Dear brothers and sisters,
I think that all would agree that it was an immense joy to celebrate the Sunday of Forgiveness in St Faith’s Llanishen, in a church full of sunlight and warmth – both spiritually and literally, and it was a blessing to have so many young people, and to welcome new visitors.
Congratulations to all who confessed and partook of the Holy Mysteries!
After the last two weeks of Typika and communion – as lovely as our services were – it was reassuring to celebrate the Liturgy, and especially with such a well thronged choir who sang splendidly, with the gentlemen singing a Byzantine setting of the anaphora in English – seizing the chance before the longer melodies of the Liturgy of St Basil in the weeks to come.
Thanks to our singers and readers, and indeed to our servers – especially the youngest and newest additions.
Despite the limited time after our long liturgical run of the Hours, Liturgy and Vespers, we were glad that parishioners were able to enjoy a last pre-Lenten lunch before the discipline and asceticism of the Fast, in which we must eat according to need and NOT want.
There is no place for want and desire in the weeks ahead, in which each of us should learn that, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
Let the Words of the Holy Scriptures – especially the Gospels and the Psalms – be our nourishment in the coming weeks, together with the lives and teachings of the saints made perfect in Christ!
We had so much hoped that we would already be settled in St Philip’s, with Lenten services at traditional times this week, but this is sadly not to be this year! As a result, we must fit in with Oratory services.
I will pray vespers very simply in the Oratory at noon each day from Monday to Thursday, with the Great Canon being chanted at 15:00, and we are very grateful to have somewhere to pray, despite the early hour, encouraging parishioners to pray the Great Canon at home… ideally in the evening.
The Divine Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts will be celebrated at noon on Friday, and the normal Eucharistic fast should be kept by those communing, with the customary prayers of preparation.
The Divine Liturgy for the Saturday of St Theodore will be celebrated in the Chapel of St Lawrence, in Warminster, on Saturday, with the Hours and Liturgy commencing at 10:30.
We will return to St Faith’s in Llanishen to celebrate the Triumph of Orthodoxy and the restoration of the Holy Icons with the Hours, Divine Liturgy and traditional moleben. Weather permitting, we will make the most of the setting with a procession around the church – so please bring an icon to carry! During the Liturgy, our icons can adorn the window ledges and bring the faces of the saints to St Faith’s!
We will again have trapeza, enjoying vegan fare. No shellfish please. Though some local Orthodox Churches are very keen on shellfish in Lent, we will stick to the ascetism of vegan food.
As we celebrate “clean Monday”, we now enter the season of turning off the TV and i-player, putting aside the games console, loosing ourselves from the grip of social media, and turning to our icon-corner to pray: picking up our prayer rope and Psalter, persevering in spiritual reading and asserting the sovereignty of the soul over the body.
For some of our parishioners, this is their first “involved” Great Lent, and we encourage them to enjoy the simplicity of the season by putting needless things on hold, not worrying about rumbling stomachs or the aches from prostrations, and to proactively look for opportunities to pray more and enjoy spiritual reading.
An important detail is to cut down social life to spend more time in prayer and seclusion, and less time talking, so that when we do get together, it really is an occasion to enjoy one another’s company and conversation.
It is also the season to avoid unnecessary travel, which undermines the praxis of the Fast for Orthodox Christians.
It is sthe season forelf-renunciation, action and spiritual struggle… and it is NOT meant to be easy, like giving up chocolate or watching soaps. Orthodox Great Lent is not tokenistic: it is maximal and a time of spiritual warfare.
Fight well!
“My soul, my soul arise! Why art thou sleeping? The end is drawing near and thou wilt be confounded. Awake then and be watchful, that thou mayest be spared by Christ God, Who is everywhere and fillest all things.
Душе́ моя́, душе́ моя́, воста́ни, что спи́ши? Коне́ц приближа́ется,/ и и́маши смути́тися. Воспряни́ у́бо,/ да пощади́т тя Христо́с Бог, везде́ сый и вся́ исполня́яй. ”
Asking your forgiveness for Christ’s sake.
Nizkiy poklon – Hieromonk Mark
