+
Sunday, April 22nd 2007 +
Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women
“Feast of Sts. Joseph of Arimathea &
Nicodemos”
Tone:
2 + Eothinon: 4
*******************************************************************************************************
“Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!”
“Come, O Lord Jesus, rise in me today. The
heavy stone was rolled away from Thy tomb by the Angel. Let me not roll it
back. Be truly Risen in my life today, as I become dead to sin and alive to Thy
presence and power. Amen.”
+ The
Epistle +
Verse: “The Lord is my
strength and my song.
The Lord has chastened
me sorely.”
The
Reading is from the Acts of the Apostles.
(Chapter 6:1-7)
In those days, when the number of the
disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the
Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. Then
the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not
desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. Therefore, brethren,
seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit
and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; but we will give ourselves
continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And the saying pleased
the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy
Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a
proselyte from Antioch, whom they set before the apostles; and when they had
prayed, they laid hands on them. Then the word of God spread, and the number of
the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests
were obedient to the faith.
+ The
Holy Gospel +
The
Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to St. Mark
(Chapter 15:43-47;
16:1-8)
At that time, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected
member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God,
took courage and went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. And Pilate wondered if He were already dead;
and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether Jesus was already dead. And
when he learned from the centurion that He was dead, he granted the body to
Joseph. And he bought a linen shroud,
and taking Him down, wrapped Him in the linen shroud, and laid Him in a tomb
which had been hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a stone against the door of
the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where He was laid.
And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James,
and Salome, bought spices, so that they might go and anoint Him. And very early
on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen. And
they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the
door of the tomb?” And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back – it
was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the
right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed. And he said to them,
“Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen,
He is not here; see the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples
and Peter that He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see Him, as He
told you.” And they went out and fled from the tomb; for trembling and astonishment
had come upon them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
Meditation:
Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women
On
the third Sunday of Pascha the Orthodox Church commemorates a number of persons
connected with the final events of Jesus’ life who were important witnesses to
His death and Resurrection. These are the Myrrh-Bearing Women who came to
anoint the body of Jesus, St. Joseph of Arimathea who buried Jesus, and St.
Nicodemos who helped him. We gratefully remember them during the third week of
Pascha for their faith, courage, and devotion to the Lord. St. Joseph of
Arimathea was an influential Jewish leader, a member of the supreme Jewish
Council in Jerusalem, who was attracted by Jesus’ message about God’s kingdom.
St. Luke tells us that he was good and honorable man and that he had not agreed
with their [the Council’s] decision and action regarding Jesus’ crucifixion.
Yet, like St. Nicodemos, who was also a member of the Council, St. Joseph did
not make a public witness to Jesus. Both he and St. Nicodemos were “secret
disciples” who, during Christ’s ministry, did not dare risk their reputation
and standing among the Jewish aristocracy by identifying with Jesus. But the
injustice of Jesus’ death led them to a moment of decision. They asked Pilate
for Jesus’ body and dared bury Him whom the Council had condemned, while the
known disciples scattered and were hiding in fear! St. Joseph was a wealthy
man, and he buried Jesus in a tomb which he owned, a new tomb in a garden. He
bought a fine linen shroud in which to wrap Jesus. He and St. Nicodemos spared
no expense and gave the Master a royal burial. Who can describe the richness of
their feelings, their tears of repentance and love, as they buried their dear
Lord with their own hands? In ancient Jewish culture women were restricted to
domestic duties. They didn’t have full access either to the Temple or the
synagogue. At least ten Jews were required to form a synagogue, but women did
not count. Women could not be called as witnesses in court. Their religious
duties were the same as a slave’s on the assumption that women, like slaves,
could not control their own time. A pious Jew would not talk to a woman on the
street. Even when women had to come out of the house they had to wear veils and,
if married, to walk a few steps behind their husbands. As the Jewish historian
Josephus put it: “The woman, says the Law, is in all things inferior to the
man.” When one considers the place of women in the ministry of Christ, the
contrast with the usual role of Jewish women of that time could not be more
striking. Among the most faithful followers of Jesus were women. In a
remarkable passage St. Luke reports that a close circle of women along with the
male disciples followed Jesus and supported Him out of their won resources. It
is true that Jesus didn’t choose any women to be among the twelve disciples,
but apart from that He did not treat men and women differently. He addressed
everyone with the same love and the same message. He talked freely with the
Samaritan woman. He healed many women, among them the woman with the hemorrhage.
He allowed the sinful woman to touch Him, much to the surprise of His host. He
also had a special friendship with St. Lazarus and his sisters Sts. Mary and
Martha. While the men disciples fled at the hour of the Cross, the women
followers did not desert Jesus. They were present near the Cross and observed
where He was buried. In the early morning following the Sabbath they
courageously came to mourn Jesus and to anoint Him with spices and aromatic
oils, a burial custom of the Jews. Their devotion to the Lord, as is shown in
the Gospels, was rewarded by the fact that these women were the first to
discover the empty tomb and the first to see the Risen Christ. The Myrrh-Bearing
Women, St. Joseph of Arimathea, and St. Nicodemos, shared a willingness to
serve Christ. They loved Jesus deeply. In the hour of His death, and despite
great risks, they had the courage to serve His last earthly needs. It was Jesus
Himself who set this pattern of love and service. He said: “I am the good
shepherd, who is willing to die for the sheep.” He taught: “Love one another,
just as I love you. The greatest love a person can have for his friends is to
give his life for them.”
* Announcements *
v Every Saturday – Great Vespers at
6:00 p.m.
ü National March for Life 2007 –
Justice for the Unborn!
On Wednesday, May 9th at 8:45 p.m. at the Canadian
Tribute to Human Rights Monument (corner of Elgin & Lisgar Sts, Ottawa) the
10th Annual National March for Life 2007 will again take place with
the annual Candlelight Vigil in defense of the innocent victims of Abortion.
Today, after the Divine Liturgy, downstairs in the Cathedral Hall, the Pledge
Form will be available for you to fill out and purchase your Vigil Candles. On
Thursday, May 10th at 12:00 p.m. Pro-Life Supporters will begin to
gather on Parliament Hill to hear speeches about Abortion by prominent pro-life
leaders and politicians, and at 1:30 p.m. there will be a march through
downtown Ottawa with many signs and banners in support for Life. For more
information visit the following website: (www.lifesite.net)
ü Connect 2007 – University of
Balamand
For the 6th year, the
University of Balamand is sponsoring “Connect”, its popular cultural and
academic exchange program. Connect aims at offering youth (17 – 25 years old) a
unique learning experience that will enrich their mind and soul, and connect
them with their land of ancestry and rich heritage. The program extends over a
period of 4 weeks, from July 7th
to August 3rd 2007. Based on the University’s main campus in the
peaceful hills of North Lebanon, “Connect” offers a fun-packed program that’s
sure to leave participants with lifetime memorable experiences. For more
information, visit www.balamand.edu.lb/connect.
ü
Registration
for the 48th Antiochian
Orthodox Archdiocese Convention
This year, the 48th Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese
Convention will be hosted by St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Montreal on July
23rd – 29th. Registration forms are available in the
Cathedral Office for anybody who is interested in attending this year’s
Convention and anyone interested in sponsoring a message for the Ad Journal.
There are also copies of an information flyer available at the Candle Stand in
the Vestibule.
ü
Summer Pilgrimage to
Greece (June 3rd
-15th)
Have you thought about joining us on our
pilgrimage to Greece this summer? We will be visiting lots of beautiful
Churches & Monasteries; along with many Historic Ruins, Old Markets,
Beautiful Beaches, Land Marks & Awe-inspiring Scenery!
Our trip
to Greece is confirmed as planned. Those who have made their reservations and
submitted their downpayments already are set to travel. A few places remain and
anyone who is interested in going is asked to please call the Cathedral Office
for more information.
ü
Thank You
New Icon Donors!
We would like to thank the following parishioners for donating our
newest upcoming set of Icons for the Church:
ü Church Beautification
“Blessed are those who love the beauty of Thy House, O Lord”
Our Iconographer may unfortunately
be retiring in the near future and we are looking to finish (while we still
can) the empty areas over the Altar and over the Choir Loft with a beautiful
new set of icons. Some icons left for selection are:
If you are interested in donating
any icons, please contact Fr. Ghattas in the office or speak to him after the
Divine Liturgy.
ü New Epitaphios (Bier)
Over the years many donations have
been collected by parishioners to purchase a new Epitaphios (Bier) for the
Church. We are very thankful for their donations and we would like to let
everyone know that our Beautification fund is still in need of more donations
so we can finally order the Epitaphios (Bier), which will be made from the same
wood with the same design as the Iconostasis. If you would like to help donate
for this project, please speak with Fr. Ghattas or send your cheque to the
Cathedral Office.
ü
A Message from the Church School
Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!
We would like every student to have a special T-Shirt to
take home at the end of this term. We would like your help in purchasing
these shirts. The shirts will have:" I AM AN ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN"
printed on the front and they will be Burgundy in colour. Students will
wear them on special occasions at Church and anytime they want elsewhere.
We would appreciate your donations as soon as possible as we have to collect
the funds before ordering the T-Shirts and we want to have them by the
last week in May. DONATIONS CAN BE
BROUGHT TO THE CHURCH SCHOOL OFFICE TO JOANN NICHOLSON.
Yours in Christ,
St. Elias Church School
ü
Fellowship of St. John
the Divine
Weekly Meeting every Tuesday from 7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. SHARP! Please be on
time. A Bible Study/Religious Discussion will take place in the Church
School Building (1st Floor). Please give us your email address if
you are not receiving our weekly online newsletter. Any member of the
Fellowship who is interested in participating in the Parish Life Conference Bible Bowl (June 28th -
July 1st 2007 at St. Elias Orthodox Church, Syracuse) is asked to
speak with Ramia Ibrahim (ramiai@hotmail.com).
ü
Teen SOYO
Next meeting on Wednesday May 2nd 2007 from 7:30 p.m. – 8:45 p.m. SHARP! in the Church
School Building. Please be on time.
Please
give us your email address if you are not receiving our online newsletter.
Bible Bowl: Team Study &
Practice Meeting on Wednesday, April 25th
2007 at 7:30 p.m. Any member of the Teen SOYO who is interested in
participating in the Parish Life Conference Bible Bowl (June 28th - July 1st 2007
at St. Elias Orthodox Church, Syracuse) is asked to speak with Alannah Saikaley
at: asaikaley@ashbury.on.ca
ü
Funeral
Planning Information Seminar
Bring your family and/or executor to this informative presentation
on Wednesday, May 2nd, 2007 from 7:30-8:30 p.m. in the Cathedral
Hall downstairs, concerning the serious subject of funeral planning. Learn
what’s involved in making funeral arrangements for a loved one or for yourself,
the responsibilities of an executor and how you can ease the decision-making
burden for your family and executor. Patrick McGarry, Vice President and
Certified Preplanning Consultant with Hulse, Playfair & McGarry will
present this seminar and be available to answer questions.
RSVP : St. Elias Cathedral: (613)
738-2222
+ St. Elias Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral +
(2975 Riverside Drive – Ottawa)
Cathedral Office: 700 Ridgewood Ave
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1V 6N1
Telephone: (613) 738-2222, Fax: (613) 737-4392
Email: info@steliascathedral.com, Website:
www.steliascathedral.com
The Rt. Rev. Bishop ALEXANDER
Bishop of Ottawa, Eastern
Canada and Upstate New York
The Very Rev. Father Ghattas Hajal – Dean
Rev. Father Mark Arsenios Wyatt – Assistant Priest
The Very
Rev. Father Daniel Matheson – Emeritus