O Christ our God, before Your Passion, You raised Lazarus from the dead to confirm the common Resurrection for all. Holy Week Service Books are available for purchase to be able to assist us in praying the services. We can plan on prayerfully attending as many of the services together with our family as possible. We can ask members of the Parish Council if they need any assistance throughout the week and volunteer to help in any way possible.ĥ. We can assist in the adorning of the Kouvouklion with beautiful fresh flowers on Great and Holy Friday Morning/Afternoon beginning at the conclusion of the Service of the Royal Hours (10:30 a.m.). If you are not sure how to create a Palm Cross, no worries, fellow parishioners will be happy to show you how to weave the palms!ģ. We can plan to stay after the Divine Liturgy on the Saturday of Lazarus and help weave Palm Crosses for Sunday’s Celebration. We are all invited to assist in the Church’s preparation for Pascha by prayerful participating in the services of the Church and volunteering our time by assisting some of the necessary tasks of the Church. How We Can Assist In The Church’s Preparation We endeavor on the course of Holy Week and Christ’s victory over death and the reopening of the Gates of Paradise through His Glorious Resurrection! Our time of preparation - Great and Holy Lent - is now complete. This journey, that began with the commemoration of Adam and Eve being cast out of Paradise, has now brought us to the impetus of Great and Holy Week. The Church helps to prepare us for the celebration of Holy Week by offering us the healing ministry of the Great Fast. His Divinity through the pre-knowledge of Lazarus' Death and coming Resurrection and His Humanity through His asking to be shown where they buried Lazarus and His weeping. In today's celebration we clearly see the two natures of Christ being revealed. It did not take long for word of what happened to spread throughout Jerusalem which explains the reception He receives the following day (Palm Sunday). Never had anyone raised someone who had been dead for four days! Everyone in attendance offered praise to God. During His earthly ministry, Christ had performed many miracles, curing the mother-in-law of Peter, healing the paralytic, healing lepers, those possessed by demons, and the blind. They immediately unbound him and offered glory to God. Jesus, then lifts up His voice in prayer and cries out, "Lazarus come forth," and Lazarus exited the tomb still wrapped in the linen shroud. According to ancient Jewish Tradition, it is said that the soul remained near the body for three days but by the fourth day a person was truly considered to be dead. It is significant that Lazarus had been dead for four days. Martha immediately protested stating that her brother has been dead for four days and that his body will have a terrible smell, but Christ insisted and they rolled away the stone. Jesus then asked that the stone which was placed in front of the tomb be removed. When Jesus saw the tears of the sisters and the sorrow of all those who had come to mourn Lazarus He felt a great deal of sorrow in His heart and wept (John 11:35). When Martha called Mary she told her sister that the Lord was asking for her and they immediately left their home and went to the tomb. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming she went out to meet Him and immediately fell at His feet and worshipped Him saying "Lord had you been here then my brother would not have died." Christ then asks her to go and call her sister Mary and to show Him where they buried Lazarus. So Jesus waited two days before making the journey to Bethany to visit Martha and Mary and Lazarus, who by this point had been dead for four days. Christ knew that Lazarus would be brought back to life by Christ, an act which would bring glory to the Father and the Son. Jesus did not leave at once to go and visit His ailing friend, however, because through His divinity He knew that Lazarus' sickness would not result in permanent death. The Gospel of John (11.3) tells us that while Christ was preaching elsewhere, Mary and Martha, sent word that their brother Lazarus was sick. It is celebrated with a great deal of joy and reverence. The Saturday of Lazarus is counted as one of the great feast days of the Church. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church Orange, Connecticut
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