St. Anthony of the Desert Orthodox Mission
8923 S Main St
Mesilla Park NM 88047
Pastor: Rev. Mark Phillips
Pastor Emeritus: V. Rev Gabriel Rochelle
Clergy: Dn Theodore Brinegar
Reader: Blake George Davenport
Subdeacon: Christopher Encapera
Subdeacon: Aaron Holloway
Subdeacon: Vladimir Michael Laven
Music Director: Justin Harper
Altar Server: Charles Davenport
Altar Server: Jean-Paul Morales
Altar Server: Joshua Rosenblatt
Email: frmarkphillips@gmail.com
Website: https://stanthonylc.org/
Sunday April 30, 2023
Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women
About the beginning of His thirty-second year, when the Lord Jesus was going throughout Galilee, preaching and working miracles, many women who had received of His beneficence left their own homeland and from then on followed after Him. They ministered unto Him out of their own possessions, even until His crucifixion and entombment; and afterwards, neither losing faith in Him after His death, nor fearing the wrath of the Jewish rulers, they came to the sepulchre, bearing the myrrh-oils they had prepared to annoint His body. It is because of the myrrh-oils, that these God-loving women brought to the tomb of Jesus that they are called the Myrrh-bearers. Of those whose names are known are the following: first of all, the most holy Virgin Mary, who in Matthew 27:56 and Mark 15:40 is called "the mother of James and Joses" (these are the sons of Joseph by a previous marriage, and she was therefore their step-mother); Mary Magdalene (celebrated July 22); Mary, the wife of Clopas; Joanna, wife of Chouza, a steward of Herod Antipas; Salome, the mother of the sons of Zebedee, Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus; and Susanna. As for the names of the rest of them, the evangelists have kept silence (Matt 27:55-56; 28:1-10. Mark 15:40-41. Luke 8:1-3; 23:55-24:11, 22-24. John 19:25; 20:11-18. Acts 1:14).
Together with them we celebrate also the secret disciples of the Saviour, Joseph and Nicodemus. Of these, Nicodemus was probably a Jerusalemite, a prominent leader among the Jews and of the order of the Pharisees, learned in the Law and instructed in the Holy Scriptures. He had believed in Christ when, at the beginning of our Saviour's preaching of salvation, he came to Him by night. Furthermore, he brought some one hundred pounds of myrrh-oils and an aromatic mixture of aloes and spices out of reverence and love for the divine Teacher (John 19:39). Joseph, who was from the city of Arimathea, was a wealthy and noble man, and one of the counsellors who were in Jerusalem. He went boldly unto Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus, and together with Nicodemus he gave Him burial. Since time did not permit the preparation of another tomb, he placed the Lord's body in his own tomb which was hewn out of rock, as the Evangelist says (Matt. 27:60).
Announcements
We will be holding our last class for Evanglizers and Ushers on Sunday May 7, 2023. Thank you all who attended.
On Sunday April 30, 2023 we will be having a General Meeting for all members of the parish after Divine Liturgy. At this meeting we will be discussing the next phase of our building renovation. Hope to see you all there.
Happy Birthday!! May God grant you many years!!
Elaine May Delcorral 5/1 Anna Gray 5/6
A Word from St. John Chrysostom
On the Myrrhbearing Women
Let us men imitate the women; let us not forsake Jesus in temptations. For these women spent so much of their money and exposed their lives for Him even though He was dead, but we neither feed Him when hungry, nor clothe Him when naked; seeing Him begging, we pass Him by. And yet if you saw Him Himself, you would strip yourself of all your goods. But even now it is the same. For He Himself has said, I am he. Why then do you not strip yourself of all your goods? For indeed even now you hear Him say, you do it unto Me. And there is no difference whether you give to another man or to Him; you have more money than these women who fed Him, much more. But do not be perplexed! For it is not so much to have fed Him appearing in His own person–which would be enough to prevail over a heart of stone–as to wait upon the poor, the maimed, and him who is bent down. The reward is great for your benevolence. And this is the proof of the greater reverence towards Him: when, at His mere word, you minister to your fellow-servant, you refresh Him in all things. Refresh Him, and believe in Him. He will receive it and say, You give unto Me. For unless you give to Him, He will not count you worthy of the kingdom.
A Word from the Fathers
“These eight passions should be destroyed as follows: gluttony by self-control; unchastity by desire for God and longing for the blessings held in store; avarice by compassion for the poor; anger by goodwill and love for all men; worldly dejection by spiritual joy; listlessness by patience, perseverance and offering thanks to God; self-esteem by doing good in secret and by praying constantly with a contrite heart; and pride by not judging or despising anyone in the manner of the boastful Pharisee (cf. Luke 18 : 11–12), and by considering oneself the least of all men. When the intellect has been freed in this way from the passions we have described and been raised up to God, it will henceforth live the life of blessedness, receiving the pledge of the Holy Spirit (cf. 2 Cor. 1 : 22). And when it departs this life, dispassionate and full of true knowledge, it will stand before the light of the Holy Trinity and with the divine angels will shine in glory through all eternity.”
+ St. John Damascene, “On the Virtues and the Vices” from The Philokalia: The Complete Text (Vol. 2)
Schedule of Services
Saturday April 29, 2023 Great Vespers 5:00 Pm
Sunday April 30, 2023 Hours 9:30 Am
Sunday April 30, 2023 Divine Liturgy 10:00 Am
Gospel and Epistle Readings for April 30, 2023
ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 6:1-7
In those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists murmured against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the body of the disciples and said, "it is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word." And what they said pleased the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochoros, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaos, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands upon them. And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.
MARK 15:43-47; 16:1-8
At that time, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. And Pilate wondered if he were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the body to Joseph. And he bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud, and laid him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid. And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?" And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back; for it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed. And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here; see the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you." And they went out and fled from the tomb; for trembling and astonishment had come upon them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.