Read it here.
Ask yourself these questions:
Have I respected my parents and been obedient to them?
Have I deceived my parents or caused them pain by my words or actions?
Have I respected the elderly?
Have I neglected my family?
Have I been wanting in love or kindness toward my husband (or wife), or harmed him (or her) in any way?
Have I set my children a good example and tried to bring them up properly?
Have I overindulged or spoiled them?
Have I neglected my godchildren and failed in my obligations toward them?
We often think of the Commandment against killing as being only in the physical sense of the word kill. To take ones physical life. We can kill someone not only by taking his life but by our words by the actions of the tongue, the ruining of one’s reputation, character. or standing. St James reminds us that the tongue is a fire… a restless evil, full of deadly poison, with it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in the likeness of God (James 3:6, 8-9). Idle gossip will also fall under this category even what would seem harmless can kill. St Paul refers to this when he says, Let no evil talk come our of your mouths, but only such as is good for edifying, as fits the occasion, that it may impart grace to those who hear (Ephesians 4:29). The most poignant passage comes from Jesus Himself, Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea (Matthew 18:6). Just causing one to sin is a terrible crime! Even bearing hatred in ones heart towards another is the same as killing that person. Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him (1 John 3:15).
Ask yourself these questions:
Have I caused injury or death to anyone, or wished someone were dead?
Have I fantasized about harming anyone?
Have I thought about committing suicide?
Have I been cruel to anyone?
Have I mistreated animals?
Have i failed to forgive anyone for anything?
Have I failed to stand up for those unjustly treated?
Ponder these things before your next confession.
3rd Sunday of Great Lent ~ Adoration of the Cross
Hebrews 4:14-16, 5:1-6
Mark 8:34-38; 9:1
1. to renounce his arrogance and disobedience to God’s plan.
2. to lift up his personal cross (the difficulties of life) with patience, faith and the full acceptance of the Will of God without complaint that the burden is too heavy; having denied himself and lifted up his cross leads him to the,
These three voluntary steps are three links which cannot be separated from each other, because the main power to accomplish them is the Grace of God, which man always invokes. The Adoration of the Cross is expressed by the faithful through prayer, fasting, alms giving and the forgiveness of the trespasses of others. On this Sunday the Adoration of the Cross is commemorated with a special service following the Divine Liturgy in which the significance of the Cross is that ti leads to the Resurrection of Christ.
From THE GREAT LENT – A Week by Week Meaning Rev. George Mastrantonis
The Aposticha Prayers for the Vespers on Thursday Evening of the 3rd Week of Great Lent:
O Christ our God, the life of all, You were hung upon the Cross: restore life to my soul, slain by my sins. Do not allow Your sheep to perish completely, O Good Shepherd. I have rebelled against Your commandments, and through my willful live of sin, I have wasted the wealth of innocence that You gave me. Living like the Prodigal, I have grown corrupt and loathsome. But bring me to repentance and renew me, for You alone are full of mercy.
Your martyrs, O Lord, did not deny You, nor did they fall away from Your commandments. At their intercession, have mercy on us.
Like the prodigal, I squandered the riches which the Father gave me. Now I am destitute and dwell in the land of the wicked. In my folly, I have become like the senseless beasts, stripped of all the grace of God. But turning back, I cry aloud to you, the compassionate and merciful Father: “I have sinned, O God! Receives me as a penitent and have mercy on me.”
O Holy martyrs, you were living sacrifices, spiritual holocausts, victims pleasing to the Lord, sheep who know their divine Master and are known by Him whose fold is inaccessible to the ravaging wolves. Intercede with the Good Shepherd that we, too, may be nourished with you beside the sill waters.
“Dad” Work
My Spanish continues to improve thanks to the generous help of the kids and Hogar staff. Although it still has a long way to go, it’s allowed me to be called on to take a larger role in assisting Erica and the Nannies in keeping the boys in line, especially in church.
In September, we took the boys on a hike up the active Pacaya Volcano to see the lava. We only made it halfway up due to the weather and new lava over the trails (10 ft deep in places). It was too rugged and sharp for our younger members to scale. We did get close enough to see some of the new lava, though
In November, a team from Minnesota (St. Mary’s OCA and St. Mary’s GOCA) visited the orphanage. The men from the team took the boys on our first visit to the Parque Ecolo’gico Senderos de Alux (ecolcogical park) near Guatemala City. Fr. Chris led us all in a hiking chant, “Somos hombres” (We are Men!) as we stomped and hiked the trails of the Park.
Construction Trades, Carpenteria
The boys completed their first carpentry project: Tool boxes. This project taught them the fundamentals of reading and interpreting simple plans, measuring and laying out rectangular figures and curves. This was followed by learning how to cut, finish, and assemble the pieces. It turns out one of the biggest benefits of these projects is that the kids are really learning how to understand and use fractions—the tangible applications seem to help their comprehension of this aspect of mathematics! Volunteers, Luke Naame and Stephen Bober from, Wichita, Kansas assisted in the carpentry classes! Both girls and boys are now working on the second project: a nail box.
The Invernadero (greenhouse) project for Professor Claudia’s Doctoral project was completed in late September as well! This has been a great learning project for the kids as we went through all the fundamentals of house framing. The kids learned how to lay out, excavate and pour the foundations in concrete. Then they were taught how to lay brick, measure, cut and assemble wood frames for walls and rafters for the roof.
Applied Computer Skills
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) classes are now held entirely at the Hogar in the room dedicated to the Smart board (a fantastic interactive screen donated by a team from Indianapolis). We are working through an exciting teaching manual, “Mapping Our World” from ESRI. The course teaches the students important geographic concepts including, physical geography (e.g. tectonic plates, earthquakes and volcanoes, climate, vegetation, ecosystems), Human geography (population patterns, processes, political geography), and how these two elements interact. The lessons are framed in the context of a formal step by step geographic investigation process that lead them from constructing a Hypothesis, through constructing queries for data tied to map features, to analyzing the data and developing plans of action based on the results of the investigation.
Other Duties as Assigned
This coming year I will assist in the long range Facilities Planning for the orphanage annex at the monastery. There will also be a continued investigation into, and repair of, the Hogar water system. A proposal for storm water drainage and disposal near the church will also be proposed.
“As I see it, one of my responsibilities is to be your representative here; I am your presence with the nuns and children”. Your contributions enable me to be here and act in your name, to extend your community to the children and staff. Please help me in this task by going online to http://www.ocmc.org/giving.php and making your donation there to my name under long term missionaries. Thank you!
The Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC) is the official international mission agency of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA). Its purpose is to encourage, support and facilitate the establishment and development of self-supporting, Eucharistic Orthodox Christian communities worldwide, thus incorporating the person into the fullness of a life in Christ. For more information on OCMC’s long-term missionaries, contact the Mission Center at 1-877-463-6784 or by e-mail at missionaries@ocmc.org.