Jesus Christ is the Logos, the Word by Which Everything Was Created
We live in a fallen world, one that was created in perfection, beauty, and goodness. Evil entered into this world when humankind turned from God, made themselves a god, and fell into pride and arrogance. The end result is the alienation from God, and the finality of death.
As followers of the Way of Christ, we believe God humbled Himself and pitched His tent in our world as one of us, and that this God, Who is worshiped in Holy Trinity, came down as the Second member of this Trinity of Unity, and became Man. Jesus Christ, we believe, is the Logos, the very Word by which everything that came into being was created.
As the Word made flesh, Jesus dwelt among us, and taught us how to live the commandments of God, and how to love God above everything else. He taught us that we must, if we are to be saved, keep the Two Great Commandments, that we love God with our whole heart, mind and soul, and love our neighbor as being our self.
Jesus, the Name above every other name, suffered, was crucified, died, and was buried, and on the third day conquered the power of death by His holy resurrection. When we accept the invitation to commune with this God Who has offered forgiveness for our sins, and offers us the possibility to commune with Him, His resurrection becomes our resurrection. We, although sinners, are forgiven, and become the sons and daughters of the Most High. Anyone who opens their heart, repents of their sins, and asks God to come into their heart, will be made whole.
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Friday March 1, 2024 / February 17, 2024
Week of the Publican and the Pharisee. Tone five.
Fast-free Week. Fast-free
Great-martyr Theodore the Tyro (306).
St. Hermogenes, patriarch of Moscow and all Russia (1612).
St. Nicholas (Planas), priest in Athens (1932).
New Hieromartyrs Michael, Paul priests (1938).
Virgin-martyr Anna (1940).
Venerable Theodore the Silent of the Kiev Caves (13th c.).
St. Mariamne, sister of Apostle Philip (1st c.).
Uncovering of the relics (867-869) of Martyr Menas the Melodius of Alexandria (ca. 313).
St. Finan, bishop of Lindisfarne (661) (Celtic & British).
St. Auxibius, bishop of Soli in Cyprus (102) (Greek).
New Martyr Theodore of Byzantium, at Mitylene (1795) (Greek).
Emperor Marcian (457) and Pulcheria, his wife (453), and the commemoration of the dedication of the Great Church in Constantinople (Greek).
Venerable Theodosius the Bulgarian and his disciple Venerable Romanus, monks, of Turnovo (1362) (Bulgaria).
New Martyr Michael Mavroeidis of Adrianople (1490).
Holy Hieromartyr Theodore of Adjara, who suffered under the Turks on Mt. Athos (19th c.) (Georgia).
St. Barnabas, elder of the Gethsemane Skete of St. Sergius Lavra (1906).
The Scripture Readings
1 John 2:7-17
7 Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. 8 Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.
9 He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. 10 He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11 But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
Their Spiritual State
12 I write to you, little children,
Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake.
13 I write to you, fathers,
Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
Because you have overcome the wicked one.
I write to you, little children,
Because you have known the Father.
14 I have written to you, fathers,
Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.
I have written to you, young men,
Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you,
And you have overcome the wicked one.
Do Not Love the World
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
Mark 14:3-9
The Anointing at Bethany
3 And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. 4 But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted? 5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply.
6 But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. 7 For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. 8 She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. 9 Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”