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Brethren and children in the Lord,
Once again, Holy and Great Lent has come to a conclusion. Today, we joyfully celebrated the resurrection of Christ’s intimate friend, Lazarus, which serves as a prefigurement of the “common resurrection.” Tomorrow, we shall enjoy the feast of Palm Sunday, when we shall chant: “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!”
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Our Lord Jesus Christ with His triumphant entry in Jerusalem, for the first time in His three-year long public ministry, presents Himself to the people as the Messiah, Whose coming to the world was foretold by the Prophets. As He enters Jerusalem, He is accompanied by the triumphant welcoming of the crowd, holding palm branches and cheering: “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! The King of Israel!” (John 12:13). When the Pharisees protested this, the Lord replied: “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out” (Luke 19:40). And this did happen a short while later, when Jesus, nailed on the cross, was breathing His last breath, “the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised” (Matthew 27:50-52). Again also, after the Lord’s Resurrection, “an Angel of the Lord … rolled back the stone from the entrance of the Tomb” (Matthew 28:2) in order for the Myrrh-bearing women to be able to enter, and witness Christ’s rising from the dead as God Almighty.
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"O Earth, proclaim the glad tidings of great joy!”
Today’s celebration is one of the highest joys for all humanity. Archangel Gabriel's salutation “hail” to the Virgin Mary of Nazareth had an extensive influence on every human being, of all generations. The feast day hymns proclaim this joy: "Today is the festivity of joy"; "Today the whole creation rejoices"; “Let creation rejoice, and nature exchange greetings, for the Archangel did stand reverently before the Virgin and offered her joy instead of sorrow” (Doxastikon at Praises)
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On this 5th and last Sunday of Holy Great Lent, the Church puts forward the figure of St. Mary of Egypt as a prime example of sincere repentance. We know that the whole of Great Lent is focused on repentance, and we do so by fasting, kneeling, making prostrations, and enduring long Holy Services. Even with all of this, some may still have doubt in their hearts. Can I, who have committed grave sins, be forgiven by God? The life of St. Mary of Egypt answers this question.
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Today, on this Fourth Sunday of Great Lent, we celebrate St. John the Sinaite, also known as St. John “Climacus” (Ladder). Although the Saint’s feast day is on March 30th, the Church wants to highlight the narrow path of asceticism and virtue on this particular Sunday of Great Lent, and St. John is an exemplary guide in following this path with sincere love for Christ.