Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church

Saturday of the Souls / St. Theodore - March 20, 2021

Mark 2:23-28; 3:1-5

At that time, Jesus was going through the grainfields; and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. And the Pharisees said to him, "Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?" And he said to them, "Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God, when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?" And he said to them, "The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath; so the Son of man is lord even of the sabbath."

Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there who had a withered hand. And they watched him, to see whether he would heal him on the sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man who had the withered hand, "Come here." And he said to them, "Is it lawful on the sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?" But they were silent. And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, "Stretch it out," and his hand was restored.

Father Peter Kostakis offers the homily.

First Salutations to the Theotokos - March 19, 2021

Kontakion

O Champion General, I your City now inscribe to you Triumphant anthems as the tokens of my gratitude, being rescued from the terrors, O Theotokos. Inasmuch as you have power unassailable, from all kinds of perils free me, so that unto you I may cry aloud: Rejoice, O unwedded Bride.

Father Peter Kostakis offers the homily.

Presanctified Liturgy - March 17, 2021

Proverbs 2:1-23

My son, if you receive the words of my commandment and hide them within yourself, your ear will be obedient to wisdom, and you will incline your heart to understanding; you will entrust it to your son as an admonition. For if he calls upon wisdom, and you utter your voice for understanding; if you seek perception with a strong voice, if you seek her as silver and search for her as treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom, and from His face come knowledge and understanding; and He stores up salvation for the upright; He will protect their journey, that He might guard the ways of His ordinances; and He will carefully guard the way of those who reverence Him. Then you will understand righteousness and judgment, and accomplish successfully every good path for yourself. For if wisdom comes into your mind, and the perception in your soul seems to be good, then good counsel will guard you, and holy thinking will keep you; that it might rescue you from an evil way and from a man who speaks nothing trustworthy. Woe to those who forsake the paths of uprightness so they may walk in the ways of darkness, who delight in evils and rejoice in evil perversion, whose ways are crooked and their paths devious, so they may cause you to be far from the straight way and a stranger to righteous judgment. My son, do not lay hold of evil counsel, nor forsake the teaching of your youth and forget the divine covenant; for it establishes its house with death, and its paths beside Hades with the dead; all who journey there do not return, nor do they lay hold of straight paths; for they do not comprehend the years of life. For if they walked in good paths, they would find the smooth paths of righteousness. The inhabitants of the land will be good, and the simple will be left in it; for the upright will dwell in the land, and the holy will be left in it. The ways of the ungodly shall perish from the land, and the lawless shall be banished from it.

Father Peter Kostakis offers the homily.

Compline - March 15, 2021

Prayer of St. Ephraim

O Lord and Master of my life, do not permit the spirit of laziness and meddling, the lust for power and idle talk to come into me.

Instead, grant me, your servant, the spirit of prudence, humility, patience and love.

Yes, Lord and King, give me the power to see my own faults and not to judge my brother. For you are blessed unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Father Peter Kostakis offers the homily.

Orthros for Clean Monday - March 15, 2021

Kathisma

Let us begin the all-holy season of fasting with joy; let us shine with the bright radiance of the holy commandments of Christ our God: with the brightness of love and the splendor of prayer, the strength of good courage and the purity of holiness! So, clothed in garments of light, let us hasten to the holy resurrection on the third day, that shines on the world with the glory of eternal life!

Father Mark Pakes offers the homily.

Forgiveness Vespers - March 14, 2021

Stichera. For Compunction.

Like the prodigal son, I have returned, loving Father. As one of Your hired hands accept me who fall down to You, and have mercy on me.

Like the man who fell among the robbers and was wounded, because of my own sins, I have also fallen, and my soul has likewise been wounded. In whom shall I, who am at fault, take refuge, if not in You the compassionate Physician of our souls? O God, pour on me the oil of Your great mercy.

O Savior, sinner that I am, do not cut me down, like the unfruitful fig tree. But this year grant me forgiveness, and water my soul with the tears of my repentance, so that I may bring to You as fruit, charity and acts of mercy.

Father Peter Kostakis offers the homily.

Cheesefare Sunday / Forgiveness Sunday - March 14, 2021

Matthew 6:14-21

The Lord said, "If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

"And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

Father Mark Pakes offers the homily.

Vespers for Cheesefare Sunday - March 13, 2021

Kontakion of Cheesefare Saturday

As preachers of true piety who silenced all impiety, Lord, Thou hast made the whole host of God-bearing Saints shine forth with splendour on the world. By their prayers and entreaties, keep all them that extol and sincerely magnify Thee in perfect peace, to chant and to sing to Thee: Alleluia.

Father Mark Pakes offers the homily.

Saturday of the Souls - March 13, 2021

Reading

The God-bearing Fathers, after preparing us through the preceding feasts for the stadium of spiritual struggles, now set before us the men and women who have passed their lives in a manner pleasing to God, so that by their example they might make us more eager in the work of virtue and more courageous against the passions. And as experienced generals, when they prepare their soldiers for battle, urge their soldiers on by recalling for them the heroic exploits of excellent men, so that the soldiers take courage and charge wholeheartedly against the enemy; even so the God-bearing Fathers do for our sakes now, by appointing this day as a common memorial and feast of all those Saints who by many labours overcame the passions and became well-pleasing to God; so that we too, looking to the life of the righteous, might imitate them as far as possible in contending courageously against the passions and accomplishing the virtues, having it always in mind that the Saints were of the same nature and of like passions with us.

Father Mark Pakes offers the homily.

Judgment / Meatfare Sunday - March 7, 2021

Matthew 25:31-46

The Lord said, "When the Son of man comes in his glory and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.' Then he will say to those at his left hand, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?' Then he will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.' And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

Father Mark Pakes offers the homily.