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19th Sunday after Pentecost – “Love ye your Enemies.”

Homily From “The One Thing Needful,” Sermons of Archbishop Andrei (Rymarenko)

Starting with the Sunday about “the talents,” the Sunday readings have been showing us how a talent (the strength given to each of us by God to fulfill His commandments of love for God and neighbor) was manifested in various Christian qualities of the human soul On the Sun-day about “the Canaanite woman” — in deep humility; on the Sunday about “the miraculous catch of fish”  — in obedience to the word of God, in unshakable faith. And here in the Apostle and Gospel readings for this Sunday —  in great patience in sorrows, in great spiritual comfort, and especially in the unspeakable joy which is hidden in mercy and love for one’s enemies. The last one, by human standards, appears to be unnatural; but because of the strength of the Lord’s talent, it is possible, joyous, wonderful.Continue Reading

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19th Sunday after Pentecost

MATINS (VIII)

John 20:11-18

11 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, 12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my LORD, and I know not where they have laid him. 14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. 16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. 17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. 18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the LORD, and that he had spoken these things unto her.Continue Reading

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For the parishioners of the church of Saint Nicholas in Wallsend (Newcastle), the feast of the Protection of the Mother of God was this year an occasion of greater significance than usual.  This is because it was the sixtieth anniversary of the first patronal feast day of the Hunter Valley’s first Russian Orthodox Church, the Holy Protection Church at Greta Migrant Camp.

The Holy Protection Church at Greta functioned from the arrival in Australia in August 1949 of Archpriest John Lupish (+1977) until the closure of the camp some seven years later.  It was, during that time, a refuge and a consolation for many Orthodox Christians who found themselves settled for a time in the camp, having come to begin a new life in Australia after the turmoil of the Second World War.Continue Reading

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Part of the Australian Pilgrimage Group during their visit to Ukraine

Following the Divine Liturgy this Sunday 18th October 2009 at the church hall of the Church of All Russian Saints, Croydon Fr. Michael Boikov will be giving a presentation on the recent pilgrimage to Russia to see the return of the Kursk-Root Icon.  All are welcome to attend.Continue Reading

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18th Sunday after Pentecost – the Miraculous Catch of Fish

Homily From “The One Thing Needful,” Sermons of Archbishop Andrei (Rymarenko)

The Sunday before last the Holy Church offered for our attention the parable about the talents. A talent is that strength which God gives to us for the fulfillment of His commandments of love for God and neighbor. Last Sunday showed us the application of this talent to our life. A mother had a possessed daughter. The mother rushed to Christ: “Help me!” (Mt. 15:25). But Christ was silent. Then the Apostles started to speak to Christ, pointing out this Canaanite woman. Christ answered them: But I have come to the children. “It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs” (Mt. 15:26). The Canaanite woman cried: “Yet the dogs eat of the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table,” (Mt. 15:27). At this moment her consciousness was completely filled with humility; and in answer to this most profound humility, the Lord took pity on her and said: “O woman, great is thy faith: be it done unto thee even as thou wilt” (Mt. 15:28).

And here, today’s Gospel about the miraculous catch of fish shows us how that same talent (according to the Gospel’s expression, used in “trade” (Mt. 25:16), which means applied to life) is manifested in absolute obedience and trust in the word of the Lord and produces the fruit of faith. But what is faith? What does the process of faith consist of? We are given the answer to this in today’s Gospel (Lk. 5:1-11).Continue Reading

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18th Sunday after Pentecost

MATINS (VII)

John 20:1-10

1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. 2 Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the LORD out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him. 3 Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. 4 So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. 5 And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. 6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, 7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. 8 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. 9 For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.Continue Reading