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Holy Pascha Week – Part I Servant’s Preparation Course

Holy Pascha Week – Part I Servant’s Preparation Course . 04.01.2014. BACKGROUND. PASCHA. Celebrated once every 33 years and separately from the Great Lent in the past. Passover – the most sacred week of the year. Attitude of the church:

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Holy Pascha Week – Part I Servant’s Preparation Course

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  1. Holy Pascha Week – Part I Servant’s Preparation Course 04.01.2014

  2. BACKGROUND PASCHA Celebrated once every 33 years and separately from the Great Lent in the past Passover – the most sacred week of the year • Attitude of the church: • Follow the Savior step by step and focus on Him and all that He is going through • no funerals, no Agpeya prayers, no sacraments except…? • Hymns prayed in the mournful/sad tune

  3. PURPOSE • The Church and its liturgical services are “above time” • Each time we participate in the Holy Week services, we participate inHis death and resurrection (Anamnesis)

  4. PURPOSE I AM NOT HERE AS A BYSTANDER OR A SPECTATOR, BUT AS AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN THESE EVENTS – Phil 3:10, 11 • I am there when He • entered Jerusalem • I am at the Last Supper; I am being washed and partaking of the Eucharist • I am there at His resurrection enjoying the glory and victory

  5. FROM LENT TO PASCHA WEEK • Last Friday of Great Lent – Sacrament of Unction of the Sick • WHY???? • Lazarus Saturday • Note: Jesus did not raise Lazarus on the day before Palm Sunday but we begin and end with…RESURRECTION! • (Jesus spent much of the week in Bethany w/ Lazarus and his family) • Annual Tune • Palm Sunday Vespers Gospel: (John 12:1-11)

  6. PALM SUNDAY Theme: Jesus is entering into Jerusalem (my heart) as a king

  7. PALM SUNDAY • What Did Jesus Do? • He left Bethany and entered Jerusalem riding on a colt on 10th of Nissan (John 12:13) • similar to the Passover lamb in Exodus 12:1-30 • “Hosanna to the Son of David” (Matt 21:15) • Jesus spent the day in the temple • Jesus returns back to Bethany

  8. PALM SUNDAY • What Does the Church Do? • Refrain of Psalm 150: “Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has entered Jerusalem” • Unique “Hosanna” tune • During matins, we have a special procession at 12 stations or icons and before each one is read a psalm and gospel and unique gospel response after • Regular liturgy except we read 4 gospels

  9. PALM SUNDAY • Listen carefully to the Gospel according to St. Luke 19:41-44 • Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

  10. PALM SUNDAY • General Funeral • Follows the Liturgy on Palm Sunday • No funerals for the departed during this week • Prophecy: Ezekiel 37:1-14 “Thus says the Lord God to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live…I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live.” • Pauline: 1 Cor. 15:1-23 “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures…But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

  11. PALM SUNDAY • General Funeral • Gospel: John 5:19-29 • “ For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will… Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.”

  12. OVERALL STRUCTURE • Each day during Pascha has a morning and evening service. The morning and evening service contain five separate hours.

  13. OUTLINE OF EACH HOUR CONCLUDING HYMN PROPHECIES • About suffering of the Lord, events of Holy Week, rejection of the Messiah, wisdom, fear, etc. • O King of Peace LITANIES BENEDICTION • From Selected Church Fathers (selected mornings only) “We conclude the homily of our holy father…, who enlightened our minds and hearts. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen.” HOMILY EXPOSITION • Explanation with an intro and conclusion • Doxology of the Pascha(replaces 12 psalms of Agpeya) • Thine is the power, the glory, the blessing and the majesty forever Amen. O Emmanuel, our God and our King… • Taken from Revelation (Rev. 4:9, 5:11,13) • Sung a total of 12 times and ends with Lord’s prayer • The church selects psalms and passages that relate to the events or theme of that hour. DOXOLOGY PSALM AND GOSPEL

  14. EVE OF MONDAY (SUNDAY EVENING) • Pray outside the altar in the second chorus, Why? • Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. (Hebrews 13:12-13) • Theme: Preparation for His suffering and the last days

  15. MONDAY • Theme: • “FRUITFUL LIFE, NOT APPEARANCE” • “DON’T DECEIVE YOURSELF”

  16. MONDAY • What Did Jesus Do? • He left Bethany to the temple in Jerusalem (John 11:18) • On the way, He saw a fig tree that had leaves but no fruits. Christ cursed the tree saying: No man will eat fruit of you for ever (Mark 11:12-20) • Jesus entered the temple and kicked out those who were selling and buying(Mark 11:15-16) • The priests try to catch him with a mistake: By what authority do you do these things? • Christ returns back to Bethany (Luke 21: 27-38)

  17. MONDAY • What Does the Church do? • All prophesies, psalms, and gospels focus on this objective • Starts with Adam and Eve’s creation, their sin and their removal from the garden. Adam tried to cover his hypocrisy . • Focus on Christ’s cursing of the fig tree – symbol for the Jewish nation, who had the outward appearance of bearing fruit but was barren. • We cannot cover our sin with the cloak of hypocrisy.

  18. TUESDAY • Theme: • “BE WATCHFUL” • “MARAN-ATHA -- The Lord’s coming is near” • Ninth Hour: Genesis 6-9: “The flood and Noah’s Ark” • Day of parables

  19. TUESDAY • What Did Jesus Do? • He left Bethany to the temple in Jerusalem • On the way, they saw the fig tree and remembered Christ’s words • Jesus spent the day in the temple teaching • The Pharisees try to catch him with a mistake: Should we pay taxes to Caesar? • Christ talks about the end of the world and His second coming in detail. He gives a lot of signs for the last day. • Christ emphasized the need to be always prepared by several proverbs: • The Ten Virgins • The Talents • The Wedding Ceremony • Christ returns back to Bethany

  20. TUESDAY What Does the Church Do? • Very Important: THE ELEVENTH HOUR • CHRIST • Talked in detail about judgment and the last day • Determined the time of His crucifixion for the first time • Left the temple and NEVER came back to it; a sign of the collapse of the Jewish religion • CHURCH • Adds “My Good Savior” to “Thine is the power....” • Illustrates for us God sitting in His glory to judge and reward each according to his deeds • Read Psalm 44:9 “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever” with the Royal Tune “Pekethronos”

  21. WEDNESDAY • Theme: • “WHERE IS MY HEART” (Is it like Mary’s or like Judas’?) • “WHAT WOULD I OFFER TO CHRIST?”

  22. WEDNESDAY • What Did Jesus Do? • Christ spent the whole day in Bethany • A day of contradictions: • Radical betrayal - Judas contacts the chief priests to betray Christ • Radical love - Mary breaks an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard, very precious, and pours it on Christ’s head

  23. WEDNESDAY • What Does the Church Do? • Very Important: Third Hour of Eve of Thursday • Psalm: 55:21:“His words were softer than oil, Yet they were drawn swords.” (Royal tune) • Gospel: Mark 14:3-11: The woman with ointment and Judas’ betrayal!

  24. HOLY THURSDAY • Theme: • HUMILITY & SALVATION THROUGH WATER (BAPTISM)

  25. HOLY THURSDAY What Did Jesus Do? • That was the 14th of Nissan, the day of slaying the Passover lamb • Christ asks Peter and John to prepare the Passover • The disciples argue: Who is the greatest? • Before supper, Christ washed the disciples’ feet • Christ gives the disciples His body and blood • Christ prophesies about His betrayal • Judas leaves to go to the chief priests

  26. HOLY THURSDAY What Does the Church Do? • We pray in the first chorus • We start with the Matins raising of incense • The book of Acts: Selecting a new apostle instead of Judas. • Procession to reprimand Judas (OURSELVES) in the opposite direction

  27. HOLY THURSDAY What Does the Church Do? • Pascha prayers (1st, 3rd, 6th, 9th) about preparation for the Passover • The prophesies of the ninth hour are very significant • Genesis 22:1-19 The sacrifice of Isaac • Genesis 14:17-20 Melchizedek • Isaiah 61:1-6 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me…”

  28. HOLY THURSDAY What Does the Church Do? The Liturgy of Water (Laqan) • We pray with annual tune in front of a basin filled with water • Several prophesies about salvation through water (e.g., crossing the Red Sea and Jordan River) • Gospel: John 13:1-7 -- Christ washes the feet of the disciples • At the end, the priests wash the feet of the congregation

  29. HOLY THURSDAY What Does the Church Do? • The Liturgy of the Eucharist • Annual tune • No Agpeya, no Catholic Epistle, no Book of Acts • The lamb is examined without the 41 Kyrie Eleisonsbecause Christ was silent while being examined • Gospel: Matthew 26:20-29 -- Christ gives His body and Blood to the disciples • No Reconciliation Prayer, no commemoration of the saints • Fraction of the Sacrifice of Isaac

  30. HOW TO BENEFIT FROM HOLY WEEK? • Our attitude, conversations and meditations whether inside or outside the church must focus on Christ • Consider a retreat and reserve your time for God and spiritual activities • Follow the steps of Christ and personalize each of the events; reflect on the condition of our hearts and our intimacy with the Lord • Share in the fellowship of His suffering (Phil. 3:10) • “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

  31. HOW TO BENEFIT FROM HOLY WEEK? • Engage with spiritual readingsand fellowship with the saints through their writings and see how they reflected on the Lord’s suffering and salvation • Participate in the hymns for they preserve the thought from wandering and guide it in a spiritual direction • Pray – in addition to corporate prayer, focus on personal prayers • Confession and Communion – examine our hearts and our sins; confess them and have them washed to be prepared to partake of Holy Communion

  32. Rest of the Semester • 4/22 – Resurrection • 4/29 • 5/6 • 5/13 • 5/20 • 5/27 – Evangelism • 6/3 – Graduation Celebration

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