The Gainesville ROCOR Parish meets at
7921 Gateway Promenade Pl, Gainesville, US 20155 at 2:00 P.M. on Sundays for Divine Liturgy.
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Sept 3/Aug 21 - Commemoration of a Person at Several Churches at the Same Time? |
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Meditation
"All That We Need Is In Thee, O Lord"
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We search for Thee in prayer, O Lord, for all is comprehended in Thee. May we be enriched by Thee, for Thou art wealth which diminishes not with the changes of time.
May Thy loving-kindness come to our aid! May Thy grace defend us! From Thy treasury pour out upon us restoration to heal our sores.
We must seek Thee above all else, and not seek anything else but Thee, for he who seeks Thee finds all in Thee.
In Thee is wealth for the needy, heartfelt joy for the sorrowing, restoration for all the wounded, consolation for all who mourn.
Accept our prayer, O our Lord, and grant us Thyself. May we live in Thee, may we possess Thee instead of all else, for then all is ours.
Grant, O Lord, that we may be Thine. And according to Thy loving-kindness be Thou ours: for the righteous Father gave us Thee for the healing of our sores.
Thou art ours according to the will of Thy Father; and Thou art ours according to Thine own desire. Thou art with us, O Emmanuel! Thou art with us, as our Lord.
Accept these prayers from us, O our God, Who hast descended to us. Accept the tears of sinners and show mercy to the guilty.
According to Thy desire Thou hast been united with us; be the intercessor of our prayer. Raise it up to Thy Father and establish peace in our souls.
The Second Stasis: 4
Page 18
A Spiritual Psalter
excerpted by
Bishop Theophan the Recluse
from the works
of our Holy Father
Ephraim the Syrian
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September 3/August 21
13th Week after Pentecost. Tone 3.
No fast.
Apostle Thaddeus of the Seventy (44). Martyr Bassa of Edessa and her sons Theognius, Agapius, and Pistus (305-311). St. Abramius, archimandrite, wonderworker of Smolensk (1220), and his disciple St. Ephraim (1238). St. Martha, schemanun of Diveyevo (1829).
St. Abramius the Lover of Labor, of the Near Caves in Kiev (12th c.-13th c.). St. Cornelius, founder of Paleostrov Monastery (Karelia) (1420), and his disciple St. Abramius (15th c.).
New Hieromartyr Ignatius (Dalanov), hieromonk of Optina Monastery (1942).
Holy Forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (ca. 2000 b.c.). St. Avitus, bishop of Clermont (Gaul) (594). St. Sarmean, catholicos of Kartli, Georgia (774). St. Theocleta the Wonderworker, of Asia Minor (840). St. Isaiah of Mt. Athos (14th c.). Hieromartyrs Romulus, priest, and the deacons Donatus and Silvanus, and Martyr Venustus (Romania). New Hieromartyr Symeon, bishop of Samokov (Bulgaria) (1737). Translation of the relics of St. Nectarius (Kephalas), metropolitan of Pentapolis (1953).
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Commemoration of a Person at Several Churches at the Same Time? |
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People who care about their deceased relatives often order commemoration service at several churches and monasteries. But one who orders a service can be present only at one place. So, does it make sense?
A Soul Does Not Die with a Body
Let’s clarify what is commemoration, why do they order commemoration service, and how is it treated in our Church. The Christian faith states that a human soul is immortal: Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die (John 11:26), — it does not die with a body. Our earthly life is a preparation for eternal life. As we know from Holy Tradition and the revelations of the holy fathers (in particular, Saint Macarius of Alexandria), an immortal soul after the death of a body stays on earth for some time – about two days. I note right away that three, nine and forty days are rather arbitrary concepts. They are needed to make it easier for us to understand what time period is meant. That is, two days may not be exactly forty-eight hours, as we used to think.
So, the first days a soul dwells on the earth, on the third it is taken to the throne of God by angels. After worshiping the Lord, it receives a blessing to see heaven. Then it again ascends to God and is blessed to see hell, what it does until the fortieth day. On the fortieth day, the Lord determines where a soul will wait for the Second Coming – either in the threshold of heaven, or in the threshold of hell. Until the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, the fate of a soul is not completely decided.
On each of the days we have mentioned – and these are the days of zealous commemoration of the deceased – the Church blesses to pray intensely for a soul, ask God to forgive it all sins and prepare a place in the abodes of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Commemoration Is Not a Favour, Church Is Not a Shop
An important point should be noted: often people perceive prayer and alms as a kind of ritual, they take it for granted. A man comes to church, orders Liturgy or forty days prayers, donates some money – and leaves. It doesn’t matter what and how will happen next, he believes that he has done everything necessary. This is a completely wrong attitude to commemoration of a soul. It is important that the person himself is directly involved in prayer. Unfortunately, many come to church as to a shop or a service establishment. One can’t treat prayer for the dead like this. His soul can no longer change its fate – to repent, to do a good deed. However, it remains a member of the Church – just like all of us, so we must certainly pray for it.
Order a Commemoration, but Do Not Fail Yourself
Does one need to order commemoration in several churches? – definitely! The more prayers for a soul, the better. But once again I would like to emphasize the main point: if the relatives themselves do not pray for the deceased, hoping that someone else will pray for him, they deprive his soul of their prayer support. It is not right. You yourself should also pray.
Many saints often testified that in a dream or in reality the souls of the departed came to them and asked to pray for them. This happened not only on the third, ninth and fortieth day, but at different times after death. The Lord gave the Church the power to help a person with a prayer. If a large number of people pray for a soul, if in commemoration of it they perform alms and do good deeds, then the Lord can forgive its sins and transfer it from one abode to another – from hell to the Kingdom of Heaven. It is very important to pray for the deceased not only on the days and parental Saturdays that we have mentioned, but all the time, unceasingly. We do not know about the fate of his or her soul, we do not know where it awaits the Last Judgment.
Prayer Is a Deed of Love
If a relative is dear to us, we are obliged to pray for him, to constantly commemorate him at the Liturgy – while we live and while we have the opportunity to visit the church and participate in divine services. It is necessary to order Liturgy and commemoration services for the departed, try to attend them. Yes, the Church constantly prays for all Christians, but for an Orthodox person it is imperative both at church of God and during his home prayer to commemorate personally his departed relatives. It is a big mistake to think that after the fortieth day the fate of your deceased loved one is not your business. It is your business! We have been given an amazing opportunity – we can really help a person with a prayer, so let’s do it.
Prayer – both at home and at church – is a manifestation of our love. Each of us will one day stand at the Throne of God, regardless of whether we believe it or not. We will have to give an answer for all the deeds that we have done while living on earth. At that moment, we will really need the support of the Church and our relatives. Now it’s our turn to help. How? – by prayer, good deeds, alms. The Lord sees everything we do with love. While there is an opportunity, let us perform deeds of love for those who are waiting for them – our deceased relatives and friends.
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Meditation:
On A Wise Custom
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A wise custom of the ancient Holy Fathers: when greeting each other, they didn’t ask about health or anything else, but rather about prayer, saying "How is your prayer?” Prayer was considered by them to a be a sign of the spiritual life, and they called it the breath of the spirit. If the body has breath, it lives; if breathing stops, life comes to an end. So it is with the spirit. If there is prayer, the soul lives; without prayer, there is no spiritual life.“
St. Theophan the Recluse
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St. Nina's Chapel
Built on Site Where St. Nina Resided
Amid Grape Vines
Mtskheta, Georgia
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Svetitskhoveli Cathedral
Mtskheta, Georgia
Adjacent to St. Nina's Chapel
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On the right side from the entrance of the Cathedral is a stone baptismal font dating from the 4th century.
It is thought to have been used for the baptism of
King Mirian and Queen Nana.
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Supporting the Parish
The continuity of apostolic love is a way of life.
It is up to you to sustain the way of life.
Please.
If you can electronically donate, please do so, accepting our profound appreciation.
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If it is peace you are seeking . . .
Pray with us . . .
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From the litany at the beginning of Divine Liturgy |
That He may deliver His people from their enemies, visible and invisible, and may confirm in us the oneness of mind, brotherly love, and piety, let us pray to the Lord . . . |
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