Binding his donkey to the vine, And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine, He washed his garments in wine, And his clothes in the blood of grapes. —Genesis 49:11 “Hosanna in the Highest!“
Entry of Our Lord into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday)
Troparion — Tone 4 When we were buried with You in Baptism, O Christ God, We were made worthy of eternal life by Your Resurrection! Now we praise You and sing: Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord!

As in Paradise, God walks in the Scripture, seeking man. + St Ambrose of Milan

On Great and Holy Monday, the Orthodox Church commemorates the patriarch Joseph, betrayed by his brothers and sold to foreigners for thirty pieces of silver. In the Old Testament story (Genesis 37, 39, 41), Joseph typifies in himself the betrayal, Passion, death and glorification of out Lord Jesus Christ.

On Great, Holy and Good Friday, March 30, 1945, the Righteous Martyr Maria of Paris (Skobtsova) was selected for the Nazi gas chamber at Ravensbruck, where she met her martyrdom on Great and Holy Saturday. For her efforts in rescuing Jewish children in Paris, she is among the "righteous gentiles" honored in Israel. St Maria devised a plan involving Paris garbage collectors, who hid the children in trash cans so they could be whisked away to safety outside the city and spared from the same death she would suffer.

“Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.” Matt. 21:20

On Great and Holy Monday, we remember Christ's divine power and of God's judgment symbolized in Christ’s cursing of the fig tree. The tree portrayed the Jewish synagogue, which had not produced the fruit of faithful obedience to God and so was stripped of all spiritual grace. (Matt. 21: 18-20)

Behold the Bridegroom cometh in the middle of the night, And blessed is the servant whom He shall find watching, And again unworthy is the servant whom He shall find heedless. Beware, therefore, O my soul, do not be weighed down with sleep, Lest you be given up to death and lest you be shut out of the Kingdom. But rouse yourself crying: Holy, Holy, Holy, are You, O our God! Through the Theotokos have mercy on us!

The focus of Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Holy Week is on the End Times. Normal life has come to and end. It began when our Lord "exceedingly sorrowful even unto death” (Matt 26:38). "Normal" men shouted “Crucify Him." The “normal” world calls for war against the light. Jesus, the Light of the world, is the fulfillment of Pascha: the passage: from death into life, darkness to light, from this present "world”, into the Kingdom. Already, we can be “not of this world”, longing and preparing, for the “world to come”. "Behold the Bridegroom comes at midnight, And blessed is the servant whom He shall find watching..."

"But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be." + Matt. 24:37 (from the Presanctified Liturgy Gospel reading for Holy Tuesday)

Holy Wednesday

“I cry to Thee, O Saviour: Deliver me from the filth of my works."

Great and Holy Wednesday

"For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her." + Matthew 26:12-13

The Holy Fire service at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Holy Saturday will be available via live stream at www.tv4e.gr/livestreaming.php and at facebook.com/JerusalemPatriarchate/ at 1pm Jerusalem/ 6am ET in N. America.

Humility is the thought and conviction of our heart that we are more sinful than all men and unworthy of the mercy of God. Reviling ourselves doesn’t mean that we have true humility. True humility is when someone shames and abuses us publicly, and we endure it and say, “God ordered that brother to shame me for my many sins.”

We should receive everything as a command of God. When someone shames you, say that God commanded him to do it. When someone takes something of yours, God commanded him to take it, in order to make you a monk. When you are removed from a higher place, God changed your place so that you would change from your passions and bad habits. This is true humility.

Elder Paisius of Sihla

Great and Holy Thursday

Of Thy Mystical Supper, O Son of God accept me today as a communicant for I will not speak of thy mysteries to Thine enemies neither will I give Thee a kiss as did Judas but like the thief will I confess Thee; Remember me O Lord when you come into Your kingdom! Remember me, O Master when you come into Your kingdom! Remember me, O Holy One when You come into Your kingdom!

"Come, let us all sing the praises of Him who was crucified for us, For Mary said when she beheld Him upon the tree: Though You do endure the cross, You are my Son and my God!"

+ Kontakion, Great and Holy Thursday, Tone 8

"Behold, the Bridegroom Comes"

Great and Holy Thursday Matins and washing of the feet, Archbishop Ambrose at St. Petersburg Theological Academy

Original, full video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZ0fN1VPJtM

From this day on, mainly guard your heart in the most careful way for Him alone, and do not let anything worldly, corruptible, or any passion take possession of you.

☦️ St John of Kronstadt

Holy Thursday celebrates four events:
[1] The washing of the disciples' feet
[2] The institution of the Mystery of the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper,
[3] The agony of Christ in the garden of Gethsemane
[4] The betrayal of Christ by Judas.

The Holy Chrism is traditionally blessed during the Liturgy on this day.

“When the glorious disciples were enlightened at the washing of their feet before the supper, then the impious Judas was darkened, ailing with avarice and to the lawless judges he betrays You, the righteous Judge. Behold, O lover of money, this man who because of money hanged himself. Flee from the greedy soul which dared such things against the Master. O Lord, who is good towards all men, glory to You!”