WHAT MAKES HEAVEN REJOICE
In our Prayer books there are hundreds of inspiring prayers and hymns that make up the liturgical worship of our Church. We are very familiar with some of these prayers, and much less familiar with others. Heaven and earth rejoice as we say these prayers and sing these hymns. But there is one particular prayer that brings an especial joy to heaven. Or, it might be better said, there is one special state in which we pray that makes God rejoice. That state is, when we pray with an awareness of our own sinfulness, and beseech God for mercy.
Such a prayer is: "0 God, be merciful unto me, a sinner." Or, "Father, I have sinned I against heaven and against You, and am no longer worthy to be called your child." It is true that the first of these is the prayer of the publican, and the second the prayer of the prodigal son; but during the great Lent we must make these our own prayers, too.
Christ said, "I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons..." If this is true, then surely we ought to look deeply into our hearts and evoke this sense of unworthiness and repentance. St. Paul called himself “the chief of sinners," and St. Peter once told Christ, "Lord, depart from me for I am a sinful man." They had this sense of sin and were able to turn to the Lord for mercy and forgiveness. Christians find it so difficult to arouse a sense of their own sinfulness and unworthiness in the sight of Almighty God. This sense of sin is not so much what we have done, but a realization of what we are, and what God is.
HOLY WEDNESDAY
Scriptural References: James 5:13-16
Is any one among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let then pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects.
HOLY SATURDAY MORNING
The Vesperal Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great
On Great and Holy Saturday morning, the Orthodox Church commemorates Christ"s decent into Hades and the releasing of the souls of all who were held captive by death. It is important for us to remember that humankind had been removed from Paradise, since the time of Adam and Eve, and that man was subject to death. Upon the death of all from the time of Adam and Eve to the moment of Christ"s voluntary death on the cross, all the souls of those who lived were "held captive by death" in a place called Hades. Hades, not to be confused with hell, was a jail of sorts for souls – a place where they were held prisoner.
When Jesus died on the Cross, Hades accepted His soul thinking that it was accepting the soul of a man – only to find out that it had accepted God, the uncontainable, into her midst.
Immediately, an explosion takes place, the Hymns tell us that "Hades lets out a groan" as the doors to Hades are blown open the "locks and chains" used to imprison the souls tossed aside and rendered useless as Christ raises all the dead and resurrects them all.
The following Hymns show us the magnitude of this event:
Today Hades lets out a groan: "Would that I had not received the son of Mary: for when He came upon me He dissolved my power; He shattered the gates of bronze; the souls I had held captive, as God He raised up." Glory, Lord, to Your Cross and Your Resurrection.
Today Hades lets out a groan: "My sovereignty is destroyed. I received Him as a mortal, one among the dead; but this One I am powerless to contain; instead with Him I lose all I had governed. I had held the dead for ages, but behold, He resurrects all." Glory, Lord, to Your Cross and Your Resurrection.
Today Hades lets out a groan: "My might is swallowed up: the shepherd was crucified but raised up Adam. All I ruled over I have lost; all I was able in my power to consume, I have disgorged. The crucified One has emptied the graves. The sway of death is no more." Glory, Lord, to Your Cross and Your Resurrection.
This event is commemorated in spectacular fashion, with the priest chanting the following verses from Psalm 81/82 while scattering bay leaves (the symbol of victory) throughout the church.
Arise, O God, and be judge of the earth, for You shall inherit all nations.
God has taken His place in the assembly of the gods, and in their midst He judges gods.
Arise, O God, and be judge of the earth, for You shall inherit all nations.
How long will you judge unjustly, and be partial to sinners?
Arise, O God, and be judge of the earth, for You shall inherit all nations.
Defend the orphan and the needy, do justice to the lowly and the poor.
Arise, O God, and be judge of the earth, for You shall inherit all nations.
Rescue the needy and deliver the poor out of the hands of sinners.
Arise, O God, and be judge of the earth, for You shall inherit all nations.
They neither know nor understand, they walk about in darkness: the foundations of the earth are shaken.
Arise, O God, and be judge of the earth, for You shall inherit all nations.
I said: you are gods and sons of the Most High, all of you. Yet you will die like all human beings, and fall like any princes.
Arise, O God, and be judge of the earth, for You shall inherit all nations.
Hymns of the Day:
Praise the Lord and exalt him to all ages.
Praise the Lord, all the works of the Lord; Praise the Lord and exalt him to all ages.
Bless the Lord, you angels of the Lord, heavenly powers of the Lord;
Bless the Lord, all you waters above the heavens and all powers of the Lord;
Bless the Lord, sun and moon, the stars of heaven;
Bless the Lord, light and darkness, night and day;
Bless the Lord, showers and dew and all winds;
Bless the Lord, fire and warmth, cold and heat;
Bless the Lord, dew and snow, ice and cold;
Bless the Lord, frost and snow, lightning and clouds;
Bless the Lord, earth, mountains and hills, and all things that grow in it;
Bless the Lord, fountains, seas, rivers, whales and everything that moves in the water;
Bless the Lord, fowl of the sky, beasts and all animals;
Bless the Lord, sons of men, bless him and let Israel bless;
Bless the Lord, priests of the Lord, servants of the Lord;
Bless the Lord, spirits and souls of the righteous, holy and humble men of heart;
Bless the Lord, Ananias, Azarias, and Misael;
Bless the Lord, apostles, prophets and martyrs of the Lord;
We bless the Lord, Father, Son and Holy Spirit;
We praise, bless and worship the Lord;
We praise the Lord and glorify him to all the ages.
HOLY SATURDAY EVENING
Scriptural Reference: Mark 16:1-8
Hymns of the Day:
Come, receive the light from the unwaning light, and glorify Christ who is risen from the dead.
Angels sing of Your Resurrection in heaven, Christ Savior. Make us on earth also worthy to glorify You with pure hearts.
Christ is Risen from the dead, by death He has trampled down death, and to those in the tombs, He has granted life.
The day of resurrection! O people, let us be radiant. It is Pascha, the Lord’s Passover, for Christ God has carried us over from death to life, from earth to heaven, as we sing a victory hymn.
Come, let us partake of a new drink: not one miraculously brought forth from barren rock, but a spring of immortality, welling up from Christ’s tomb, from which we draw strength.
Let the God-prompted Habakkuk stand the divine watch with us and point out the light-bearing angel as in resounding voice he proclaims: "Today the world knows salvation, for in His surpassing power Christ is risen."
Let us arise at break of day, and instead of myrrh offer the Master a hymn. Thus shall we witness Christ, the Sun of righteousness, dawning over all life.
You descended into the very bowels of the earth, O Christ, and shattered the everlasting bonds of its fettered captives. And on the third day, like Jonah from the whale, You emerged from the tomb.
He who freed the youths from the furnace, becoming man, suffers as a mortal; and through the Passion clothes mortal flesh in the comeliness of immortality, the only blessed of the fathers, God most glorious.
We praise, we bless, we worship the Lord.
This is the chosen holy day, the first of all Sabbaths, their queen and sovereign; the feast of feasts and festival of festivals, in which we bless Christ to the ages.
Honoring her with hymns, let us magnify the Theotokos, the Mother of Light.
My soul, magnify Him who of His own will suffered, was buried and rose from the tomb on the third day.
Shine, shine new Jerusalem! For the glory of the Lord has dawned over you. Dance now and be glad, Sion; as for you, pure One, rejoice in the resurrection of your child.
My soul, magnify Christ the lifegiver, who rose from the tomb on the third day.
O divine, O beloved, O sweetest voice! You promised truly that You would be with us to the end of the age. With this pledge as the anchor of our hope, we rejoice.
Christ is the new Pascha, the living sacrifice, the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
Great and most holy Pascha, O Christ, Wisdom, Word and power of God: grant us to partake of You more perfectly in the unwaning day of Your kingdom.
The angels cried out to her who is full of grace: “Rejoice! And again I say, rejoice! Your son is risen from the tomb on the third day.”
Shine, shine, new Jerusalem! For the glory of the Lord has dawned over you. Dance now and be glad Sion; as for you, pure One, rejoice in the resurrection of your child.
PASCHA SUNDAY
The Resurrection of our Lord and Savior (Celebrated on the first Sunday after the Spring Equinox after Passover)
About the Icon: The Resurrection of our Lord
Christ - the central figure; He is robed in white to denote His Divinity. In some icons you will see the aureole (elongated halo) encompasses Him, this also symbolizes this brilliant Light; at His feet are the brass gates of Hades which He has demol-ished. Also visible are the keys and broken locks to these gates at His feet.
Adam our Forefather - being pulled from his tomb by Christ; he is portrayed as an old man with white hair and beard; the hymns of the Church speak of Adam being "recalled" to his primordial innocence by the Incarnation.
Eve our Forbearer - being raised from her tomb immediately behind the figure of Adam; she is portrayed as an old woman; the hymns of our Church speak of Eve being "set free" from her sin in Eden by the Incarnation.
The Righteous of the Old Testament - the group of figures on the ex-treme left represents those righteous individuals who lived and died before the Incarnation; the two figures are the Holy Kings, Saint David the Psalmist and his son, Saint Solomon the Wise.
The Righteous of the New Testament - the group of figures on the ex-treme right represents those righteous individuals who died after the Incar-nation but before Christ's death and resurrection. Saint John the Baptist and Forerunner is infront of this group.
Scriptural References
Epistle: Acts 1: 1-8
Gospel: John 1: 1 - 17
Festal Hymns
Paschal Troparion
It is the day of Resurrection; let us then make ourselves resplendent for the festival and embrace one another. Let us say, brethren, even to those who do not love us: "Let all be forgiven in the Resurrection, and so exclaim: Christ is risen from the dead, by death He has trampled down death, and to those in the tombs He has granted life.
Hymn to the Theotokos
The angel cried to the Lady full of grace: Rejoice, 0 pure Virgin! Again I say: Rejoice! Your Son is risen from His three days in the tomb! With Himself He has raised all the dead! Rejoice, all you people! Shine! Shine! 0 new Jerusalem The glory of the Lord has shone on you! Exalt now and be glad, 0 Zion! Be Radiant, 0 Pure Theotokos, in the resurrection of your Son!
From The Theology of the Church
The Church teaches that while the body of Christ rested in the tomb on the Sabbath (the day after the Crucifixion), His soul descended into Hades. Prior to the Incarnation the gates of paradise were closed to mankind. Therefore, Hades, not to be confused with Hell, was the place where the souls of all went upon death. It was neither a place of reward nor a place of punishment. It had been likened to Death's "prison" where the souls of both the just and the sinners were confined. Since Christ actually died upon the Cross, Death claimed His soul for Hades. However, Hades re-ceived more than it expected ... it received the Giver of Life, who destroyed the power of Hades. This icon of the Resurrection portrays this concept.
Women bringing spices to the Tomb
Matthew 28:1-7; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-12
Festal Salutation
Orthodox Christians throughout the world greet one another with the following expressions during the forty-day period from Pascha to Ascension:
Language Greeting Response
English: Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!
Greek: Christos Anesti, Alithos Anesti
Slavonic: Christos Voskrese Voistinu Voskrese
Romanian: Hristos A inviat Adev areat A inviat
Albanian: Krishti u ungjall Vertete u ngjall
Arabic: Al masi h qum Hakan qam
Spanish: Christo ha resuciatado en verdad ha resucitado
Finnish: Kristus nousi kuolleista tortisesti nousi
French: Le Christ est Resucitee Vraiment est Resucitee
German: Kritus ist Auferstanden Sicherlich ist Auferstanden
Gaelic: Kriost Eirgim Eigim
Esperanto: Kristos Levigis Vere Levigis
Nigerian: Jesu Kristi Ebiliwo Ezia o Biliwo
Swahili: Kristo Amefufukka Kweli Ajukkide
Ugandan: Kristo Ajukkide Kweli Ajukkide
Japanese: Ha ri su to su fuc Katsu Jitsu ni fuc Katsu
Swedish: Christus ar uppstanden Han ar nerkligen uppstanden
Indonesian: KrIstus tElah Bangkit Benar dia telah Bangkit
Turkish: Hritos diril-Di Hakikaten diril-Di
Hawaiian: Ua ala hou o kristo Ua ala i o no oia
For Parents
The celebration of Easter/Pascha in the Orthodox Church is once again not merely an historical reenactment of the event of Christ's Resurrection as narrated in the gospels. It is not a dramatic representation of the "first Pascha Morning." There is no "sunrise service" since the Pascha Matins and the Divine Liturgy are celebrated together in the first dark hours of the first day of the week in order to give men the experience of the "new creation" of the world, and to allow them to enter mystically into the New Jerusalem which shines eternally with the glorious light of Christ, over-coming the perpetual night of evil and destroying the darkness of this mortal and sinful world. (See above - Hymn to the Theotokos)
Family Activities
The best way to prepare for Pascha is to participate in the services of Holy Week: Bridegroom; Presanctified; Holy Unction; Holy Thurs-day's Liturgy & 12 Gospels; Holy Friday's Royal Hours, Taking Down from the Cross & Lamentations; Holy Saturday's Vesperal Liturgy. Depending on the ages of your children, attend as many as possible, especially Holy Wednesday and Holy Friday.
Pascha is a very special time for children. It is a night like no other night, and they should experience this. You can help them by scheduling their time so that they might be as awake as they can be on Pascha. One way is to awake them about 5:00 am on Holy Saturday morning, then put them to bed about 5:00 PM Reawake them at 10:00 or 10:30 pm to get ready for Church.
Include the children in your Paschal Preparations: the preparation of the Paschal foods; readying the Paschal Basket, if this is your custom; selecting their clothes, etc.
Prepare to receive Holy Communion as a family.
Attend the Paschal Vespers (The Agape Service) on Sunday morning as a family. This service is short and joyful, and especially suited for the youngest chil-dren who may not be able to attend the midnight service.
During the 40 day "afterfeast" use the Troparion and Kontakion hymns as prayers before and/or after meals and as part of evening prayers.
THE SACRAMENT OF CONFESSION
As Orthodox Christians, our spiritual journey in the life of the Church begins with the Sacrament of Baptism. It is during this 'mystery' that we are cleansed of the original sin of man and made pure through the purifying waters of the Baptismal Font. It is during this service that we also receive the Sacrament of Chrismation, 'the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit,' and the Eucharist, 'Holy Communion.' We begin our spiritual journey clothed in a garment of righteousness whose whiteness reflects the purity of our soul.
Throughout our lives, we strive to follow the teachings of Christ and the Church. We are called to be 'God-like,' to follow the example that Jesus set before us, and live a pure and blameless life. Yet, sadly, we fall short. Quite often we find ourselves giving into temptation and falling into sin. It is this 'missing the mark' that threatens to cause a separation in our relationship with God.
Confession, too, takes place within the Church. It is not a private procedure, a treatment of some guilt-ridden individual on an analyst's couch. It is not based on an admission of guilt and certainly cannot be reduced to a feeling of guilt, of liability for conduct contrary to norms and laws which render a person subject to punishment. It is related to what is deepest in man, to what constitutes his being and his relation with other human beings as well as with God. It is a sacrament - "the visible for of an invisible grace" (Saint Augustine), re-establishing a bond of union between God and man, between man and man. This is why confession also takes place within prayer because it is there that a personal relationship in all its intensity is realized both with God and the entire world. As such, confession and prayer are not merely technical terms but means and opportunities offered by the Church for overcoming sin and death. Repentance is indeed the cause and consequence of prayer, being the highest and fullest foundation for and form of prayer. "True prayer," according to Saint Anthony, "is that in which one forgets that one is praying," and genuine repentance enables one to forget oneself and simply long for God, who is present in the very depth of repentance. For it is "before Him alone that one sins" (Psalm 50:3-4) - that is the personal or relational aspect of both sin and repentance.
The Role of the Spiritual Father
As Christians, we have many ways to make sure that our relationship with God continues to grow; the first of which is prayer. Both a strong personal prayer life and participation in the sacramental life of the Church are vital to keeping our spiritual tank full of fuel. The Church in her wisdom also provides us with a guide - a Spiritual Father, who will serve as our navigator assisting us along the way.
In the United States, it is usually the parish priest who fulfills this role. It is from him that we receive the sacraments of the Church and spiritual direction. The sacrament of penance is our formal act of reconciliation with God and exists in the Church to allow for the repentance and reconversion of Christians who have fallen away from the life of faith.
Three Main Elements
There are three main elements to the act of formal repentance. The first is our need to have sincere sorrow for our sins and for breaking our communion with God. The second is our open and heartfelt confession of sins. The third element is the formal prayer of absolution through which the forgiveness of God through Christ is sacramentally bestowed on us as repented sinners. The fulfillment of the Sacrament of Confession is the reception of Holy Communion and the genuine reconciliation of the repentant sinner with God and all men according to the commandments of Christ.
The Orthodox Church strictly adheres to the teaching of the Bible that only God can forgive sins, that he does so through Christ in the Church, that his conditions are genuine repentance and the promise of change which are witnessed by confession; and that confession, by definition, is the open and public acknowledgement of sin before God and all mankind.
It is important to remember that through confession God does not wish to harm us, but rather help us turn away from sin and once again live our lives according to His Teachings. In order to do this however, we must take the time and prepare ourselves by praying to God to grant us the wisdom to thoroughly examine our conscience, courage to make a sincere and complete confession and strength to amend our ways.
Self Examination
The following is a prayerful examination of our feelings, thoughts, words, acts, attitudes, habits, values, priorities, goals, direction and way of life. This self-examination includes not only our personal religious life, but also our relationship with parents and families, our social activities, work or school conduct, even our hobbies and extra-curricular pursuits. That is because our entire existence, not just our life in the Church, should be lived in Christ. The goal of this sincere search of conscience under the light of the Holy Spirit is not to condemn ourselves, but to know our true selves in Christ who has given us access to God's mercy and forgiveness, and who has taught us to live for God's glory.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS: A SELF EXAMINATION
1. I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND YOU SHALL HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME.
Have I believed in God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit? Have I failed to trust in God and His mercy? Have I complained to God when faced with adversity? Have I been thankful for God's blessings? Have I doubted the Christian faith and the teachings of the Church? Have I tried to serve God and keep His commandments? Have I given way to superstition? Have I neglected my duties to God through fear of ridicule or persecution? Have I failed to pray to God faithfully? Have I put myself before God?
2. YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FOR YOURSELF A GRAVEN IMAGE IN ORDER TO WORSHIP IT.
Have I given to anyone the worship that is due to God alone? Have I made an idol of any person or thing? Have I set before myself the holy life of Jesus and tried to imitate Him? Have I read the Holy Scriptures regularly? Have I been irreverent during Church Services, let my attention wander, or been insecure? Have I neglected to receive Holy Communion regularly or without due preparation?
3. YOU SHALL NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD YOUR GOD IN VAIN.
Have I profaned the holy name of God in any way? Have I cursed anyone or anything, or sworn a false oath? Have I failed to give proper reverence to holy, persons and things? Have I had due respect for the clergy of the Church or hindered them in performing God's work? Have I broken any solemn vow or promise? Have I entered into any unlawful contract or made an unlawful promise?
4. REMEMBER THE SABBATH DAY TO KEEP IT HOLY.
Have I stayed away from Church on Sundays or prevented others from going? Have I done unnecessary work on Sundays? Have I spent the day in an unwholesome fashion or profaned it by improper conduct? If I could not go to Church because of illness or other grave cause, have I prayed at home? Have I caused anyone else to profane the Lord's Day? Have I kept the Fasts and Festivals prescribed by the Church?
5. HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER.
Have I respected my parents and been ob-edient to them? Have I been guilty of de-ception, or caused them pain by my words or actions? Have I neglected them or failed to help them? Have I done my duty towards my family? Have I been wanting in love or kindness towards my husband (or wife), or harmed him (or her) in any way? Have I set my children a good example and tried to bring them up properly? Have I corrected their faults with patience and not with anger? Have I over-indulged or spoiled them? Have I neglected my god-children and failed in my obligations towards them? Have I worked for my employers honestly and diligently? Have I treated fairly all those who have worked for me? Have I honored God as my Heavenly Father by treating others as my brothers, and have I honored the Church as my spiritual Mother by honoring and practicing my religion in accordance with her teachings?
6. YOU SHALL NOT KILL.
Have I caused the injury or death of anyone, or wished that I were dead? Have I done anything to shorten my own life or that of someone else by injuring them, or through evil and intemperate living? Have I given way to anger or harmed others with words or action? Have I defamed others who needed help, or failed to stand up for those unjustly treated? Have I been cruel to anyone? Have I mistreated animals or destroyed any life unnecessarily? Have I failed to forgive anyone or harbored evil thoughts against them?
7. YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.
Have I given way to impure thoughts, words, or deeds? Have I committed any un-worthy actions alone or with others? Have I degraded myself in any way, or forgotten human dignity? Have I read immoral books or magazines, or delighted in obscenity of any kind? Have I associated with bad companions or frequented unsavory places? Have I eaten or drunk or smoked too much? Have I been lazy, idle, or wasted my time? Have I led others to commit sinful acts? Have I been unfaithful to any trust confided in me?
8. YOU SHALL NOT STEAL.
Have I stolen anything or wished to do so? Have I kept anything that did not belong to me? Have I tried honestly to find owners of lost articles I have found? Have I cheated anyone? Have I paid my debts? Have I lived within my income, and not wastefully and extravagantly? Have I contributed a fair percentage of my income to the Church as a steward? Have I given to charitable causes in proportion to my means? Have I been honest and upright?
9. YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS.
Have I told lies, or added to or subtracted from the truth? Have I made careless state-ments or spoken evil of anyone? Have I told any secrets entrusted to me, or betrayed any-one? Have I gossiped about anyone or harmed their reputation? Have I concealed the truth, assisted in carrying out a lie, or pretended to commit a sin of which I was not guilty? Have I tried to see the good in others rather than their shortcomings?
10. YOU SHALL NOT COVET.
Have I envied anything good that has come to others? Have I been jealous of another's good fortune? Have I wished for anything that was another's? Have I damaged or destroyed the property of others? Have I wished for things God has not given me, or been discontented with my lot? Have I been stingy? Have I held back anything due another? Have I hoped for the downfall of anyone so that I might gain by it? Have I failed to be gracious and generous to anyone? Have I expected God to give me that which I would refuse one of my fellow men?
Final Note
After careful review of the self examination with regard to its relevance in your daily life, your next step is to call Father Peter and schedule an appointment for Confession. Please note that you are not confessing your sins to the priest but to our Lord, in whose presence you stand.
'The most significant effect of confession is indeed due neither to the penitent nor to the priest, but to God who heals our infirmities and wounds. It is not a matter of a let-off, a clearance; it has the force of healing, of making the penitent whole. As such it is a gift from God which man must be open to receive, and learn to receive: "Let us apply to ourselves the saving medicine of repentance; let us accept from God the repentance that heals us. For it is not we who offer it to Him, but He who bestows it upon us." It is significant that the Greek for confession, exomologesis, implies not only confession but also thanksgiving (cf. Matthew 11:25; Luke 10:21): "I shall confess/give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, and tell of all His wonders" (Psalm 9:1).'
'Through the forgiveness of sins in confession, the past is no longer an intolerable burden but rather an encouragement for what lies ahead. Life acquires an attitude of expectation, not of despondency; and confession becomes the way out of the impasse caused by sin. In this respect, repentance is also an eschatological act, realizing in our very midst, here and now, the promises of the age to come. Looking backwards would seem to imply the fate of Lot's wife (Genesis 19:26) "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fir for the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62). God Himself is revealed before us and walks in front of us. "One thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead." (Phil. 3:13).'