FrPaul – Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church: Recent Episodes
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Everyone capable of thanksgiving is capable of salvation and eternal joy. Thank You, O Lord, for having accepted this Eucharist, which we offered to the Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and which filled our hearts with the joy, … Continue reading →
For the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. – 1 Cor. 1:18 Vespers Tuesday, September 13, 6 p.m. Divine Liturgy Monday, September 14, 9:30 … Continue reading →
Paschal Sermon of St. John Chrysostom (d. 407) If any man be devout and love God, let him enjoy this fair and radiant triumphal feast. If any man be a wise servant, let him rejoicing enter into the joy of … Continue reading →
April 15 – 24, 2022 The Orthodox Holy Week and Pascha services set before us a rich feast of Christian experience that no seeker of God should miss. Here we will speak briefly of them to give our guests an … Continue reading →
Let us fast with a fast pleasing to the Lord. This is the true fast: the casting off of evil, the bridling of the tongue, the cutting off of anger, the cessation of lusts, evil talking, lies and cursing. … Continue reading →
Icon thanks to iconreader.wordpress.com On successive Sundays just before Lent begins. we Orthodox hear a powerful presentation of our human condition and of God’s mercy and judgement, inviting us to begin again our journey towards “home,” towards the Kingdom of … Continue reading →
St. Luke 2: 22 Tuesday, February 1, 6 p.m. – Great Vespers Wednesday, February 2, 9:30 a.m. – Divine Liturgy Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation … Continue reading →
OUTDOOR WATER BLESSING IS CANCELED THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF PREDICTED RAIN – JOIN US NEXT YEAR! ========================================================= The Twelve Days of Christmas are a festival of the revealing (Epiphany) of the Lord in the flesh, including His Birth, Circumcision, and … Continue reading →
Friday, December 24, 6 p.m. Royal Hours Saturday, Dec. 25, 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy About the Services About the Incarnation of the Lord Christmas in America Christmas Gifts The Real Meaning of Christmas
Saturday, November 20, 5:30 p.m. Great Vespers Sunday, November 21, 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy This feast describes the three-year-old Mary being taken by her parents to the Temple, where she remained in a life of holiness and dedication. Though the … Continue reading →
Tuesday, September 7 – Great Vespers 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, September 8 – Divine Liturgy 9:30 a.m. About the Feast
Saturday, August 14, 5:30 p.m. – Great Vespers Sunday, August 15, 9:30 a.m. – Divine Liturgy Fr. Thomas Hopko : Dormition of the Theotokos Fr. Stephen Freeman: Why the Orthodox Honor Mary Fr Matthew Baker: A Great Sign
August 6 Great Vespers Thursday August 5, 2021, 6 p.m. Divine Liturgy Friday, August 6, 2021, 9:30 a.m. No Reservation Needed
TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD
Three events — St Peter’s confession of the Lord as Messiah, the Lord’s first prediction of his suffering, and the Transfiguration — form a kind of turning point in the Gospel narrative. Before this Our Lord is preaching in Galilee, welcomed by crowds, gaining in popularity.
Then, observing the feast of Tabernacles, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John…up into an high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.
Actually Our Lord is not “changed” – the disciples are. They are enabled briefly to see the glory that is always his which usually we cannot see.
From this time Jesus’ “face is turned towards Jerusalem” – towards the Cross, which will be “transfigured” into light and victory.
Orthodox see the aim of the Christian life as “transfiguration” – as St. Peter puts it, becoming partakers of the divine nature – 2 Peter 1:4. As St. Paul puts it, we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. – 2 Cor. 3:18. Or as St. Paul also says, For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. – 2 Cor 4:6
- More About the Feast
- Fr. Thomas Hopko Speaks on The Transfiguration: The Center of the Evangelical Narrative
Some Hymns of the Feast
Thou wast transfigured on the mount. O Christ God, revealing Thy glory to Thy disciples as they could bear it. Let Thine everlasting light shine upon us sinners. Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Giver of Light, glory to Thee (Troparion).
On the mountain wast Thou transfigured, O Christ God, and Thy disciples beheld Thy glory as far as they could see it; so that when they would behold Thee crucified, they would understand that Thy suffering was voluntary, and would proclaim to the world that Thou art truly the Radiance of the Father (Kontakion).
Icon of Pentecost
O Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere present and fillest all things, Come and abide in us, cleanse us from every impurity, and save our souls, O Good One! On Sunday, June 20, we will celebrate the Feast of Pentecost (see Acts 2). This is the culmination of the Great Fifty Days (Pentecost) beginning with our Lord’s Resurrection. He has taken our human nature as his own, died for our sins, risen victorious over sin, Satan, and death, ascended triumphant to reign at the right hand of the Father, and now, as He promised, sends the Holy Spirit to teach us all things and bring to our remembrance all things He has said to us (St. John 14:16-26).
Read more about Pentecost:
By Fr. Andrew Morbey
By Fr. Thomas Hopko
Services: Wednesday, June 9, 6 p.m. – Vespers
Thursday, June 10, 9:30 a.m. – Divine Liturgy
About the Ascension