Jubilation

And the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

The jubilation of the Church is also the jubilation of the Divine Persons of the Holy Trinity at the accomplishment of our salvation. The resurrection of Christ, which brought on the defeat of the power of death, is the cause of joyful praise, because He is the cause of the death of death, and the destruction of Hades. Christ’s resurrection is the beginning of an eternal life. Because of Christ’s resurrection, death no longer separates us from God, and we are no longer destined for the darkness of Hades, but rather brought into heavenly mansions, to dwell there eternally in the fullness of everything good.

Christ is risen!
Truly He is risen!

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Monday May 2, 2016 / April 19, 2016
Bright Monday.
Bright Week. Fast-free

Entire week, fast-free.
Venerable John of the Ancient Caves in Palestine (8th c.).
New Hieromartyr Victor, bishop of Glazov (1934).
New Hieromartyr Demetrius priest (1942).
St. Matrona the Blind of Moscow (1952).
Martyrs Christopher, Theonas, and Antoninus in Nicomedia (303).
Hieromartyr Paphnutius of Jerusalem.
St. George the Confessor, bishop of Antioch in Pisidia (813-820).
St. Tryphon, patriarch of Constantinople (933).
Venerable Nicephorus, abbot of Katabad.
Venerable Symeon the Barefoot of Philotheou Monastery, Mt. Athos.
Finding ofthe relics (1621) of Venerable Joachim, abbot of Opochka (Pskov) (1515).
Venerable Joasaph (Bolotov) of Alaska.
Hieromartyr Alphege, archbishop of Canterbury (1012) (Celtic & British).
New Martyr Agathangelus of Esphigmenou Monastery, Mt. Athos (1819) (Greek).
Martyrs Theodore, his mother Philippa and two soldiers, Socrates and Dionysius at Perge in Pamphylia (2nd c.).

Scripture Readings

Acts 1:12-17

The Upper Room Prayer Meeting

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey. 13 And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. 14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

Matthias Chosen

15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (altogether the number of names was about a hundred and twenty), and said, 16 “Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus; 17 for he was numbered with us and obtained a part in this ministry.”

Acts 1:21-26

21 “Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”

23 And they proposed two: Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen 25 to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.” 26 And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

John 1:18-28

18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

A Voice in the Wilderness

19 Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”

20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”

21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?”

He said, “I am not.”

“Are you the Prophet?”

And he answered, “No.”

22 Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?”

23 He said: “I am

‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
“Make straight the way of the Lord,”’

as the prophet Isaiah said.”

24 Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. 25 And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

26 John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. 27 It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.”

28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.