Despite the pain and sorrow that each present day brings, we rejoice that as a parish we can come together in unity and prayer, supporting our parishioners whose family and friends are directly involved in the current war in Ukraine.
We have been praying, and will continue to pray the canon in honour of the Protecting Veil of the Mother of God, commending the whole world to the care of Our Lady, who is ‘more spacious than the heavens’, knowing that beneath her omophorion there is a safe-place and refuge for all – and in our ROCOR parish, that is Ukrainians, Russians, Moldovans, Romanians, Belarusians, and British members of the faithful.
Just as the knights and warriors of previous centuries, took off their swords when entering the house of God, so we leave our geo-politics and our passports at the door of the church, as we unite to pray for the suffering, the wounded and dying, the terrified, the injured and maimed, the hungry, the homeless and destitute.
In Church we should only have one I.D. through the water of baptism and the chrismal ‘seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit’: we are simply Christians, who bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
We pray for all leaders; for all who make the ‘big’ decisions of the world; for the Lord and His Most Holy Mother to bring the light of reason and understanding to the powerful and equally to the powerless; as our prayer is offered with an urgency and a fervour that we may have never felt before, and with compassion, forgiveness, humility, and love.
“For prayer our teacher is the Lord Himself, but we must seek to humble our souls. He who prays aright has the peace of God in his soul. The man of prayer should feel tenderly towards every living thing. The man of prayer loves all men and has compassion for all, for the grace of the Holy Spirit has taught him love.”
As we pray for the suffering Ukrainian land and its people, we turn to the intercession of the Mother of God, and many ofthe faithful are praying akathist to the Theotokos in honour of her icon, ‘The Softener of Evil Hearts’.
Apolytikion in Tone 5: Soften our evil hearts, O Theotokos, * and quench the attacks of those who hate us * and loose all straitness of our soul. * For looking on thy holy icon * we are filled with compunction by thy suffering and loving-kindness for us * and we kiss thy wounds; * we are filled with horror for the darts with which we wound thee. * Let us not, O Mother of Compassion, * according to the cruelty of our hearts, perish from the cruelty of heart of those near us, ** For thou art in truth the Softener of Evil Hearts.
Kontakion I: We cry out with heartfelt compunction to the chosen Virgin Mary, far nobler than all the daughters of the earth, Mother of the Son of God, Who gave salvation to the world: Look at our life which is filled with every sorrow and remember the sorrow and pain which thou didst suffer as one born on earth with us, and do with us according to thy merciful heart, that we may cry unto thee: Rejoice, much-sorrowing Mother of God, turn our sorrows into joy and soften the hearts of evil men!
Oikos I: An angel announced the birth of the Saviour of the world to the shepherds in Bethlehem and with the multitude of the heavenly hosts praised God, singing: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will among men!” But thou, O Mother of God, having nowhere to lay thy head, since there was no room in the inn, gave birth to thy first-born Son in a cave and, wrapping Him in swaddling clothes, laid Him in a manger. Knowing the pain in thy heart, we cry out to thee:
Rejoice, for thou wast warmed by the breath of thine own beloved Son! Rejoice, for thou didst wrap the eternal Child in swaddling clothes! Rejoice, for thou didst nourish with thy milk the One who sustaineth the universe! Rejoice, for thou didst turn a cave into a heaven! Rejoice, for thou didst make thy throne upon the Cherubim! Rejoice, for thou didst remain a virgin both in giving birth and after birth! Rejoice, much-sorrowing Mother of God, turn our sorrows into joy and soften the hearts of evil men!
Kontakion II: Seeing the eternal Child swaddled and lying in a manger, the shepherds of Bethlehem came to worship Him and to relate that which the Angels told them about the Child. But Mary kept all these things in her heart. And after eight days had passed Jesus was circumcised, according to the law of Israel, as a man. Hymning thy humility and patience, O Theotokos, we sing to the Good God Eternal: Alleluia!
Oikos II: Having their understanding based on God and keeping the Law of the Lord, on the fortieth day when the days of purification were complete, His parents took Jesus to Jerusalem so that they could present Him before the Lord and offer sacrifice for Him according to the decree in the Law of the Lord. But we sing out to thee, O Theotokos, thus:
Rejoice, for thou didst take the Creator of the universe to the Temple in Jerusalem to fulfil the Law! Rejoice, for thou didst there meet the Elder Simeon with joy! Rejoice, thou only Pure and blessed one among women! Rejoice, for with humility Thou didst carry thy cross adorned with sorrows! Rejoice, for thou didst never disobey the will of God! Rejoice, for thou didst reveal thyself as a model of patience and humility! Rejoice, much-sorrowing Mother of God, turn our sorrows into joy and soften the hearts of evil men!
Kontakion III: Thou wast strengthened with power from on high, O Mother of God, when thou didst hear the words of the Elder Simeon, when he said to thee: “Behold, this Child is destined to be the rise and fall of many in Israel. This is a sign which will be spoken against, and a sword will pierce thy very soul so that the thoughts of many may be revealed.” And great sorrow entered the heart of the Theotokos, and with grief she cried out to God: Alleluia!
Oikos III: Hastening to destroy the Child, Herod ordered the killing of all children in Bethlehem and its environs, from two years of age and under according to the time that he determined from the Magi. And behold, according to the command of God, the Elder Joseph was informed by an angel in a dream to flee with the Holy Family to Egypt and to remain there until the death of Herod. Therefore, with compunction, we cry out to thee, O Theotokos:
Rejoice for thou didst bear the entire turmoil of exile! Rejoice for all the idols fell in the land of Egypt not being able to endure the power of thy Son! Rejoice for thou didst remain for seven years among the dishonourable pagans! Rejoice, for thou didst arrive in Nazareth with the first-born Youth and with thy betrothed! Rejoice, for thou didst live with the Elder Joseph the carpenter in poverty! Rejoice, for thou didst spend all thy time in hard labours! Rejoice, much-sorrowing Mother of God, turn our sorrows into joy and soften our hearts and those of evil men!
Kontakion IV: A storm of sorrows whirled about the most pure Mother when they returned from Jerusalem, not finding the young man Jesus in the caravan. For this reason, they returned to look for Him, and after three days they found Him in the Temple, sitting among the teachers listening to them and asking them questions. And His Mother asked Him, “Child, why hast Thou done this to us? Behold, Thy father and I suffered greatly looking for Thee.” And Jesus answered them,” Why were ye looking for Me? Do ye not know about those things which My Father has entrusted unto Me?” And Thou, O Most Pure One, kept all these sayings in Thy heart, crying out to God: Alleluia!
Oikos IV: The Mother of God heard that Jesus traveled through all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom and healing all kinds of illness and infirmity among the people. And His reputation spread through all of Syria and they brought Him every kind of illness and the suffering and those tormented by demons and the paralyzed and He healed them. But thou, O Mother of God, knowing the prophecy, sorrowed in thy heart, knowing that very soon the time would come when Thy Son would present Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. For this reason, we bless thee, much-sorrowing Mother of God, crying out:
Rejoice, for thou didst give thy Son to the service of the Jewish people! Rejoice, for thou didst sorrow in thy heart, but didst submit to the will of God! Rejoice, for thou didst save the world from the deluge of sin! Rejoice for thou didst crush the head of the ancient serpent! Rejoice, for thou didst offer thyself as a living sacrifice to God! Rejoice, O blessed one, the Lord is with Thee! Rejoice, much-sorrowing Mother of God, turn our sorrows into joy and soften the hearts of evil men!
Kontakion V: Preaching the Kingdom of God on earth, Jesus exposed the arrogance of the Pharisees who imagined themselves to be righteous. So when they heard His parables they understood it was about themselves that He was speaking and they sought to arrest Him, but they feared the people who considered Him to be a prophet. Seeing all of this, the Mother of God sorrowed for her beloved Son and feared that they would kill Him, in affliction crying out: Alleluia!
Oikos V: Some of the Jews, seeing the resurrection of Lazarus, went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. And Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year, said, “It will be better for us that one man die for the people, so that the whole nation would not perish.” From that day on they took counsel about how they would kill Him. But we cry out to thee, O Most Pure One:
Rejoice, thou who gavest birth to the Saviour of the world! Rejoice, source of our salvation! Rejoice, for thou wast chosen from birth to be the Mother of our Saviour! Rejoice, Mother of God, destined for suffering! Rejoice, O blessed one, who dost preside as Queen of Heaven! Rejoice, O blessed one, thou who always prays for us! Rejoice, much-sorrowing Mother of God, turn our sorrows into joy and soften the hearts of evil men!
Kontakion VI: Once a preacher of the Word of God, and now a traitor, Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve apostles, went to the high priest to betray his Teacher. They listened to him, were exceedingly pleased and promised to give him thirty pieces of silver. But thou, O Mother of God, didst sorrow for thy beloved Son, and didst cry out in grief to God: Alleluia!
Oikos VI: Taking part in the Last Supper with the disciples at which the Teacher washed their feet, thereby revealing an example of humility, Christ said to them, “One of you will betray Me.” But we, suffering with the Mother of God, cry out to Her:
Rejoice, Mother of God, languishing with the torture of thy heart! Rejoice, Thou who didst suffer all in this most sorrowful vale! Rejoice, Thou who didst find comfort in prayer! Rejoice, joy of all who sorrow! Rejoice, Thou who dost save us from the mire of sin! Rejoice, vessel filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit! Rejoice, much- sorrowing Mother of God, turn our sorrows into joy and soften the hearts of evil men!
Kontakion VII: Desiring to show His love for the human race, the Lord Jesus Christ at the Mystical Supper, blessed and broke bread, and gave it to His disciples and apostles, saying: “Take, eat, this is My Body.” And taking the chalice and giving praise gave it to them saying: “All of you drink of this, this is My Blood of the New Covenant which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” Thanking the compassionate God for His ineffable mercy to us, we sing to Him: Alleluia!
Oikos VII: The Lord revealed a new sign of His mercy to His disciples when He promised to send them the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, Who would descend from the Father and would witness concerning Him. But to thee, O Mother of God, sanctified again on the day of Pentecost by the Holy Spirit, we cry:
Rejoice, mansion of the Holy Spirit! Rejoice, brilliantly-illuminated bridal chamber! Rejoice, spacious dwelling place of God the Word! Rejoice, thou who didst open for us the gates of paradise by Thy giving of birth! Rejoice, thou who didst reveal the sign of divine mercy Himself to us! Rejoice, much-sorrowing Mother of God, turn our sorrows into joy and soften the hearts of evil men!
Kontakion VIII: It is at once very strange and sorrowful for us to hear how Judas Iscariot betrayed his Teacher and Lord with a kiss. Then the crowd and the commander and the servants of the Jews arrested Jesus, and bound Him, and led Him first to the chief priest Ananias, and then to the high priest Caiaphas. But thou, O Mother of God, expecting the death sentence for thy beloved Son, cried out to God: Alleluia!
Oikos VIII: All of the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium to Pilate, saying that He was a criminal. But Pilate, after questioning Him, told them that he could not find any fault at all in Him. But we cry out to thee with compunction, O Mother of God, who saw the slander of Thy Son:
Rejoice, thou whose heart was broken by woe! Rejoice, for thou didst shed tears for thy Son! Rejoice, thou who didst see thy beloved Child given over to trial! Rejoice, for thou didst suffer everything without complaint like a true handmaiden of the Lord! Rejoice, despite thy weeping and lamentation! Rejoice, O Queen of Heaven and earth, who dost accept the prayers of thy servants! Rejoice, much-sorrowing Mother of God, turn our sorrows into joy and soften the hearts of evil men!
Kontakion IX: All generations bless thee, who art more honourable than the Cherubim and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, our Lady and the Mother of our Redeemer, for thy birth-giving has brought joy to the whole world. But thou didst suffer the final great sorrow when thou saw thy beloved Son insulted, whipped, and sentenced to death. For this reason we present our heartfelt hymn to thee, O Most Pure One, singing to God Almighty: Alleluia!
Oikos IX: Loquacious orators are not able to describe all of the suffering which Thou endured, our Saviour, such as when the soldiers placed a crown woven out of thorns on Thy head and dressed Thee in a purple robe, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and slapped Thee across the face. But we, Mother of God, recognizing thy suffering, cry out to thee:
Rejoice, thou who didst behold thy Son slain for our sake! Rejoice, seeing Him dressed in purple and wearing a crown of thorns! Rejoice, seeing Him tortured, whom thou didst nourish with thy milk! Rejoice, thou who didst suffer His Passion together with Him! Rejoice, thou who didst watch all His disciples forsake Him! Rejoice, thou who didst see Him condemned by the judgement of the unrighteous! Rejoice, much-sorrowing Mother of God, turn our sorrows into joy and soften the hearts of evil men!
Kontakion X: Wanting to save Jesus, Pilate said to the Jews, “We have a custom to release a prisoner on the feast of Passover. Do you want me to give you the King of the Jews?” All of them shouted, saying, “Not Him, but Barabbas!” We praise the great mercy of the Heavenly Father, Who so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son to death on the Cross in order to redeem us from eternal death, as we cry out to Him: Alleluia!
Oikos X: Be a wall and a fortification unto us, O Lady, who are overburdened by sorrows and suffering. For thou thyself didst suffer hearing the Jews shouting, “Crucify, crucify Him!” Now hear us crying out unto thee: Rejoice, Mother of mercy, who wipest away every tear from those who suffer cruelly!
Rejoice, thou who grantest us tears of heartfelt compunction! Rejoice, thou who savest lost sinners! Rejoice, Protection of Christians that cannot be put to shame! Rejoice, thou who savest us from our passions! Rejoice, thou who grantest comfort to broken hearts! Rejoice, much-sorrowing Mother of God, turn our sorrows into joy and soften the hearts of evil men!
Kontakion XI: We offer a hymn of heartfelt sorrow to the Saviour of the world for His voluntary Passion and carrying His Cross to Golgotha to be crucified. Standing at Jesus’ Cross are His Mother, Mary Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene. But Jesus, seeing His Mother and His disciple whom He loved standing there, said to His disciple, “Behold thy mother!” And from that time the disciple took her into his family. But thou, O Mother of God, seeing Thy Son and Lord on the Cross was devastated, and cried out to God on high: Alleluia!
Oikos XI: “O my Son and Pre-eternal God, Fashioner of all creation! O Lord, how canst Thou endure the suffering on the Cross?” the pure Virgin cried, saying: “By Thy awesome birth, O my Son, I have been exalted above all mothers, but woe is me! Now when I see Thee, my womb burns within me.” But we shed tears remembering thee, and cry out to thee:
Rejoice, thou who was deprived of joy and merriment! Rejoice, thou who didst see the voluntary passion of thy Son on the Cross! Rejoice, thou who didst see thy beloved Son sore wounded! Rejoice, ewe lamb, seeing thy Son as a lamb being led to slaughter! Rejoice, thou who didst see the Deliverer of the wounds of soul and body covered with wounds! Rejoice, thou who didst see thy Son rise from the dead! Rejoice, much-sorrowing Mother of God, turn our sorrows into joy and soften the hearts of evil men!
Kontakion XII: O All-merciful Saviour, grant us mercy, breathing out Thy Spirit on the Cross and tearing up the handwriting of our sins. “Behold, my good Light, my God, is extinguished on the Cross!” the Virgin in great anguish exclaimed. “O Joseph, hasten to Pilate, approach him and ask him to take thy Teacher down from the Cross.” “Seeing Thy wounded Body, naked and without glory, on the Cross, O my Child, a sword has pierced my soul according to the prophecy of the Elder Simeon,” said the Mother of God, singing: Alleluia!
Oikos XII: Hymning Thy mercifulness, O Lover of mankind, we bow down to Thy generous mercy, O Master. The Most Pure one said, “Wishing to save Thy creature, thou hast given Thyself over to death.” But by Thy resurrection, O Saviour, have mercy on all of us, while we address Thy most pure Mother:
Rejoice, thou who didst see the most good Lord dead and without breath! Rejoice, thou who didst kiss the body of thy beloved Son! Rejoice, thou who didst see thy Light as a naked and wounded corpse! Rejoice, thou who didst place the Light of the world in the tomb! Rejoice, thou who didst wrap His body in a new shroud! Rejoice, thou who beheld His Resurrection from the dead! Rejoice, much-sorrowing Mother of God, turn our sorrows into joy and soften the hearts of evil men!
Kontakion XIII: O All-hymned Mother, crushed by thy sorrow at the Cross of thy Son and God, accept our tears and expressions of sorrow and save from every sorrow, affliction, and eternal death, all those who hope in thine ineffable kind-heartedness and cry out to God: Alleluia! (Thrice)
Oikos I: An angel announced the birth of the Saviour of the world to the shepherds in Bethlehem and with the multitude of the heavenly hosts praised God, singing: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will among men!” But thou, O Mother of God, having nowhere to lay thy head, since there was no room in the inn, gave birth to thy first-born Son in a cave and, wrapping Him in swaddling clothes, laid Him in a manger. Knowing the pain in thy heart, we cry out to thee:
Rejoice, for thou wast warmed by the breath of thy own beloved Son! Rejoice, for thou didst wrap the eternal Child in swaddling clothes! Rejoice, for thou didst nourish with thy milk the One who sustaineth the universe! Rejoice, for thou didst turn a cave into a heaven! Rejoice, for thou didst make thy throne upon the Cherubim! Rejoice, for thou didst remain a virgin both in giving birth and after birth! Rejoice, much-sorrowing Mother of God, turn our sorrows into joy and soften the hearts of evil men!
Kontakion I: We cry out with heartfelt compunction to the chosen Virgin Mary, far nobler than all the daughters of the earth, Mother of the Son of God, Who gave salvation to the world: Look at our life which is filled with every sorrow and remember the sorrow and pain which thou didst suffer as one born on earth with us, and do with us according to thy merciful heart, that we may cry unto thee: Rejoice, much-sorrowing Mother of God, turn our sorrows into joy and soften the hearts of evil men!
Prayer to the Most Holy Mother of God
“The Softener of Evil Hearts”
O much sorrowing Mother of God, more highly exalted than all other maidens, according to thy purity and the multitude of thy suffering endured by thee on earth: Hearken to our sighs and soften the hearts of evil men, and protect us under the shelter of thy mercy. For we know no other refuge and ardent intercessor apart from thee, but as thou hast great boldness before the One who was born of thee, help and save us by thy prayers, that without offence we may attain the Heavenly Kingdom where, with all the saints, we will sing the thrice-holy hymn to One God Almighty in the Trinity, always now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Being the feast of St Teilo, today saw a visit to Llandaff Cathedral, where we quietly prayed a short moleben to St Teilo before the reliquary in the Lady Chapel, commending our community, the Ukrainian land and the sick to God in our prayers.
At the time we were travelling, members of our parish joined the faithful in Ukraine and Russia in prayers for peace. and we especially ask St Teilo to intercede for Ukraine, for those who live in fear, and for those already affected by war and civil strife.
Troparion, Tone 4: As a fountain of the true Faith, thou didst issue forth the life-giving waters of salvation, O Hierarch Teilo. Wherefore, we implore thee, intercede with Christ our God that our souls may be saved.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 1: O teacher of pure doctrine, joy of monastics and St David’s fellow pilgrim to Jerusalem, where thou wast elevated to the episcopate, most pious Father Teilo, we keep festival in thy honour, praying for grace to follow in thy footsteps.
Pray to God for us, O Holy Hierarch Teilo, for we fervently flee unto thee, the speedy helper and intercessor for our souls.
O Lord Jesus Christ our God, look down with Thy merciful eye upon the sorrow and greatly-painful cry of Thy children, abiding in the Ukrainian land.
Deliver Thy people from civil strife, make to cease the spilling of blood, and turn back the misfortunes set against them. Lead unto sanctuary those bereft of shelter, feed the hungry, comfort those who weep, and unite the divided.
Leave not Thine own flock, who abide in sorrows on account of their kinsmen, to diminish, but rather, as Thou art benevolent, give speedy reconciliation. Soften the hearts of the unmerciful and convert them to the knowledge of Thee. Grant peace to Thy Church and to Her children, that with one heart and one mouth we may glorify Thee, our Lord and Saviour, unto the ages of ages. Amen.
It was good that our expectations were proven wrong on Sunday, as we expected the weather would dissuade parishioners from making the journey to Cardiff, at least those from across the border. But, despite the wind and the rain, we had a good congregation for our Liturgy in Canton, with Cheltenham parishioners from the Forest of Dean.
Having celebrated the Meeting of the Lord in the Lady Chapel of St John’s on Tuesday, Saturday saw us celebrate the after-feast in Cheltenham, with a joyful Liturgy and lunch in Prestbury United Reformed Church, benefitting from much appreciated reinforcement from Cardiff.
During each Liturgy, when the day turned dark, as the wind howled and the rain lashed the church buildings, it was like being sheltered in the security and fastness of the ark, protected and safe-in-God.
I would like to thank all who contributed to a wonderful weekend in our parishes: singers, servers, sisters who fed everyone, and those who did the much-needed driving. May God bless you all.
It is a very busy and encouraging time in our communities, with eager new parishioners, some of whom are being catechised in preparation for baptism; other parishioners using catechesis as a refresher course; and a great sense of renewal and direction – recently encouraged by pilgrimages to Llancarfan and to the relics of St Alban in the Oratory Church, the blessing of newly-painted icons, new families with children, visitors seeking to learn about the Orthodox Church and the deepening spiritual lives of our parishioners.
My greatest hope is for the deepening of friendship between our Gloucestershire and Cardiff parishes, with the possibility of mission in the North Cotswolds, given the number of Wiltshire faithful we now have, and effectively connecting our communities. I look forward to visiting Wiltshire parishioners in the week ahead to bless houses and spend time with the faithful.
See below for this week’s services, and please note that there will be a baptism in Cardiff at 14:00 on Sunday.
Events this week:
Friday 25 February, in the church of St Mary, Butetown:
18:00 confessions, followed at 19:00 by our catechetical study group, to which all are welcome with refreshments provided. You do not need to be new to Orthodoxy, as we can always refresh our knowledge!
Saturday 26 February:
Depending on the need for Cardiff confessions, I may be available during the day. Please email otetzmark@hotmail.com by Wednesday evening, as I shall be busy and away until very late on Thursday.
Sunday 27 February, in St John’s Church, Canton:
10:15 confessions, 11:00 Hours and Liturgy, followed by a bring-and-share lunch before the 14:00 baptism.
Given the severity of tomorrow’s weather forecast and the cancellation of train services, our catechesis session and confessions are cancelled.
Deacon Mark would face an hour-long drive in each direction in dangerous weather, and my journey to Cardiff would be made difficult, if not impossible.
Confessions will now be heard at Fr Deacon Mark’s office on Saturday, beginning at 16:30, and I will contact those who have emailed requests, giving times.
We do not want parishioners to take unecessary risk, and look forward to returning to St Mary Butetown to resume our catechesis and discussion on Friday 25th February at 19:00, having heard confessions in church from 18:00.
“Let the gates of heaven be opened today; for the unoriginate Word of the Father, receiving a beginning under time, without abandoning His divinity, is of His own will borne by His Virgin Mother into the temple of the law as a babe forty days old. And Symeon taketh Him in his arms, crying: ‘Let Thy servant depart, O Master, for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation! O Lord Who hast come into the world to save the human race, glory be to Thee!”
(Doxasticon of the feast on “Lord, I have cried…”)
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Dear brothers and sisters, Greetings as we celebrate the feast of the Meeting of the Lord, and the Synaxis of St Symeon the God-Receiver and the Righteous Prophetess, Anna.
As we celebrate the Meeting, we are struck by the quietness, we might even say the outward ordinariness of the background events of this feast.
A husband and wife of rather different ages, take their child to the Temple where the required purification rituals are performed for the mother, and where the child, as the first-born, is redeemed with the prescribed sacrificial offerings for those of poor means.
There would have been countless other families that day, performing these rituals after the birth of children, and amidst the solemnity of Temple-worship with its liturgical prayer and sacrifices, there would be little to draw the eyes of anyone to these parents, including the Virgin-Mother, her spouse and their Divine-Child.
The priests and Levites went about their liturgical business, totally ignorant that Christ who is Yahweh, the Eternal-Logos and their Creator had been carried into the precincts of the Temple. There was no triumphant greeting with the sounding of trumpets, and the Temple choirs chanting alleluias with the accompaniment of cymbals. No. The Messiah entered the Temple unnoticed and unknown.
And yet, the eyes of the righteous Symeon were drawn straight to this baby, for Whom he had waited decade after decade of his long life – awaiting the moment in which he could finally say that his eyes had seen salvation in the fragility of a baby only forty days old.
He knew that this salvation had been long prepared by Almighty God, and that the child he took in his arms was not only the glory of the Lord’s chosen people, Israel, but was born as the Light to enlighten the nations of the world outside the Abrahamic Covenant and the Law of Moses.
The prophetess Anna, having encountered the Messiah, “spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.”
How many baby boys had Symeon encountered and looked upon in the Temple during his long life, awaiting the prompting of the Holy Spirit to open the luminous eye of his heart, so that he finally could say, “At last… I have seen the Christ” ?
But – without the God-inspired testimony of St Luke, this theophany in which the two elderly righteous-ones recognised Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah, the witness and testimony of Symeon and Anna could have been lost – such is its quietness, at odds with the prophetic fulfilment, forestalling the testimony of the Forerunner and the self-revelation of the Lord’s ministry before His Passion and Resurrection.
The quietness of this theophany, is one that should prompt us to look into our own hearts, recognising that knowledge of theological facts is meaningless without understanding and illumination by the Holy Spirit, which make it possible for us to penetrate the depth of God’s love revealed in Christ, and the spiritual reality of our discipleship as His children and heirs of His promise; and, for each of us, the sanctuary of our heart should be the place where the divine-encounter of Syneon is mirrored.
Luke’s narrative of the Meeting of the Lord is a Gospel of true gnosis, but that knowledge can only come through living in prayer and contemplation.
This is how illiterate and totally uneducated men and women have, through the centuries, declared the deepest eternal theological truths, revealed to them by the Spirit of Truth, whom we ask to “come and enlighten us” each time we pray.
We may read volume after volume of theological writings, dogmatics, apologetics or canons, but the real encounter with Christ as the living Truth, only comes through understanding and illumination, and that very understanding and illumination ordinarily comes only through active spiritual living, in prayer, fasting and realising the Gospel in our lives – and above all through the Grace of God.
Though we are – of necessity – in the world, we must endeavour not to be chained and defined by what is worldly. We must rather be constantly seeking the heavenly, the holy, and eternal, placing our search for the face of Christ (in the Gospels, in the life of the Church, in our neighbours) above the entertainments and distractions of the world, which we have been called to put aside in the waters of baptism, where we should have died to the world and put on Christ.
Symeon and Anna had already abandoned their ties to the world, to externally commune with the Lord in the precincts of the Temple, and to internally commune with Him in the temple of the heart. From this communion came their recognition of the Lord, and in this feast we encounter them as true theologians, who prayerfully contemplated Truth, and were made complete by physically and spiritually gazing upon the face of the Incarnate-God.
Upon seeing the Saviour, St Symeon was ready to ask the Lord to let him depart this life, as he had received everything he desiredand needed in the momentary encounter with Christ.
If only this was true of us, and that knowing the Lord and being joined to Him through Baptism, being healed by Him in the Mystery of Repentance, and partaking of Him in the Mystical Supper was enough for us: for in these Holy Mysteries, each of us can say to the Lord, “mine eyes have seen Thy salvation…”
Inspired by Symeon and Anna, let us strive to struggle to live spiritually, as though we were already citizens of heaven, so that our spiritual eyes may be opened, that we may humbly and quietly struggle for the true knowledge and true understanding of inner-revelation.
Though the responsibilities and pressures of our lives may not retreat, their place in our lives may be radically changed as we seek the face of our Lord, who is our salvation and life; whose light may lead us through every uncertainty and sorrow, because He is all we need in the profound simplicity and quietness of Christian-living.
Despite the extreme morning weather, and the awful journeys that some faced on their way to Cardiff, the Liturgy saw parishioners come from far and wide, from England as well as South Wales, with exactly fifty – including the youngest parishioners – come together for the celebration of the Holy Mysteries.
All will agree that it was a very beautiful and joyful service, made all the more celebratory by the number of the faithful who confessed and communed – led by such devout and focused children.
Parishioners expressed their joy and relief at the news that His Eminence Metropolitan Jean of Dubna has annulled his anti-canonical decrees which sought to legitimize the actions of schismatics within our diocese in the summer, though we recognise that this is only the first step to reconciliation and in no way guarantees repentance. It is, however, a beginning – praise God!
At the end of Liturgy, we were pleased to ask God’s blessing for the servants of God Anatoly and Georgiy, on the occasion of their birthday – the former a stately eightieth, and the latter a lively fourth. May God grant them many years.
I was then pleased to bless three recently completed icons: of the Saviour, of the Vatopedskaya icon of the Mother of God, and of Saint John of Kronstadt.
Many thanks to all who worked so hard to ensure a wonderful Liturgy and extremely sociable lunch. We are particularly grateful to our singers and three readers.
Those requiring confession in the coming week are asked to email, as usual: otetzmark@hotmail.com
Having performed two house-blessing this afternoon, I would like to remind the faithful that we are still blessing homes, following the Great Blessing of the Waters at Theophany.
Finally – remember that this is a fast-free week!
May God bless you.
In Christ – Hieromonk Mark
Events this week:
Tuesday 2/15 February, in the Lady Chapel of St John’s Church, Canton:
09:30 Hours and Liturgy for the feast of the Meeting of the Lord and blessing of candles.
Friday 18 February, in the church of St Mary, Butetown:
18:00 confessions, followed at 19:00 by our catechetical study group, to which all are welcome. Eleven gathered in the parish room last week, for what was an interesting and enjoyable session, with lively discussion.
Saturday 19 February, Cheltenham Liturgy in Prestbury United Reformed Church, 5 Deep St, Prestbury, Cheltenham GL52 3AW:
09:15 confessions, 10:00 Hours, 10:30 Liturgy, followed by a bring-and-share lunch. Any visiting Cardiff parishioners preparing for communion on Sunday may be confessed after the Liturgy.
Depending on the need for Cardiff confessions, the clergy will be available at Deacon Mark’s office in Morganstown.
Sunday 20 February, in St John’s Church, Canton:
10:15 confessions, 11:00 Hours and Liturgy, followed by a bring-and-share lunch.
On this coming Tuesday, we will observe the Feast of the Meeting of the Lord in the Temple with the celebration of the Hours and the Divine Liturgy in the Lady Chapel of St John’s Church, Canton.
Since the recent reordering, the Lady Chapel has reflected our parish presence in St John’s, with icons in situ throughout the week, and in its dimensions remind us of the Little Oratory at Newman Hall, where Orthodox services were celebrated until the end of last summer.
I hope that we may begin to celebrate weekday feasts in the Lady Chapel, and then enjoy social time together.
The Hours will be chanted at 9:30, followed by the Divine Liturgy and the traditional Blessing of Candles, should parishioners wish to take advantage of this ancient tradition of the feast, remembered as Candlemas in the British Isles.
