your
trespasses."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 received their reward. But
when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting
may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your
Father who sees in secret will reward you."Do not lay up for
yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where
thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in
heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not
break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart
be also."
LITURGICAL PROPERS
Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
When the women Disciples of the Lord had learned from the Angel the joyful message of the Resurrection and had rejected the ancestral decision, they cried aloud to the Apostles triumphantly: Death has been despoiled, Christ God has risen, granting His great mercy to the world.
Kontakion in the Plagal of the Second Tone
O Master, Prudence, Guide of Wisdom, Instruction to the foolish and Defender of the poor, strengthen my heart and grant it discernment. Give me words, Word of the Father, for behold, I shall not keep my lips from crying out to You, "O Merciful One, have mercy on me who has fallen."
Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal of the Second Tone
O Master, Prudence, Guide of Wisdom, Instruction to the foolish and Defender of the poor, strengthen my heart and grant it discernment. Give me words, Word of the Father, for behold, I shall not keep my lips from crying out to You, "O Merciful One, have mercy on me who has fallen."
Resurrectional Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
Savior and Deliverer is He who raised up from the tomb and from the bonds those born on earth, for He is God; and He destroyed Hades' bars and gates, and on the third day arose, as the Master of all.
St. Photini the Samaritan Woman & her martyred sisters: Anatole, Phota, Photis, Paraskevi, & Kyriaki
Saint Photini was the Samaritan Woman who encountered Christ our Saviour at Jacob's Well (John 4:1-42). Afterwards she laboured in the spread of the Gospel in various places, and finally received the crown of martyrdom in Rome with her two sons and five sisters, during the persecutions under the Emperor Nero.
Apolytikion in the Third Tone
All illumined by the Holy Spirit, thou didst drink with great and ardent longing of the waters Christ Saviour gave unto thee; and with the streams of salvation wast thou refreshed, which thou abundantly gavest to those athirst. O Great Martyr and true peer of Apostles, Photini, entreat Christ God to grant great mercy unto us.
Kontakion in the Third Tone
Photini the glorious, the crown and glory of the Martyrs, hath this day ascended to the shining mansions of Heaven, and she calleth all together to sing her praises, that they might be recompensed with her hallowed graces. Let us all with faith and longing extol her gladly in hymns of triumph and joy.