The soul is immortal and this is one of the most fundamental aspects of our Christian faith. This view predated the New testament times. Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return to God Who gave it. (Eccl. 12:7) Jesus often pointed to the immortality of the soul as the foundation of a pious life.

Divine Liturgy - Prodigal Son - We are given every assurance by the Master that the Father will receive us with joy and gladness.  We must only "arise and go," confessing our self-inflicted and sinful separation from that "home" where we truly belong. (Luke 15:11-24)

Memorial Saturday.

Divine Liturgy - Sunday of the Last Judgment (Meatfare Sunday) - The Gospel lesson for this day is Christ's parable of the Last Judgment (Matt. 25:31:46).  When Christ comes to judge us, what will be the criterion of His judgment?  The parable answers:  love.  We know that men are in prison and are sick and thirsty and hungry.  We know that however narrow and limited the framework of our personal existence, each one of us has been made responsible for a tiny part of the Kingdom of God to assist others.  On whether we have loved or refused to love, shall we be judged. 

Great Vespers for Sunday Divine Liturgy - Tomorrow is Forgiveness Sunday (Cheesefare Sunday) - The Sunday of Forgiveness is the Sunday before the beginning of Great Lent.  Read Matthew 6:14-21.  Jesus directs each of us to pray for the Father’s forgiveness of all, and for all of us to forgive each other.  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors (Matt 6:12).  We request God to be to us as we are to our neighbors.  Jesus insists on mutual forgiveness between people as a precondition of God’s forgiveness.  Those who do not forgive are not forgiven.  This teaching is repeated by Jesus in the parable of the unforgiving servant (Matt. 18:23-35), which ends with the same words.   This Sunday is also known as Cheesefare Sunday and reminds those who are fasting from dairy products that dairy is not eaten today and throughout the Great Lent until the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Sunday Divine Liturgy - Today is Forgiveness Sunday - Jesus insists on mutual forgiveness between people as a precondition of God’s forgiveness.  Those who do not forgive are not forgiven.  This teaching is repeated by Jesus in the parable of the unforgiving servant (Matt. 18:23-35), which ends with the same words. "O Master, Teacher of Wisdom, Bestower of virtue, who teaches the thoughtless and protects the poor:  strengthen and enlighten my heart.  O Word of the Father, let me not restrain my mouth from crying to Thee:  Have mercy on me, a transgressor, O Merciful Lord. "     

Great Lent Begins - Canon of St. Andrew of Crete - The season of Great Lent is the time of preparation for the feast of the Resurrection of Christ.  It is a time of renewed devotion:  of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.  It is a time of repentance, a real renewal of our minds, hearts and deeds in conformity with Christ and His teachings.  It is not a season of morbidity and gloominess.  On the contrary, it is a time of joyfulness and purification.  We are called to “anoint our faces” and to “cleanse our bodies as we cleanse our souls.”  It is our repentance that God desires, not our remorse.  We sorrow for our sins, but we do so in the joy of God’s mercy.  We make ready for the resurrection during Great Lent, both Christ’s Resurrection and our own.

Canon of St. Andrew of Crete - This is a long series of penitential verses based on Biblical themes, to each of which the people respond:  Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

Canon of St. Andrew of Crete - St. Andrew was Archbishop of Crete who composed the Canon in the 7th Century.  He also composed many other canons used by the Church over the course of the liturgical year.  The Great Canon consists of a conversation between the penitent and his own soul.  It begins:  "Where shall I begin to weep for the actions of my wretched life?  What first-fruit shall I offer O Christ in this my lamentation?  But in Thy compassion grant me forgiveness of sins." - with what shall I begin to repent, for it is so difficult.

Canon of St. Andrew of Crete - "He is my Helper and Protector and has become my salvation.  This is my God and I will glorify Him.  My father's God and I will exalt Him.  For gloriously has He been glorified."

St. Theodore Saturday -  The celebration to the Great Martyr Theodore is set on Saturday of the first week of Great Lent.  The Kolivo is blessed and distributed to the faithful.  Fifty years after the martyr’s death of Saint Theodore, Julian the Apostate (361-363), the emperor, wanting to commit an outrage upon the Christians, commanded the city commander of Constantinople during the first week of Great Lent to sprinkle all the food provisions in the market places with the blood of idol sacrifices.  Saint Theodore, having appeared in a dream to Archbishop Eudoxios, ordered him to inform all the Christians that no one should buy anything at the market places, but rather to eat cooked wheat with honey (Kolivo).  In memory of this occurrence the Orthodox Church annually celebrates the first Saturday in Great Lent to St. Theodore.

Sunday Great Vespers - Tomorrow is the first Sunday in Great Lent and is called Sunday of Orthodoxy.   It is a historical feast commemorating the return of the icons to the churches in the year 843 after the heresy of iconoclasm was overcome.  The spiritual theme of the day is, first of all, the victory of the True Faith:  “This is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith.” (I John 5:4)  Secondly, the icons of the saints bear witness that man, “created in the image and likeness of God” (“Genesis 1:26), becomes holy and godlike through the purification of himself as God’s living image.

Divine Liturgy for Sunday of Orthodoxy – This is the first Sunday of the Great Lent.  The major emphasis of this feast is the victory of the true faith.   The Prayer of St. Ephraim of Syria is read at all Lenten services:  O Lord and Master of my life:  take from me the spirit of sloth, faint-heartedness, lust of power and idle talk.   But grant rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to Thy servant.   Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own errors and not to judge my brother, for blessed are Thou unto ages of ages.   Amen. 

Annunciation to the Virgin Mary - Vesperal Divine Liturgy - When the Archangel Gabriel brought the momentous message from God this day, the gentle Mary must have felt a solemn pride, but at the same time a disquieting apprehension at the prospect of this awesome responsibillity.  Assured by the Archangel, Mary's answer was a simple:  "Let it be according to the will of God,"  and the rest is glorious history.   

Pre-Sanctified Liturgy at the Assumption Church in Clifton at 6:00 PM.     The Presanctified Liturgy is an ancient liturgy served during Great Lent.  It is the solemn Lenten Vespers with Holy Communion added to it.  The Communion is received from the Sacramental Gifts of bread and wine offered and sanctified at the Divine Liturgy of the previous Lord’s Day, hence its name of the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts.  During the Liturgy, two readings are read from Genesis and from Proverbs.  Between these two readings, with their prescribed prokeimenon verses, the celebrant blesses the faithful with the censer and a lighted candle proclaiming:  The Light of Christ illumines all!   Come join us for this beautiful Lenten service.

Akathist to the Divine Passion -  Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, Creator of Heaven and earth, Savior of the world, Behold I who am unworthy and of all men most sinful, humbly bow the knee of my heart before the glory of Thy majesty and praise Thy Cross and Passion, and offer thanksgiving to Thee, the King and God of all, that Thou wast pleased to bear as man all labors and hardships, all temptations and tortures, that Thou mightest be our Fellow-sufferer and Helper and a Savior to all of us in all our sorrows, needs and sufferings.

Memorial Saturday 5:00 PM - Panikhida Followed by Great Vespers.

Divine Liturgy for the Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas - St.Gregory defended a method of prayer for the Hesychast monks that allowed them to participate in God’s love and to experience God through His divine energies.  This method of prayer involved repentance for sins, and purifying oneself through prayer, worship, meditation and concentration.  This method of prayer is so intense that it can be accomplished only with supervision.  What St. Gregory Palamas emphasized was that God can be known and is a Living God Who reveals Himself in action.  This revelation is granted through the grace of the Holy Spirit.  St. Gregory of Palamas teaches us contemplation and the awareness of God

Deanery Mission Vespers here at St. John's at 5:00 PM today.  Bring a prayer rope to be blessed today.  Use it and pray the Jesus Prayer each day.