March 30, 2025

Sunday of St. John Climacus

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Today’s Readings

Epistle: Hebrews 6:13-20, Ephesians 5:9-19

Gospel: Mark 9:17-31, Matthew 4:25-5:12

 

Schedule of Services: 

Thursday, April 3rd, Canon of St. Andrew with the Life of St. Mary of Egypt.

Friday, April 4th, Pre-sanctified Liturgy with pot-luck at 6:30pm

Saturday, March 29th, Great Vespers at 4pm.

Sunday, March 30th, Divine Liturgy at 10am.  Hours begin at 9:40am.

 

Announcements:

-Thank you to the Burns’ for hosting coffee hour today.

-There is church school for the children today and next Sunday.

-The April calendar has been posted on our website, along with a detailed schedule for Holy Week.  Please check it out.

-Fr. Tristan will be available for confessions before and after weekday services and Great Vespers on Saturdays (or by specific appointment).  Please schedule your confession before Holy Week, so our attention during Holy Week can be on the Lord’s Passion.  Sunday confessions are for those who have an emergency or are infirm to come to church in the evenings.  Make your confession date a spiritual effort to come to at least one extra service this Lent.

-Please see the downstairs table to contribute to the Baby Shower to help mothers and babies in need.

-Please see the weekly email blitz for information and links regarding the 2025 Young Adult Retreat if you or your teen would like to attend.

-Tonight's Mission Vespers is at Sts. Peter and Paul's Orthodox Church in South River.  Please see the flyer posted on the bulletin board for the address.

 

Prayers for:

Departed: Mitred Archpriest Daniel, Stephen, Richard, Michael Living: Archpriest Vladimir, Michele, Alex, Nina, Jeannine, Erik, William, June, Dilara, Kaylee, Vera, Galina, Sandy, Stephanie and Forrest, Robert, Marie, Fernando, Michael, Bernard, Gerald, David, Robert, Steven; Metropolitan Onuphry and the faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church; the suffering people and innocent victims of the Ukrainian/Russian war and those being persecuted; and the suffering victims of the war in Israel and Palestine.

 

Next Week’s Readings: 

Epistle: Hebrews 9:11-14, Galatians 3:23-29. Brethren, Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Brethren, before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. 24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

 

Gospel: Mark 10:32-45, Luke 7:36-50.  At that time, they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed they were afraid. Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him: 33 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles; 34 and they will mock Him, and [a]scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.” 35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.” 36 And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 37 They said to Him, “Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.” 38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” 39 They said to Him, “We are able.” So Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized; 40 but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared.” 41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John. 42 But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. 44 And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. 37 And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, 38 and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.” 40 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”So he said, “Teacher, say it.” 41 “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?”43 Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” 44 Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. 45 You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. 47 Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” 48 Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”