When reading the Gospel, do not seek pleasure, do not seek exalted states, and do not seek brilliant thoughts—seek to see the unadulterated, holy truth.
Do not be satisfied with a mere fruitless reading of the Gospel; strive to fulfill its commandments, and read it with your deeds. This is the book of life, and you have to read it with your life.
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Having entered the fourth week of quarantine, and in view of the coming of the Holy days of Pascha, being pressured by the stress and fear that is being imposed on us; with the pressure developing
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Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him (Rom. 6:8)
Continue readingDear parishioners,
In light of the coronavirus pandemic, we want to let you know that your Church is thinking of you and it is here to help.
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Guard sacredly and strictly our Orthodox Faith, both in its canons and in its dogmas. Do not adapt your faith to your life, but your life to the faith. Draw all your happiness from the True Orthodox Faith. Then you will be true sons of the Orthodox Church, and the Lord will pour out on you even here His boundless mercy.
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Dear parishioners, You are invited to a grand celebration happening in our community on Sunday February 23. That day we will celebrate St. patron day of our Church, 60th anniversary of Circle of Serbian Sisters and 20th anniversary of the service of our priest father Obrad.His Grace bishop Mitrofan will visit us along with a number of priests from our Diocese. SKUD Frula will prepare cultural program. Welcome to your Church!
Board of Directors of Church-School Congregation,
father Obrad Filipovic
The Ancient of Days, Who formerly granted the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai, today is seen as an infant, and according to the Law, as the Creator of the Law fulfills the Law, being brought into the Temple and is given to the Priest.
The Righteous Symeon receiving Him, and beholding the dissolving of bonds being performed, cries out joyfully: My eyes have seen the Mystery hidden from before the ages, but which has been revealed to us in these latter days, the Light that disperses the darkness of the faithless nations, and the glory of the new Israel. Therefore, let your servant depart from the bonds of this flesh towards the heavenly and wondrous eternal life, You Who grant the world the great mercy.
– from the Litia of Vespers for the Feast of the Presentation of Christ to the Temple
Celebrating holy Theophany, we are transported in thought to the very place of this event, and we shall intelligently attend to what is happening there! There it is—Bethabara!
You can see St. John standing on the shore, in clothes made of camel’s hair, with a girdle of a skin about his loins (Mk. 1:6). He is surrounded by a countless multitude of people from Jerusalem, Judea, and all the lands around the Jordan.
The Baptism of the Lord has just finished, and all eyes are fixed upon Him just emerged from the waters. They see nothing else. But sharpen by faith the eye of your mind, and following after John, passing over what is seen by all, turn an attentive gaze upon what is not seen by all — on the opened heavens, the dove descending, and the voice saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased (Mk. 1:11).
Fix your gaze, and do not tear your attention away from this wondrous vision! O! Who will give power to our words, that they might worthily sing praises to God in three Hypostases, revealed at the Jordan!
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Bishop Joanikije of Budimlje-Niksic on the new Law in Montenegro “…Terrible injustice is being imposed against the Serbian Orthodox Church; we are experiencing an attack on Orthodoxy in Montenegro, designed, projected, but, as Christians, we have a duty to resist and to stand up against the injustice, that our people and their priests have done.
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We should know that even one tear of repentance is equivalent to a spiritual bath. Just as the body feels refreshed when it bathes, and just as clothes become clean when they are washed, similarly, the tears of a repentant soul purify the heart, purify the mind, purify the body, purify life, purify speech, and purify a person’s every action. Let us kneel and pray with extreme humility! Every repentant soul is given words: it is granted enlightened prayer.
It is necessary for us to receive enlightenment. We should not be deluded by the world. We should not be drawn and attached to earthly things. We should not be weighed down by matters of the present age and this current life.
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