Saturday, April 27, 2013

Spring Newsletter

Please enjoy our spring issue of Pomegranate Blossoms.  In our cover article we share our thoughts about evangelization in light of the paschal season.  How are monks and nuns called to evangelize?  How are you called to evangelize? Inside, we share the opportunities for prayer we've been able to provide in the past few months (although if you've been following our blog you've probably read about them already!). We also give a list of our upcoming spring/summer/fall events!

Happy Sunday of the Samaritan Woman, one of our favorites!

At the sixth hour, You came to the well, O Fountain of Wonders, to ensnare the fruit of Eve; for at that very hour, she had been driven from Paradise by the guile of the serpent.  When the Samaritan woman came to draw water, You said to her, O Savior: Give Me water to drink, and I will give you waters of eternal life.  And the woman hastened to the city and proclaimed to the people: Come and see Christ the Lord, the Savior of our souls. 
--Stichera from Vespers

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

"Coming from the tomb like a bridegroom"

Christ is Risen!  Indeed He is Risen!

Enjoy this album of photos from our Holy Week and Pascha!


This is the most important time of the year in the Church, but it also has a particular importance for us as Christ the Bridegroom Monastery.

Holy Week is often called "The Week of the Bridegroom" because it is the week in which Jesus gave His life for His bride, the Church. The icon of Christ the Bridegroom depicts Jesus suffering his passion.  But the image of Christ as Bridegroom doesn't come to an end on Good Friday.  We continue to sing about Jesus as the Bridegroom during the paschal season!  Here are some quotes from the Resurrection services:

"Bearing torches let us meet the bridegroom, Christ, as He comes forth from His tomb; and let us greet, with joyful song, the saving Pasch of God." 

"O women, be the heralds of good news and tell what you saw; tell of the vision and say to Sion: 'Accept the good news of joy from us, the news that Christ has risen.' Exult and celebrate and rejoice, O Jerusalem, seeing Christ the King coming from the tomb like a bridegroom." 

"O Passover, save us from sorrow; for today Christ has shown forth from the tomb as from a bridal chamber and filled the women with joy by saying: 'Announce the good news to My Apostles.'"

May your celebration of the Resurrection be filled with the profound joy of knowing Christ's total and particular love for you.