Our Age of Ego and Self Centeredness

Abba Sisoes the Great at the Tomb of Alexander the Great

I read a beautiful reflection on the icon  of  Abba  Sisoes the Great at the tomb of Alexander the Great and wanted to share it. In our present day climate of “likes” and “internet influencers,” I thought this to be very relevant and something for us all to think about as we consider the ego driven pursuit of fame and the values of our age.

Abba Sisoes  was born in 367 and died in AD 429. He became an ascetic in the desert of Thebes in Egypt. His memory is celebrated on July 6  and belongs to the first generation of great ascetics who followed St. Anthony the Great.

The monastery of Abba Sisoes, located in the valley of Nitria in the region of Wadi el Natroun in Egypt, is one of the ancient monasteries of the Skete, the cradle of Christian monasticism, which has been operating since the 4th century AD. The monastery contains the relic of Saint Sisoes which is said to be perfectly preserved on a red cloth.

The monks claim that it is common for Saint Sisoes to perform miracles for the true believers and is also considered one of the most important monastic saints of Orthodox and  Coptic Christians.

The disciples of Saint Sisoes, who are considered to be the first to depict the relevant scene, describe it as follows: ‘Sisoes the Great, at the tomb of the glorious King of the Greeks, Alexander, is terrified and expresses his sorrow over the ephemeral glories of this life.

Saint Sisoes stands at the open tomb of Alexander the Greatso he weeps and exclaims:

‘Seeing you in a grave, I am timid and frightened at your sight and I shed tears from my heart, bringing to my mind the debt that all people have to pay (that is, death), so I will suffer such an end. Ah, ah death, who is the one who can avoid you?’

We hear in the Funeral Service of our Holy Church this prayer:

“Where is the pleasure in life which is unmixed with sorrow? Where the glory which on earth stood firm and unchanged? All things are weaker than shadow, all more elusive than dreams; comes in one fell stroke, and Death in turn, prevails over all these vanities. Wherefore in the Light, O Christ, of Your countenance, and in the sweetness of Your beauty, to him (her) whom You have chosen grant repose, for you are the Friend of Mankind.”  

The reality of death viewed through the saving grace of the Lord is the only comfort and solace we as Orthodox Christians have in our lives. This is the lesson of this beautiful story of Abba Sisoes. God Bless….FrG

The Foundations of the Church: A Study of the Ecumenical Councils (Part 3)

The Triumph of Orthodoxy

The Foundations of the Church is a short study of the first seven Ecumenical Councils. The classes are recorded from the Adult Education Series of Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church –  Austin, Texas. This class is  Part 3 of the series recorded on June 15,  2022. This recording explores the 6th.  and 7th.  Ecumenical Councils and their impact on the orthodoxy and theology of the Church. The  video recordings are unedited transcriptions of the Zoom presentation of the class. Please forgive the lack of polish of the recording. For a better viewing of this segment, please begin at 3:00 min. into the recording. The presenter is Fr. George  P. Bithos  The link to the video is below. God Bless.. FrG

The Foundations of the Church: A Study of the Ecumenical Councils (Part 2)

The Foundations of the Church is a short study of the first seven Ecumenical Councils. The classes are recorded from the Adult Education Series of Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church –  Austin, Texas. This class is  Part 2 of the series recorded on June 8, 2022. This recording explores the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Ecumenical Councils and their impact on the orthodoxy and theology of the Church. The  video recordings are unedited transcriptions of the Zoom presentation of the class. Please forgive the lack of polish of the recording. The presenter is Fr. George  P. Bithos  The link to the video is below. God Bless..FrG

The Foundations of the Church: A Study of the Ecumenical Councils (Part 1)

The Foundations of the Church is a short study of the first seven Ecumenical Councils. The classes are being recorded from the Adult Education Series of Transfiguration Greek Orthodox –  Austin, Texas June 1, 8 and 15, 2022. This is the first of the series from June 1, 2022. The video recordings are unedited transcriptions of the Zoom presentation of the class. The presenter is Fr. George P Bithos. The  link to the video is below. God Bless…FrG https://youtu.be/8dnD_Ac1yS8

 

The Scriptural Readings for the Great and Holy Week in the Orthodox Church

Scriptural Readings for Great and Holy Week

Saturday of Lazarus                     John 11, 1 – 4

Christ Entry into Jerusalem   John 12, 1 – 18. (Palm Sunday)

Bridegroom Service                    Matthew 21, 18 –  43.

 (Palm Sunday Evening)

Bridegroom Service                    Matthew 22, 15 – 46;  23, 1 – 39.

 (Holy Monday Evening)

Bridegroom Service                     John 12, 17 – 50.

 (Holy Tuesday Evening)

Sacrament of Holy Unction      1st. Epistle – James 5, 10 – 16.

1st. Gospel –                                         Luke 10, 25 – 37.

2nd. Epistle –                                       Romans 15, 1 – 7.

2nd. Gospel –                                       Luke 19, 1 – 10.

3rd. Epistle –                                        Corinthians 12, 27 – 31; 13, 1- 8.

      3rd. Gospel –                                   Matthew 10, 1, 5 – 8.

      4th. Epistle –                                Corinthians 6,  16 – 18; 7, 1.      

     4th. Gospel –                                  Matthew 8, 14 – 23.

      5th. Epistle –                                 Corinthians 1, 8 – 11.

      5th. Gospel –                                  Matthew 25, 1 – 13.

      6th. Epistle –                                  Galatians 5, 22 – 6: 2

      6th. Gospel –                                  Matthew 15, 21 – 28

      7th. Epistle –                                  I Thessalonians 5, 14  – 23

      7th. Gospel –                                     Matthew 9, 9 – 13      

Bridegroom Service                          Luke 22, 1 – 39                                                               (Holy Wednesday Evening)

(Great and Holy Thursday Morning)       

Vesporal Liturgy of St. Basil The Great                       

The Institution of the Holy Eucharist

The Gospel Reading is a composite: 

                       Matthew 26, 2 – 20; John 13, 3 -17; Matthew 26, 21 – 39;                     Luke 22, 43 – 45;  Matthew 26, 75 + 27, 1 – 2

Great and Holy Thursday Evening, – The Service of the Twelve Gospels

        1. COMPOSITE READING: John 13, 31 – 38 + 14, 1 – 31 + 15, 1 – 27 + 16,1 – 33 + 17, 1 – 26 +18, 1.
        2. John 18, 1 – 28.
        3. Matthew 26, 57 – 75. 
        4. John 18, 28 – 40 + 19, 1 – 16.

                 5.   Matthew 27, 3 – 32.

                Procession with the Blessed Cross    

    6.   Mark  15, 16 – 31.

    7.   Matthew 27, 33 – 54.

    8.   Luke 23, 32 – 49.

    9.   John 19, 25 – 37.

  10.  Mark 15, 43 – 47.

  11. John 19, 38 – 42.

  12. Matthew 27, 62 – 66.

Great and Holy Friday:

  The Royal Hours Gospel of the First Hour:

Matthew 27, 1 – 56.

Gospel of the Third Hour

Mark 15, 16 – 41. 

Gospel of the Sixth Hour  

Luke 23,  32 – 49. 

Gospel of the Ninth Hour

        John 19, 23 – 37.

  The Vespers The Taking Down from the Cross

(The Apokathelosis)

Matthew 27, 1 – 38; Luke 23, 39 – 43;

Matthew 27, 39 – 54; John 19, 31 – 37;

Matthew 27, 55 – 61.

  The Lamentations (Matins for Holy Saturday)

Matthew 27, 62 – 66.

Great and Holy Saturday The Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great

Matthew 28, 1 – 20.

Sunday of Holy Pascha

The Resurrection Service Mark 16, 1 – 8.

The Divine Liturgy of Pascha

John 1, 1 – 17. The Vespers of Love (The Agape Vespers) John 20, 19 – 25.

Christ is Risen

 

ABCs of Orthodoxy, Class 9 – Christ with Us: On the Nativity

Below find the link to Class 9 in the ABCs of Orthodoxy series:  Christ with Us: On the Nativity- We will explore the incarnation by a study of the Kontakion by St. Romanos the Melodist   (Please, link to video). This class was presented Dec. 2, 2021. Please start the playback at 3: 50  Min. to avoid early class conversation, not part of the presentation. Thank you and God Bless… FrG

 

ABCs of Orthodoxy Class 8 – Orthodoxy and Other Faiths

ABCs of Orthodoxy – Class 8

Below find the link to Class 8 in the ABCs of Orthodoxy series:  Orthodoxy and Other Faiths-   (Please, link to video). This class was presented November 18, 2021. Please start the playback at 7.00 Min. to avoid early class conversation, not part of the presentation. Thank you and God Bless… FrG

https://youtu.be/6vVukDciX6k

 

ABCs of Orthodoxy Class 5 – The Divine Liturgy

Below find the link to Class 5 in the ABCs of Orthodoxy series. This class was presented October 28, 2021. Please start the playback at 4.00 Min. to avoid early class conversation, not part of the presentation. Thank you and God Bless… FrG