Adam,
God's first-formed man, transgressed: could He[God] not at once have
brought death upon him? But see what the Lord does, in His great love
towards man. He casts him out from Paradise, for because of sin he was
unworthy to live there; but He puts him to dwell over against Paradise:
that seeing whence he had fallen, and from what and into what a state he
was brought down, he might afterwards be saved by repentance.- St. Cyril
of Jerusalem
St. Simon of Cyrene Orthodox Mission (about)
St. Simon of Cyrene Orthodox Mission (about)
The Gospel of Day (Matthew 25:31-46 21st)
Orthodox Metropolis of Zambia & Malawi
31 “When the Son of Man shall come in His glory and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory.
32 And before Him shall be gathered all nations, and He shall separate them one from another as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats.
33 And He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.
34 Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, ‘Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
35 For I hungered, and ye gave Me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took Me in;
36 naked, and ye clothed Me; I was sick, and ye visited Me; I was in prison, and ye came unto Me.’
37 Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when saw we Thee hungering and fed Thee, or thirsty and gave Thee drink?
38 When saw we Thee a stranger and took Thee in, or naked and clothed Thee?
39 Or when saw we Thee sick, or in prison, and came unto Thee?’
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, ‘Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me.’
41 “Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
42 For I hungered, and ye gave Me no meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave Me no drink;
43 I was a stranger, and ye took Me not in; naked, and ye clothed Me not; sick and in prison, and ye visited Me not.’
44 Then shall they also answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when saw we Thee hungering or athirst or a stranger, or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister unto Thee?’
45 Then shall He answer them, saying, ‘Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to Me.’
46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal.”
For Russian, Portuguese, Swahili, Chinese and Arabic please scroll down.
Love is a state of freedom, responsibility and a testimony of the truth
The Second Coming of Christ and our final judgment (icon from here)
Orthodox Archbishopric of Zimbabwe and Angola
Meatfare Sunday was consecrated by our Church in order to prepare us for our entry into the Great forty day Lent period, so that the message of the Salvation of Passion week and Easter will have a positively influence and benefit our life, as much as in the world we live in daily, as well in the other, eternal life.
The entire hymnology and Meatfare Sunday’s Epistle and Gospel extracts constitute an attempt on the part of our church to emphasise God’s love towards all of us, not only simply to improve our life, but also so that we might be saved, so that we might repent from our sins before they bring about eternal death, that is, our non communion with God.
Through the reference that our church makes today to the Second Coming of Christ and our final judgment, it expresses a lively interest in our salvation stressing simultaneously the mercy and compassion of God towards all of us.
The name Meatfare Sunday is derived from the fact that from the following days begins our abstinence from eating meat (from - meat). By using this method, our Church wants to help us have a strong will to discern good from bad. With similar clarity, Meatfare Sunday took on the name of Carnival Sunday from the Christian Nations of Western Europe. Carnival is coming from the latins words carnem levare and means abstaining from eating meat.
The identity of this festival Masket - carnaval with its masked balls and fairs and merry making does not have any connection and relevance to meaning of the festival, which our Church wants to stress to us. The custom of the Carnival can be linked to ancient Pagan customs, which create a false, and temporary joy, helping us to momentarily forget the problems with which we are preoccupied.
In order to deeply understand the meaning of our life, in today’s Gospel extract mention is made of the Day of Judgment during the Second Coming of Christ, where according to Christian teaching, all people will be judged whether they will live eternally in God’s blessed Kingdom in Heaven, or in the pain and grief of hell. In reality, God’s justice for our judgment can be linked to the content of the choices we make during our life. by choosing to perform good deeds we choose Heaven. By choosing injustice at the expense of our fellow human beings, we choose Hell. In order to have the hope of Paradise, our thoughts and deeds must look to the good of society. Hence, if in our life we choose love we have the hope of Paradise. If we become bearers of indifference and hatred we become worthy of Hell.
Love is a state of freedom, responsibility and a testimony of the truth. In contrast, every kind of indifferent performance against goodness, constitutes a form of participation in the performance of evil and in the final analysis is expressed as hatred. Hatred with its increase can lead even to murder. Where pure and non-judgmental love is absent towards all people, hatred begins to develop. Hatred encircles and organizes our life and perverts our personality. Hatred corrupts us, it makes us criminals. Finally hatred kills the hater and the hated with the awakening and vengeance and revenge. Revenge never leads to positive results. It always leads to destruction and tragedies. With hatred you never become tranquil. You are always restless and unfortunate.
Hatred expresses divided and sick human existence. The life of those who hate can be linked to destruction and misfortune. Whereas hatred makes you ugly; love not only saves you but makes your life beautiful because the source of our love is God’s love. The Apostle Paul says that “God is love and he who lives in God’s love has God living in him”. Hence, today’s Gospel extract has as its central theme the Future Judgment. Thus according to the assurance given to us by our Lord Jesus Christ, the criterion of that great moment will be the practice of love, man’s love towards other people. We see therefore God’s criterion, to be basically dependent on us, from the attitude we have adopted towards our fellow human beings.
That is, to what extent we gave water to one that was thirsty, if we gave hospitality to the stranger, if we helped the poor, if we supported the needs of our neighbour, of every person that we meet and that we are able to help.
Our compassionate and charitable attitude will stand, according to the testimony of today’s Gospel extract, as the only measure and criterion for our judgment. Of course, other people’s problems many times are of huge dimensions. But God does not ask us to immediately solve all the problems of the world. The whole world’s thirst cannot be quenched from a single tap of water. But those near by and those passing through can benefit. God asks us to do whatever we are capable of doing. He always asks that the motive for our thoughts and deeds to be our love for our neighbours. When the motive of love exists then means of activity and action are easily found.
"What is the meaning of the Parable of the Sheep and Goats?"
SATUARDAY OF SOULS 2018 WAS OBSERVED AT DORMITION OF THEOTOKOS IN BUJUMBURA, BURUNDI (from here)
Orthodox Metropolis of Zambia & Malawi
The Parable of the Sheep and Goats is part of the Olivet Discourse. It is found in Matthew 25:31-46. A parable is a short, simple story of comparison. Jesus used parables to teach spiritual truths by means of earthly situations.
Jesus begins the parable by saying it concerns His return in glory to set up His kingdom (Matthew 25:31). Therefore, the setting of this event is at the beginning of the millennium, after the tribulation. All those on earth at that time will be brought before the Lord, and He will separate them “as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left” (verses 32–33). The sheep are those who were saved during the tribulation; the goats are the unsaved who survived the tribulation.
The sheep on Jesus’ right hand are blessed by God the Father and given an inheritance. The reason is stated: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me” (verses 35-36). The righteous will not understand: when did they see Jesus in such a pitiful condition and help Him? “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me’” (verses 39-40).
The goats on Jesus’ left hand are cursed with eternal hell-fire, “prepared for the devil and his angels” (verse 41). The reason is given: they had opportunity to minister to the Lord, but they did nothing (verses 42-43). The damned ask, “Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?” (verse 44). Jesus replies, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me” (verse 45).
Jesus then ends the discourse with a contrast: “They will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life” (verse 46).
From Tanzania, holy communion
However, Scripture does not contradict itself, and the Bible clearly and repeatedly teaches that salvation is by faith through the grace of God and not by our good works (see John 1:12; Acts 15:11; Romans 3:22-24; Romans 4:4-8; Romans 7:24-25; Romans 8:12; Galatians 3:6-9; and Ephesians 2:8-10). In fact, Jesus Himself makes it clear in the parable that the salvation of the “sheep” is not based on their works—their inheritance was theirs “since the creation of the world” (Matthew 25:34), long before they could ever do any good works!
The good works mentioned in the parable are not the cause of salvation but the effect of salvation. As Christians we become like Christ (see Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18; and Colossians 2:6-7). Galatians 5:22 tells us that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. Good works in a Christian’s life are the direct overflow of these traits, and are only acceptable to God because of the relationship that exists between servant and Master, the saved and their Savior, the sheep and their Shepherd (see Ephesians 2:10).
The core message of the Parable of the Sheep and Goats is that God’s people will love others. Good works will result from our relationship to the Shepherd. Followers of Christ will treat others with kindness, serving them as if they were serving Christ Himself. The unregenerate live in the opposite manner. While “goats” can indeed perform acts of kindness and charity, their hearts are not right with God, and their actions are not for the right purpose – to honor and worship God.
See also
Love the sinner, hate the sin
"We are called to holiness!" ― Two orthodox voices from Africa about the Sunday of All Saints
"That is the purpose of the Church, to make people holy"
The Kingdom of Heaven, where racial discrimination has no place
And yet, the Orthodox Church have saints in South Africa & in the whole of Sub-Saharan Africa...
The Great Canon of St Andrew of Crete - a dialog between a human and his soul
LIVE, BEYOND THE LIMITS!
An Atonement of Shame – Orthodoxy and the Cross
Heaven & Hell in the Afterlife Acc. To The Bible
Salvation and atonement (& The significance of the “Antilytron”)
The Uncreated Light
"THE WAY" - An Introduction to the Orthodox Faith
Orthodoxy in South Africa before and after Apartheid
Justice and mercy
The Gospel of Day in Russian, Portuguese, Swahili, Chinese and Arabic
The Book of Gospel for holy liturgy (from here)
Orthodox Metropolis of Zambia & Malawi
От Матфея 25:31-46
Козлы и овцы
31 Когда Сын Человеческий придет в Своей славе и с Ним все ангелы, тогда Он сядет на престоле Своей славы. 32 Перед Ним будут собраны все народы, и Он отделит одних людей от других, как пастух отделяет овец от козлов. 33 Овец Он соберет по правую сторону от Себя, а козлов – по левую.
34 Тогда Царь скажет тем, кто по правую сторону: «Придите ко Мне, благословенные Моим Отцом, получите ваше наследство – Царство, приготовленное вам еще от создания мира. 35 Потому что Я был голоден, и вы накормили Меня; Я хотел пить, и вы напоили Меня; Я был странником, и вы приютили Меня. 36 Я был наг, и вы одели Меня; Я был болен, и вы ухаживали за Мной; Я был в темнице, и вы пришли навестить Меня». 37 Тогда праведные скажут: «Господи, когда это мы видели Тебя голодным и накормили Тебя? Когда Ты хотел пить, и мы дали Тебе напиться? 38 Когда мы видели Тебя странником и приютили Тебя, или видели нагим и одели? 39 Когда мы видели Тебя больным или в темнице и навестили Тебя?» 40 Царь им ответит: «Говорю вам истину: то, что вы сделали одному из наименьших Моих братьев, вы сделали Мне».
41 Тогда Он скажет и тем, кто будет по левую сторону: «Идите от Меня, проклятые, в вечный огонь, приготовленный для дьявола и его ангелов. 42 Потому что Я был голоден, и вы не накормили Меня; Я хотел пить, и вы не напоили Меня; 43 Я был странником, и вы не приютили Меня; Я был наг, и вы не одели Меня; Я был болен и в темнице, и вы не навестили Меня». 44 Они тоже спросят: «Господи, когда это мы видели Тебя голодным, или когда Ты хотел пить, или был странником, или нуждался в одежде, или был болен, или в темнице, и мы не помогли Тебе?» 45 Он им ответит: «Говорю вам истину: все, чего вы не сделали для одного из наименьших, вы не сделали Мне».
46 И они пойдут в вечное наказание, а праведники – в вечную жизнь.
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O fim do sermão profético. A vida eterna e o castigo eterno
31 E, quando o Filho do Homem vier em sua glória, e todos os santos anjos, com ele, então, se assentará no trono da sua glória; 32 e todas as nações serão reunidas diante dele, e apartará uns dos outros, como o pastor aparta dos bodes as ovelhas. 33 E porá as ovelhas à sua direita, mas os bodes à esquerda. 34 Então, dirá o Rei aos que estiverem à sua direita: Vinde, benditos de meu Pai, possuí por herança o Reino que vos está preparado desde a fundação do mundo; 35 porque tive fome, e destes-me de comer; tive sede, e destes-me de beber; era estrangeiro, e hospedastes-me; 36 estava nu, e vestistes-me; adoeci, e visitastes-me; estive na prisão, e fostes ver-me. 37 Então, os justos lhe responderão, dizendo: Senhor, quando te vimos com fome e te demos de comer? Ou com sede e te demos de beber? 38 E, quando te vimos estrangeiro e te hospedamos? Ou nu e te vestimos? 39 E, quando te vimos enfermo ou na prisão e fomos ver-te? 40 E, respondendo o Rei, lhes dirá: Em verdade vos digo que, quando o fizestes a um destes meus pequeninos irmãos, a mim o fizestes. 41 Então, dirá também aos que estiverem à sua esquerda: Apartai-vos de mim, malditos, para o fogo eterno, preparado para o diabo e seus anjos; 42 porque tive fome, e não me destes de comer; tive sede, e não me destes de beber; 43 sendo estrangeiro, não me recolhestes; estando nu, não me vestistes; e estando enfermo e na prisão, não me visitastes. 44 Então, eles também lhe responderão, dizendo: Senhor, quando te vimos com fome, ou com sede, ou estrangeiro, ou nu, ou enfermo, ou na prisão e não te servimos? 45 Então, lhes responderá, dizendo: Em verdade vos digo que, quando a um destes pequeninos o não fizestes, não o fizestes a mim. 46 E irão estes para o tormento eterno, mas os justos, para a vida eterna.
Igreja Ortodoxa
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Matayo 25:31-46 Neno: Bibilia Takatifu
Kondoo Na Mbuzi (Picha kutoka hapa - My Rafiki)
37 “Kisha wale wenye haki watamjibu, ‘Bwana, ni lini tuli kuona na njaa tukakulisha au ukiwa na kiu tukakupa kitu cha kunywa ? 38 Na ni lini tulikuona ukiwa mgeni tukakukaribisha au ukihitaji nguo tukakuvisha? 39 Na ni lini tulikuona ukiwa mgonjwa au ukiwa kifungoni tukakutembelea?’
40 “Mfalme atajibu, ‘Ninawaambia kweli, kwa jinsi ambavyo mlivyomfanyia mmojawapo wa hawa ndugu zangu walio wadogo, mlini fanyia mimi.’
41 “Kisha atawaambia wale walio kushoto kwake, ‘Ondokeni kwangu ninyi mliolaaniwa, nendeni katika moto wa milele alioan daliwa shetani na malaika zake. 42 Kwa maana nilikuwa na njaa hamkunipa chakula; nilikuwa na kiu na hamkunipa kitu cha kunywa; 43 nilikuwa mgeni wala hamkunikaribisha; nilikuwa uchi hamkuni vika; na nilikuwa mgonjwa na gerezani nanyi hamkuja kunitazama.’
44 “Ndipo wao pia watajibu, ‘Bwana ni lini tulikuona ukiwa na njaa au kiu, au ukiwa mgeni au ukihitaji nguo, au ukiwa mgonjwa na kifungoni na hatukukuhudumia?’
45 “Naye atawajibu, ‘Nawaambieni kweli, kwa jinsi ambavyo hamkumfanyia mmojawapo wa hawa ndugu zangu walio wadogo, hamkuni fanyia mimi.’
46 “Basi hawa wataingia katika adhabu ya milele, lakini wale wenye haki wataingia katika uzima wa milele.”
Kanisa la Orthodox
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ﻣﺘﻰ 25:31-46
ابْنُ الإنسانِ هُوَ الدَّيان
31 «وَعِندَما يَأتِي ابْنُ الإنسانِ فِي مَجدِهِ مَعَ كُلِّ مَلائِكَتِهِ، سَيَجلِسُ عَلَى عَرشِهِ المَجِيدِ. 32 ثُمَّ تُجمَعُ كُلُّ الأُمَمِ أمامَهُ. وَهُوَ سَيَفرِزُ بَعضَهُمْ عَنْ بَعضٍ، كَما يَفرِزُ الرّاعِي الخِرافَ عَنِ الجِداءِ فِي قَطِيعِهِ. 33 فَسَيَضَعُ الخِرافَ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ، وَالجِداءَ عَنْ يَسارِهِ.
34 «ثُمٍّ سَيَقُولُ المَلِكُ لِلَّذِينَ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ: ‹تَعالَوا يا مَنْ بارَكَهُمْ أبِي. خُذُوا المَلَكُوتَ الَّذِي أُعِدَّ لَكُمْ مُنْذُ خَلْقِ العالَمِ. 35 لِأنِّي كُنتُ جائِعاً فَأطعَمْتُمُونِي. كُنْتُ عَطشاناً فَسَقَيتُمُونِي. كُنتُ غَرِيباً فَآوَيتُمُونِي. 36 كُنتُ عُرياناً فَألبَسْتُمُونِي. كُنْتُ مَرِيضاً فَاعتَنَيتُمْ بِي. كُنتُ مَسجُوناً فَزُرتُموني.›
37 «فَيُجيبُهُ الأبرارُ: ‹يا رَبُّ مَتَى رَأيناكَ جائِعاً فَأطعَمْناكَ، أوْ عَطشاناً فَسَقَيناكَ؟ 38 وَمَتَى رَأيناكَ غَرِيباً فَآوَيناكَ، أوْ عُرياناً فَألبَسْناكَ؟ 39 وَمَتَى رَأيناكَ مَرِيضاً أوْ مَسجُوناً فَزُرْناكَ.› 40 فَيَقولُ المَلِكُ: ‹أقولُ الحَقَّ لَكُمْ، كُلُّ شَيءٍ عَمِلْتُمُوهُ لِأحَدِ إخْوَتِي الضُّعَفاءِ فَإنَّما قَدْ عَمِلْتُمُوهُ لِي.›»
41 «ثُمَّ يَقُولُ المَلِكُ لِلَّذِينَ يَقِفُونَ عَنْ يَسارِهِ: ‹ابتَعِدُوا عَنِّي أيُّها المَلعُونُونَ، وَاذْهَبوا إلَى النّارِ الأبَدِيَّةِ المُعَدَّةِ لإبلِيسَ وَمَلائِكَتِهِ. 42 لِأنِّي كُنتُ جائِعاً فَلَمْ تُطْعِموني. كُنْتُ عَطشاناً فَلَمْ تَسْقوني. 43 كُنتُ غَرِيباً فَلَمْ تَأوُونِي. وَكُنْتُ عُرياناً فَلَمْ تُلبِسُونِي. وَكُنتُ مَرِيضاً وَمَسجُوناً فَلَمْ تَزورونِي.›
44 «فَيُجيبُهُ الأشْرارُ: ‹يا رَبُّ، مَتَى رَأيناكَ جائِعاً أوْ عَطشاناً أوْ غَرِيباً أوْ عُرياناً أوْ مَرِيضاً أوْ مَسجُوناً، وَلَمْ نُقَدِّمْ لَكَ ما تَحتاجُ؟›
45 «فَيَقولُ المَلِكُ: ‹أقولُ الحَقَّ لَكُمْ، عِندَما أهمَلْتُمْ عَمَلَ ذَلِكَ لِأحَدِ إخْوَتِي الضُّعَفاءِ، فَإنَّكُمْ إنَّما أهمَلْتُمْ عَمَلَهُ لِي أنا.›
46 «وَهَكَذا يَذْهَبُ الأشْرارُ إلَى عِقابٍ أبَدِيٍّ، أمّا الأبرارُ فَيَذْهَبُونَ إلَى حَياةٍ أبَدِيَّةٍ.»
الكنيسة الأرثوذكسية
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末日的审判
31 “当人子在祂的荣耀中与众天使降临的时候，祂要坐在荣耀的宝座上， 32 万民要聚集在祂面前。祂要把他们分开，就像牧人把绵羊和山羊分开一样。 33 祂要把绵羊放在右边，山羊放在左边。 34 那时，王会对右边的人说，‘我父所赐福的人啊，来承受创世以来为你们预备的国度吧。 35 因为我饥饿时，你们给我吃的；我口渴时，你们给我喝的；我身在异乡时，你们接待我； 36 我赤身露体时，你们给我穿的；我生病时，你们照顾我；我坐牢时，你们来看我。’
37 “那些义人会回答说，‘主啊！我们什么时候见你饿了就给你吃的？见你渴了就给你喝的？ 38 见你身在异乡就接待你？见你赤身露体就给你穿的呢？ 39 我们又什么时候见你生病或坐牢，就去看你呢？’
40 “王会回答说，‘我实在告诉你们，你们帮助我最卑微的一个弟兄，就是帮助我了。’
41 “王又对左边的人说，‘你们这些被咒诅的人，走开！到专为魔鬼及其使者预备的永远不灭的火里去吧！ 42 因为我饥饿时，你们不给我吃的；我口渴时，你们不给我喝的； 43 我身在异乡时，你们不接待我；我赤身露体时，你们不给我衣服；我生病时，你们不照顾我；我坐牢时，你们不来看我。’
44 “他们会问，‘主啊，我们什么时候见你饿了，或渴了，或身在异乡，或赤身露体，或病了，或坐牢，却没有帮助你呢？’
45 “王会回答说，‘我实在告诉你们，你们没有帮助我最卑微的一个弟兄，就是没有帮助我。’ 46 这些人要受永远的刑罚，但义人要得到永远的生命。”
Orthodox Church and Southeast Asia
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