Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center Feasts of Feasts Holy and Glorious Pascha - Fesakh - Hajmeh - Celebration First Day - Homily of Our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom, Patriarch of Constantinople

Let all pious men and all lovers of God rejoice in the splendor of this feast; let the wise servants blissfully enter into the joy of their Lord; let those who have borne the burden of Lent now receive their pay, and those who have toiled since the first hour, let them now receive their due reward; let any who came after the third hour be grateful to join in the feast, and those who may have come after the sixth, let them not be afraid of being too late, for the Lord is gracious and He receives the last even as the first. He gives rest to him who comes on the eleventh hour as well as to him who has toiled since the first : yes, He has pity on the last and He serves the first; He rewards the one and is generous to the other; he repays the deed and praises the effort.

Come you all: enter into the joy of your Lord. You the first and you the last, receive alike your reward; you rich and you poor, dance together; you sober and you weaklings, celebrate the day; you who have kept the fast and you who have not, rejoice today. The table is richly loaded: enjoy its royal banquet. The calf is a fatted one: let no one go away hungry. All of you enjoy the banquet of faith; all of you receive the riches of his goodness. Let no one grieve over his poverty, for the universal kingdom has been revealed; let no one weep over his sins, for pardon has shone from the grave; let no one fear death, for the death of our Savior has set us free: He has destroyed it by enduring it, He has despoiled Hades by going down into its kingdom, He has angered it by allowing it to taste of his flesh.

When Isaiah foresaw all this, he cried out: "O Hades, you have been angered by encountering Him in the nether world."

Hades is angered because frustrated, it is angered because it has been mocked, it is angered because it has been destroyed, it is angered because it has been reduced to naught, it is angered because it is now captive. It seized a body, and, lo! it discovered God; it seized earth, and, behold! it encountered heaven; it seized the visible, and was overcome by the invisible. O death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?

* Christ is risen and you are abolished,
* Christ is risen and the demons are cast down,
* Christ is risen and the angels rejoice,
* Christ is risen and life is freed,
* Christ is risen and the tomb is emptied of the dead:

For Christ, being risen from the dead, has become the Leader and Reviver of those who had fallen asleep. To Him be glory and power for ever and ever. Amen.

Pascha homily as an Adobe Acrobat file and a Microsoft Word file

Adobe Acrobat file and Microsoft Word file

Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ's Feast of Feasts and Great Feasts
Feast	Event Commem- orated	Action of Event	Significance of Event	Celebrate	Apostolos	Gospel	Date	Class
Annun- ciation of Theotokos Ever Virgin Mary	Jesus Christ's conception in human form Incar- nation.	Future Theotokos' accepting Holy God's will saying yes to Holy God.	Holy God becomes human Incar- nation.	Beginning of process of our redemption.	Heb. 2:11-18	Lk. 1:24-38	25 March	Great Feast Class 2
Nativity According to Flesh of Our Lord, God Savior, Jesus Christ	Jesus Christ's birth in human form.	Jesus Christ being born in human form.	Messiah is born.	Jesus Christ's birthday.	Gal. 4:4-7	Mt. 2:1-12	25 Dec.	Great Feast Class 1
Circum- cision of Our Lord, God Savior, Jesus Christ	Jesus Christ's Naming and Circum- cision.	Jesus Christ submitted to Mosaic Law.	Jesus Christ is named	Jesus Christ's Naming and Circum- cision.	Col. 2:8-12	Lk. 2:20-21, 40-52	1 Jan.	Feast Class 3
ºHoly Hypapanty of Our Lord, God Savior, Jesus Christ ºPurifi- cation of Theotokos	ºJesus Christ's presen- tation at Temple. ºTheotokos' purification.	Theotokos bringing Jesus Christ to Temple at prescribed time for prescribed rituals.	Messiah's first meeting with His people.	A step in process of our redemption.	Heb. 7:7-17	Lk. 2:22-40	2 Feb.	Great Feast Class 2
Holy Theophany of Our Lord, God Savior, Jesus Christ	Jesus Christ's baptism	Holy Prophet and Glorious Fore- runner John Baptist baptizing Our Lord, God Savior, Jesus Christ in River Jordan.	ºAs an adult, Jesus Christ shows His people that He is Holy God (manifestation Jesus Christ to the world). ºHoly God shows His people that Holy God is a Holy Trinity.	ºJesus Christ is Holy God. ºHoly God is a Holy Trinity	Tim. 2:11-14, 3:4-7	Mt. 3:13-17	6 Jan.	Great Feast Class 1
Transfig- uration of Our Lord, God Savior, Jesus Christ	Jesus Christ's transfig- uration	Jesus Christ showing His disciples "...as much of His glory as they could behold...".	Jesus Christ is both fully Holy God and fully man.	ºReve- lation of glory of Holy God ºConfir- mation of two natures of Jesus Christ both fully Holy God and fully human.	2 Pet. 1:10-19	Mt. 17:1-9	6 Aug.	Great Feast Class 1
Triumphal Entry of Our Lord, God Savior, Jesus Christ into Jerusalem Holy and Glorious Palm Sun. Shaneeneh	Jesus Christ's triumphal entrance into Jerusalem.	Children throwing garments into Jesus Christ's path, pulling down branches from olive and palm trees, putting them in the road, and waving them in air, shouting "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!"	Jesus Christ's people hailing Him as Messiah.	Jesus Christ is Messiah.	Phil. 4:4-9	John 12:1-18	7 days before Pascha	Great Feast Class 1
Great and Holy Friday	Jesus Christ's death in human form on Holy Cross	Jesus Christ dies on Holy Cross	Holy God redeems our souls.	We have possi- bility of "eternal life".	1 Cor. 1:18-24	John 5:48-55	2 days before Pascha	Great Holy Fri.
Holy and Glorious Pascha	Jesus Christ's resurrection in human form	Jesus Christ rising from dead and giving "eternal life" to good.	ºJesus Christ is Holy God. ºOpening possi- bility of "eternal life"	ºJesus Christ's victory over death. ºWe have possi- bility of "eternal life".	Acts 1:1-9	John 1:1-17	1st Sun. after 1st full moon after 03/20 Ear- liest is 03/22 latest is 04/25.	Feasts of Feasts
Ascension into Heaven of Our Lord, God Savior, Jesus Christ	Jesus Christ's ascension in human form into heaven.	Jesus Christ going to heaven.	Jesus Christ is Holy God.	Jesus Christ's victory over death.	Acts 1:1-12	Lk. 24:36-53	40th day of Pascha	Great Feast Class 1
Exaltation of Precious and Lifegiving Holy Cross	Jesus Christ's Holy Cross is found.	ºSt Helena finding Holy Cross ºRecovering Holy Cross from Persians, returning It to Jerusalem, and raising It up (exalting).	Holy Cross is a sign of glory and victory.	Jesus Christ's victory over death.	1 Cor. 1:18-24	John 19:6-11, 13-20, 25-28a, 30-35a	14 Sept.	Great Feast Class 1

Liturgical Cycle

Great Feast Days

Feasts Days - Specific

Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ
The Theotokos
The Holy Prophet and Glorious Forerunner John the Baptist

Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center
Martha Liles
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Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center is dedicated to my cousins: Bucky (Richard C. Liles), Shirley (Shirley Jean Liles Buck), and Donna (Donna Bertha Liles Campbell). Bucky fell asleep in the Lord on Dec. 12, 2000, Shirley fell asleep in the Lord on Nov. 8, 2001, and Donna fell asleep in the Lord on March 9, 2020.
O God of all spirits and of all flesh, who have destroyed death, overcome the devil, and given life to the world: grant, O Lord, to the souls of your servants Bucky and Shirley, who has departed from this life, that it may rest in a place of light, in a place of happiness, in a place of peace, where there is no pain, no grief, no sighing. And since You are a gracious God and the Lover of Mankind, forgive him/her every sin he/she has committed by thought, or word, or deed, for there is not a man who lives and does not sin : You alone are without sin, your righteousness is everlasting, and your word is true. You are the Resurrection and the Life, and the repose of your departed servants Bucky and Shirley. O Christ our God, and we send up glory to You, together with your eternal Father and your all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and always and for ages upon ages. Amen.

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