Month: April 2021

Matins for Holy Thursday Note that we’re still on our Holy Week “topsy-turvy” schedule, always “anticipating” the next appointed service. Despite my not understanding this, somehow it feels just right for this Week when the whole world gets turned upside down. Matins Gospel: Luke 22:1-39 Jesus and the disciples are in the upper room at […]

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  Gospel: Matthew 26:6-16 A short Gospel reading in Holy Week! Matthew repeats the story we heard last Sunday from John, about Christ being anointed with fragrant oil. John said Mary sister of Martha did the anointing. Matthew says only that it was “a woman”. Luke places this earlier in Jesus’ ministry and says it was […]

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Before we get into the Gospel story… Tonight at the end of the Aposticha we hear the Hymn of Kassiane, a Ninth Century nun and hymnographer.  She was one of several young women interviewed by Emperor Theophilus as a prospective bride. The story says he was so flummoxed by Kassiane’s beauty that he said something […]

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The Exaposteilarion hymn sung in Bridegroom Matins – from “Orthodox Chants”. Gospel Reading: Matthew 22:15-46; 23:1-39 In tonight’s Gospel, the confrontation between Jesus and the authorities continues. They must stop this Man. Killing Him was the last option. The better way, the cleanest way, was still to outwit Him, discredit Him. They’d had no success […]

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Holy Monday Morning: Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts Gospel Reading: Matthew 24:3-35 In the Gospel today and tomorrow we hear Jesus’ teachings about the Last Things. Matthew says that on Monday the disciples (small town boys from up north) were marveling at the great buildings in Jerusalem. Jesus said, “I tell you, the time is coming when […]

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