sunday sermon and readings for sunday 3rd of march 2013

7/29/2019 Sunday sermon and readings for Sunday 3rd of March 2013.

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1 Cor. 6:12-20rethren, all things are lawful for me, but not all things are beneficial. All things arelawful for me, but I will not be dominated by anything. Food is meant for thestomach and the stomach for food, and God will do away with both the one and the other.The body is meant not for fornication but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. God notonly raised the Lord; he will also raise us by his power. Do you not know that your bodiesare members of Christ? Should I therefore take the members of Christ and make themmembers of a prostitute? Never! Or do you not know that whoever is joined to aprostitute becomes one body with her? For it says, The two shall become one flesh. Butanyone who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Flee fornication! Everyother sin that a person commits is outside the body; but the fornicator sins against hisown body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you,whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought at aprice; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit; these are of God.

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ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATEARCHDIOCESE OFTHYATEIRA & GREAT BRITAIN

BBUULLLLEETTIINN OOFF SSPPIIRRIITTUUAALL EEDDIIFFIICCAATTIIOONNSUNDAY OF THE PRODIGAL SON

3 March 2013Plagal of the 2nd Mode. No. 1273

3 2013. . . 1273

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Luke 15:11-32he Lord told this parable: There was a man who had two sons. The younger of themsaid to his father, Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.So he divided his property between them. A few days later the younger son gathered allhe had and travelled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property indissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughoutthat country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of thecitizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly havefilled himself with the husks that the pigs were eating; but no one gave him anything. Butwhen he came to himself he said, How many of my fathers hired hands have breadenough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, andI will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longerworthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands. So he set off andwent to his father. But while he was still far away, his father saw him, and was filled withcompassion; he ran, and put his arms around him and kissed him. Then the son said tohim, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to becalled your son. But the father said to his servants, Quickly, bring out a robe the bestoneand put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fattedcalf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is aliveagain; he was lost and is found! And they began to celebrate. Now his elder son was in thefield; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. Hecalled one of the servants and asked what was happening. He replied, Your brother hascome, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe andsound. Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began toplead with him. But he answered his father, For all these years I have been working like aslave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given meeven a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yourscame back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calffor him! Then the father said to him, Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine isyours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead andhas come to life; he was lost and has been found.

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, , .KKOONNTTAAKKIIOONN OOFF TTHHEE PPRROODDIIGGAALL SSOONN

have foolishly run away, O Father, from your glory; I have squandered in evil deedsthe riches you entrusted to me; therefore I cry to you in the words of the Prodigal: Ihave sinned before you, compassionate Father: take me now repentant an make me asone of your hired servants.

Repentance is the daughter of hope and the renunciation of despair (St John of the Ladder)

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SSEERRMMOONN OONN TTHHEE GGOOSSPPEELL RREEAADDIINNGG

(Taken from Meditations for Great Lent: Reflections on the Triodion)

Open to me, O Giver of Life, the gates of repentance: for early in the morning my spirit seeks Yourholy temple, bearing a temple of the body all defiled. But in Your compassion cleanse it by Yourloving-kindness and Your mercy.f there is one central theme to Lent, it iswithout doubt repentance. The seasonof the Triodion begins with the abovehymn, which is frequently repeated in theperiod leading up to Lent. We are thusreminded that the purpose of Lent is toreturn to God, not simply to change ourdiet. But the theme of repentanceof

returning to Godis made explicit on thesecond Sunday of the Triodionthe Sundayof the Prodigal Son. The Gospel lesson forthe day is [todays Gospel Reading].The hymns of the Triodion callChristians to identify with the prodigal,reminding us that we have squandered thegifts and opportunities God has given us onour own selfish desires. But all too often,Christians forget that this parable is notonly one of repentance, but also one offorgiveness. There are two other key characters in the story: the compassionate father,a symbol of God the Father, whose readiness to forgive we are called to imitate; and theunforgiving brother, whose cold-heartedness we are warned to avoid.The fatted calf that is slain for the prodigal represents Christ. We are thusreminded that Christ came into the world to save sinners. I have not come to call therighteous, but sinners, to repentance (Luke 5:32). During Lent, we must not be like theunforgiving brother, who observed all the fathers rules, but lacked compassion. Thus,we are not to observe the rules of Lenten fasting with coldness towards our fellowhuman beings who may not be fasting; rather, we are to be compassionate andwelcoming to our brothers and sisters in Christ, as was the compassionate father. Truerepentance is the fruit of humility. When we are humble, we judge ourselves and notothersThe spiritual fathers of the Church teach us that we are to be hard on ourselvesand easy on others. This is true humility; this is true repentance. We are invited tomaster this humility and repentance during Lent. Fast as rigorously as you can, but donot demand or expect it of others. If indeed we are all prodigals who have squanderedthe gifts God has given us, let us take further care not to squander the spiritual gift ofLent, which is an invitation and a means to return to God in humility and repentance.

ArchdioceseofThyateira&GreatBritain,5CravenHill,LondonW23EN

Tel.:02077234787.Fax:02072249301.Email:[email protected]:www.thyateira.org.ukP r i n t e d b y S t P a u l s P r e s s

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sunday sermon and readings for sunday 3rd of march 2013

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