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“Behold the Bridegroom cometh at midnight”: which bridegroom are we talking about?
Behold, the Bridegroom comes at midnight, and blessed is the servant, whom the vigilant will find: but he is not worthy, but the despondent will find him. Take care, my soul, not to be burdened with sleep, lest you be given over to death, and be shut out of the Kingdom, but rise up, calling: Holy, Holy, Holy art thou God, through the Theotokos have mercy on us.
Translation: “Behold, the Bridegroom comes at midnight, and blessed is the servant whom He finds awake, but on the contrary, he is unworthy whom He finds heedless. Look, my soul, do not be overcome by sleep, do not be put to death, and be imprisoned outside the Kingdom, but arise, crying: Holy, Holy, Holy You, O God, through the prayers of the Mother of God, have mercy on us!”
Behold, the Bridegroom comes at midnight
On Holy Monday at Matins the troparion is sung for the first time : “Behold, the Bridegroom comes at midnight, and blessed is the servant who will be found vigilant; he is not worthy again, but the despondent will find him...” This text reflects several Gospel episodes, several parables of Christ, united by one theme - spiritual wakefulness or vigilance. We do not know when Christ will clearly enter our lives - as into ancient Jerusalem; we tend to divide our life into “church” and “rest”, and if we trust this rest of our life by faith, then only according to the principle “Yes, it seems like I haven’t committed any particularly terrible sins.” The Savior says to the disciples: And you be like people who wait for their master to return from marriage, so that when he comes and knocks, you will immediately open the door for him. Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, finds awake (Luke 12 :36–37). In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus Christ also gives an example from the life of servants or slaves. A servant to whom the master has placed special trust, leaving him “on the farm” in his place, can fulfill the will of the master, and then a reward awaits him; or maybe, being angry, you can behave completely differently, unworthily, deciding that the master will not come soon, and therefore you don’t have to think about the consequences (see: Matt. 24 , 45–51).
But the fate of this servant will be very sad. As for the Bridegroom coming at midnight, that is, at night when He is not expected, in the next chapter of the same Gospel of Matthew we read the parable of ten virgins participating in a traditional wedding ceremony. Five of them were wise and had previously stocked up on oil for the lamps with which they were to greet the groom returning with his bride from her parents’ house to their home; and five others did not think about the oil in time (see: Matt. 25 , 1–13). So, stay awake, because you do not know either the day or the hour at which the Son of Man will come - these words of Christ should make us take care of our oil in time, that is, so that the Bridegroom returning to His land will find our lamps - our souls - burning bright and pure for Him.
At the matins of Great Monday, the mournful song is also sung for the first time: “I see Your palace, my Savior, adorned, and there is no clothes for the imam, and there is a stench in the place; enlighten the robe of my soul, Light-Giver, and save me.” These words make us remember the parable of the wedding feast - Matt. 22 , 1–14. Among the guests gathered at the crossroads (that is, simply along the roads - since others, those invited, went some to their field, and some to their trade), a man is found not dressed in wedding clothes (11) - while everyone those invited to the feast were provided with such clothing; if a person is dressed differently, it means he has rejected the gift. We have rejected God's gifts many times, perhaps every day - how will we enter the shining palace? One hope is that the Lord Himself will enlighten our pitiful garments, making them wedding garments.
Finally, the Gospel reading at Matins on Holy Monday is the Curse of the Fig Tree (see: Matt. 21 , 19–20; Mark 11 , 12–14). This is one of the most difficult and harshest pages of the Savior’s earthly life: the only one where He, who had mercy and saved so many times, appears formidable, punishing... But not people, we note, but just a tree that will be cut down tomorrow anyway. Let us recall that after spending the night in Bethany, the Savior returned to the city and felt that he was hungry (hungry): and seeing a fig tree on the road, he approached it and, finding nothing on it except some leaves, said to it: let it not happen in the future. From you is fruit forever. And the fig tree immediately withered. Seeing this, the disciples were surprised and said: How did the fig tree immediately wither?
Evangelist Mark clarifies: the time of figs had not yet come. This clarification may cause confusion if you do not know that the absence of fruits on a spring fig tree, already covered with leaves, meant that there was no previous, autumn harvest.
“Why was the soulless tree cursed? Christ shows by this that He is able and strong to punish His enemies, but He voluntarily gives Himself up to be crucified , this is how John Chrysostom explains what happened. “The Lord cursed the fig tree,” writes St. Ephraim the Syrian, “so that it could serve as a sign for friends and as a warning for enemies.” And Blessed Theophylact of Bulgaria says that “every person who indulges in the pleasures of this life is like a fig tree: he does not have spiritual fruit for the hungry Jesus, but only leaves, that is, a temporary and transitory ghost of this world.”
Finally, Saint Innocent of Kherson reminds us that “the barren fig tree in the Lord’s conversations had previously served as an image of a sinner.” In chapter 13 of the Gospel of Luke, the vinedresser persuades the owner not to cut down a fig tree that does not bear fruit, promising to dig it up and cover it with manure; and the Jerusalem episode with the withered tree warns a person that “covering with manure” - giving a chance - will not be done indefinitely... An inextricable semantic connection: at the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts on Holy Monday, Chapter 24 of the Gospel of Matthew is read, in which the Savior tells the disciples about His the second coming, about the Last Judgment.
What events do we remember on Holy Monday?
Let's turn to the Gospel. After his triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Sunday, Christ went to Bethany, where he spent the night. Then He goes to the city again and sees on the way a fig tree on which there is no fruit: “And seeing one fig tree by the way, he came up to it and, finding nothing on it except some leaves, said to it: let there be no more from you. fruit forever. And the fig tree immediately withered” (Matthew 21:19). Some people may experience misunderstanding and surprise: after all, it was spring, the time for fruit had not yet come - where does such cruelty come from, why curse an innocent tree? Of course, Christ was not mistaken about the time of year and knew perfectly well when the fig tree would bear fruit. Everything is much deeper.
This episode must be understood allegorically: Christ came into the world to his people, who were God-bearing - that is, bearers of faith in the One True God. By the time of the Incarnation, this people had to show the fruits of spiritual life and faith. In fact, everything happened differently, people did not show these fruits, and that is why the words were spoken: “Let there be no fruit from you forever.” For the same reason, other terrible words were spoken: “Jerusalem! Jerusalem! you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! how many times have I wanted to gather your children together, like a bird gathering its chicks under its wings, and you did not want to! Behold, your house is left to you empty” (Luke 13:34-35). Christ wept for Jerusalem, which did not recognize the time of His visit.
After cursing the fig tree, “He came to the temple and taught, and the chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him and said, “By what authority are You doing this?” and who gave you such power? (Matt. 21:23). The Savior answers the question with a question: “I will also ask you about one thing; If you tell Me about this, then I will tell you by what authority I do this; Where did the baptism of John come from: from heaven, or from men? (Matthew 21:23-24) - to which the Pharisees did not answer because they were afraid of the wrath of the people. They could not recognize the divine origin of this baptism, but they could not deny it.
Then Christ tells a parable about the sons called to work in the vineyard, when the first said: “I will not go!” - and went, and the second promised to go - and did not go. Some commentators note an interesting point: that in the reaction of the sons lies the reaction of humanity to the call of God. Everyone follows one of the two paths described in the parable.
The Gospel further tells that Jesus told a parable about the evil winegrowers, in whom the Pharisees and priests recognized themselves. In anger, they were already hatching plans to seize Him, but they were still afraid of the people, since Christ was revered as a prophet.
Behold, the Lord entrusts your talent to you, my soul...
... Receive the gift with fear, borrow from the one who gave it, give to the poor, and gain a friend of the Lord, so that you may stand at His right hand when He comes in glory, and hear the blessed voice: enter into the joy of your Lord. That is worthy to create for me, Savior, who has gone astray, great for the sake of Your mercy” - we hear this stichera on Holy Tuesday. She makes us relive the Gospel parable about the talents (money) received by slaves from the master (see: Matt. 25 , 14-30). Two put the money they received into circulation and handed the profit to the returning gentleman, while the third buried his talent in the ground, based on the fact that the possible profit would not belong to him personally anyway. What the Lord gave us, what we received in Holy Baptism, we must tirelessly increase - for His sake, in order to return to Him with profit: and then He will take care of us. It’s not worth it for us to take care of ourselves, stealthily burying what we receive in the ground.
The Gospel reading at the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is a very large fragment of the Gospel of Matthew, from the 36th verse of the 24th chapter: about that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but only My Father alone; but as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man... - according to the second verse of chapter 26: there will be Passover, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified. There are only two days left until the suffering and death of the Cross, and the disciples of Christ should know this. But this same Gospel reading includes the parable of the ten virgins, which we have already talked about, and the parable of the talents, and the famous words that good done to one’s neighbor is good done to Christ; and refusal to help one’s neighbor is a refusal to the Lord Himself; and at the Last Judgment everyone will be rewarded for what they did or did not do for God (see: Matt. 25, 31–46).
How should we live these days?
You need, of course, to read or listen to the text of the Gospel describing these days. I tell my parishioners to listen because the person who reads these days is a fantastic character, almost as common as dinosaurs. You can listen to these texts on your smartphone - now there are various applications and blogs on YouTube, where the Gospel reading of the day is posted daily. You can take public transport to work, walk down the street or cook dinner at home - and listen, and now you will exist in unison with the Church, even if it is not possible to come to church services. Of course, ideally you need to come to work on this day, but if you are working, headphones will help you. The main thing is your mood, experiences, desire to be together with the whole Church.
It’s great if you have the opportunity to read the Gospel in the morning, in silence, before the daily bustle begins. This creates a special state, concentration, and the right attitude. During the day, you can discuss what you read with someone close to you or listen to the sermon of the day - you probably have favorite priests whom you watch or listen to. And those who have the opportunity to come to the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts and receive communion are the luckiest! That, in fact, is all that can be recommended. I wish all our readers to spend the days of Holy Week fruitfully and to meet the Resurrection of Christ with dignity.
Archpriest Konstantin Lisnyak
If the grain doesn't die...
Holy Wednesday is the day of Jesus Christ's delivery to death. That is why this day of the week is fast all year round - with the exception of continuous weeks. At the morning of Great Wednesday, the Gospel of John is read, chapter 12 (24-27): Truly, truly, I say to you: unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; and if it dies, it will bear much fruit. He who loves his life will destroy it; But he who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life. Whoever serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there will my servant also be. And whoever serves Me, My Father will honor him. My soul is now indignant; and what should I say? Father! deliver Me from this hour! But for this hour I have come.
The terrible days of the Sacrifice of the Cross are getting closer. The worship service is becoming more and more intense, more and more anxious. For the last time - until the next Great Lent - we pray the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian, which set the tone for the Lenten weeks. And at the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts we listen to the Gospel passage (see: Matt. 26 , 6-16) - this time short, but containing two polar human actions, two opposite choices. The choice of the woman who poured precious ointment on the head of Jesus, and the disastrous choice of Judas Iscariot. The most striking thing is that Judas’s act looks like a direct reaction to the Teacher’s words about the woman, which, as we remember, caused discontent among some of the disciples: why are you embarrassing a woman? She did a good deed for Me (...) by pouring this ointment on My body, she prepared Me for burial. Truly, truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the whole world, what she has done will also be told in her memory. Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the high priests...
It should be noted: the Four Gospels describe not one, but three similar episodes of the anointing of Jesus by a woman: Matt. 26 , 6–13 (the same episode in Mark, 14 , 3–9); OK. 7, 36–50; In. 12 , 3–8. And the Church on Great Wednesday sings, most likely, not about what the Evangelist Matthew narrates, but about what is described in Luke and took place during the Galilean period of Christ’s ministry, long before His last entry into Jerusalem: “The harlot cried out in tears.” , Generously, wiping the warmth of Thy most pure head, and groaning from the depths: do not reject me, abhor me, my God: but accept me as I repent, and save me, for I am the only Lover of Mankind...” Yes, that woman was a sinner, perhaps even a harlot; and nothing of the kind is said about the resident of Bethany, who unwittingly prepared the Teacher for burial. However, perhaps it will become easier for us if we realize that not only harlots need forgiveness, but any person, even one as bright and pure as the sister of the resurrected Lazarus, Mary, who also performed the anointing (see: John 12 , 3– 8); that even today all honor to Christ is given precisely by sinful man who hopes in His mercy.
Well, what about Judas? He did not repent of anything and did not seek mercy; he, as St. John Chrysostom writes: “... was not afraid when he heard that the Gospel would be preached everywhere (...); while wives, and harlots' wives, showed such honor to Jesus, he was committing the devil's work... What a great evil is the love of money! It precisely made Judas both a blasphemer and a traitor.”
Groom
The merchant's daughter Natasha disappeared for three days; On the third night she ran into the yard without memory. Father and mother began to approach Natasha with questions. Natasha doesn’t hear them, she’s trembling and barely breathing.
The mother grieved, the father grieved, And they approached for a long time, And finally retreated, But they did not find out the secret. Natasha became as she was, Again blush, cheerful, Again she went with her sisters to sit outside the gate.
Once at the planks at the gate, A girl was sitting with her friends - and then a dashing troika with a young man rushed in front of them. He rides horses covered with a carpet, standing in a sleigh, and drives everyone and crushes them.
When he caught up, he looked, Natasha looked, He flew past like a whirlwind, Natasha died. She runs headlong home. "He! He! found out! - he says, - He is exactly him! hold on, my friends, save me!”
The family listens sadly, shaking their heads; Father to her: “My dear, Open up to me. Tell me who offended you, at least show us the trace.” Natasha cries again. And not another word.
The next morning, the matchmaker Unexpected comes to their yard. He praises Natasha, talking with her father. She sits over a pie, but speaks in a roundabout way, and the poor bride sees no place for herself.
“I agree,” says the father, “Go safely, My Natasha, down the aisle: It’s boring to be alone in the bright room. It’s not time for a maiden to live forever, It’s not time for an orca to sing everything, It’s time to build a nest, So that the babies can rest.”
Natasha leaned against the wall and wanted to say a word - Suddenly she started sobbing, shaking, and crying and laughing. In confusion, the matchmaker runs to her, gives her cold water and pours the rest of the cup on Natasha’s head.
The family collapses and groans. Natasha came to her senses and said: “I am obedient, your Holy will. Invite the groom to a feast. Bake bread for the whole world, Brew honey for glory, and invite the court to a feast.”
“If you please, Natasha, my angel! I’m ready to give my life for your fun!” - And a feast on the mountain; They bake and cook to perfection. Here the honest guests found, They took the bride to the table; The girlfriends are singing, crying, and here the sleigh is galloping.
Here is the groom - and everyone is at the table, Glasses are clinking, rattling, The healthy ladle is going around; Everything is noisy, the guests are drunk.
Groom
Well, dear friends, my red bride does not drink, does not eat, does not serve: What is the bride grieving about?
The bride answers the groom: “I’ll open up at random. There is no peace for my soul, And day and night I cry: An evil dream destroys me.” Her father: “What does your dream say? Tell us, what is it, my dear child?”
“I dreamed,” she says, “I went into a dense forest, And it was late; The moon was barely shining from behind the clouds; I lost my way from the path: in the wilderness I couldn’t hear a soul, And only the pines and spruce trees made noise in their tops.
And suddenly, as if in reality, the Hut is in front of me. I knock on her door and they are silent. I call - no answer; I opened the door with a prayer. I enter - a candle is burning in the hut; I look - silver and gold are everywhere, everything is light and rich.”
Groom
Tell me, what is bad about your dream? Know that you will live richly.
Bride
Wait, sir, it's not over. On silver, on gold, On cloth, rugs, brocade, On Novgorod damask I silently admired And marveled.
Suddenly I hear a scream and a horse stomping... We drove up to the porch. I quickly slammed the door and hid behind the stove. Now I hear many voices... Twelve young men have risen, and with them the dove, the Beautiful Maiden.
They went up in a crowd, without bowing, without noticing the icons; They sit down at the table without praying and without taking off their hats. In first place is the big brother, on the right hand is the little brother, on the left is the dove, a beautiful maiden.
Screaming, laughter, songs, noise and ringing, rampant hangover...
Groom
Tell me, what is bad about your dream? He broadcasts fun.
Bride
Wait, sir, it's not over. There is a hangover, thunder and ringing, The feast is raging happily, Only the girl is grieving.
He sits, is silent, neither eats nor drinks, and wears away his tears with current, And the elder brother takes his knife, whistling and whistling; He looks at the beautiful maiden, And suddenly he grabs her braid, The villain destroys the maiden, He chops off her right hand.
“Well,” says the groom, “this is an outright fable!” But don’t worry, your sleep is not bad, Believe me, maiden soul.” She looks him in the face. “Whose hand is this ring from?” “Suddenly the bride spoke, and everyone stood up from their seats.
The ring rolls and rings, The groom trembles, turning pale; The guests were embarrassed. “The court says: “Hold on, knit the villain!” The villain is chained, convicted and soon executed. Natasha became famous! And the whole song here is ours.
Receive me as a communion
A huge, almost inconceivable day - Maundy Thursday! The day of the Last Supper - the last earthly meal of Jesus with his disciples - is the day of the establishment of the Sacrament of the Eucharist by Christ. “When we receive communion on Maundy Thursday, we receive communion together with the apostles,” this has long been said in the Church. And therefore, Maundy Thursday is the only day of the year when, as a rule, the entire parish of a particular church receives communion during the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great. And this gives rise to a special feeling of evangelical unity in the parishioners - not just warmth and friendship, not just love, but precisely the unity that Christ spoke about when praying to the Father for His disciples: may they all be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I am in You, so may they also be one in Us (John 17:21 ). The hymn “Today Thy secret Supper, O Son of God, receive me as a partaker, lest I tell Thy secret to Thy enemies, nor give Thee a kiss like Judas...” is sung during this Liturgy many times: instead of the Cherubic Song, during the communion of the clergy, the communion of the laity, and then - instead of “Let our lips be filled with Your praise, O Lord.”
During the Liturgy, the First Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians is read, 11 , 23-32, sternly warning us all: ...as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until He comes. Therefore, whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily will be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord.
Then we hear a large composite Gospel, including chapter 13 of the Gospel of John: it tells how Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He came from God and is going to God (3), washed the feet of His disciples : a common sign of respect in the then East for a guest invited to a meal. The Church clearly repeats this lesson of equality and brotherhood, humility and service to one’s neighbor for us every year: on Great, or, as the people also say, Maundy Thursday in each diocese during the Divine Liturgy, the ruling bishop performs the Rite of Washing the Feet. Twelve priests of the diocese participate in this sacred rite.
During the Liturgy we will also hear about the Gethsemane struggle of Christ and, finally, about the betrayal of Judas - no longer a thought, as on Great Wednesday, but about an action brought to the end, to the famous kiss of Judas, which has become a household word. Kontakion of this day - “Bread is received in the hand of the traitor, in secret you extend and accept the price of the Creator of man with His hand, and Judas is a slave and flatterer.”
And in the evening of the same day, the Sequence of the Holy Passion awaits us: matins, already relating to Great Heel (Friday), with the reading of the twelve Gospels. The whole chain of tragic events unfolds before us, starting from the last conversation of the Teacher with the students and ending with the sealing of the Tomb. We become witnesses to the incredible suffering of the God-man; We see how they put on Him, for fun, a crown of thorns and a scarlet robe, depicting royal clothing; how He, having tasted it, refuses to drink a kind of drug - vinegar mixed with bile; we see His loneliness, we hear the ridicule of passers-by. We listen to His last words, we are eyewitnesses of His last actions, and finally, His dying human cry is heard in our ears: “Eloi! Eloi! Lamma savhathani?..” We actually heard these words more than once or twice - “Where have you forsaken me?”, Psalm 21 , 2. “This word, characteristic of human timidity, confirms the truth of Christ’s incarnation, i.e. assures that He was a perfect man, and therefore subject to human fear , writes the 11th-century Byzantine theologian Euthymius Zigaben.
The amazing service of Maundy Thursday (more precisely, Good Friday) more than once turned seemingly hopeless sinners to repentance.
“Did you hear what they read during the all-night vigil today? - he asked when she finally calmed down, - oh, what suffering it was! After all, only through such suffering is it possible... And he forgave! Forgave everyone forever!
He again began to walk around the room with long steps, killing himself, suffering and not feeling how his face was covered with drops of sweat.
- Forgave everyone! - he spoke aloud to himself, - not only those who then gave Him otset with bile to drink, but also those who later, now, and henceforth, forever and ever, will bring otset mixed with bile to His lips... Terrible ! oh, this is terrible!
And suddenly, stopping in front of her, he asked:
- And you... forgave?
Instead of answering, she rushed to him and hugged him tightly.
- You must forgive me! - he continued. - For everyone... And for myself... and for those who no longer exist... What is this! what happened?! - he exclaimed almost in confusion, looking around. “Where... is everyone?..”
This is the scene of repentance of Judushka Golovlev - an extremely unsympathetic character from the Saltykov-Shchedrin novel.
Today he hangs on a tree, hanging the earth on the waters...
Then it was the Friday before Easter, and it was six o’clock. And Pilate said to the Jews: Behold, your King! (John 19 , 14). On Great Friday, Friday of Holy Week, the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated. This is the most sorrowful day of the church year - the day of the judgment of Christ, the day of His suffering on the cross and death.
On Friday morning, the hours are celebrated, and in the afternoon - vespers with the removal of the Shroud, that is, in essence, the burial of Christ. At this vespers the troparion is sung : “Blessed Joseph, I took down Your Most Pure Body from the tree, wrapped it in a clean shroud, and covered it with stinks in a new tomb.” A lengthy Gospel is read, which is based on the text of the Evangelist Matthew: the suicide of Judas, who realized a terrible mistake, but did not repent; the choice of the robber Barabbas by the Jewish crowd instead of Christ; symbolic washing of hands by Pontius Pilate; the mockery of Jesus by Roman soldiers and, finally, the path to Golgotha. Two fragments from the Gospels of Luke (about the repentance of the prudent thief) and John are also added to this reading. The Jewish Sabbath is approaching, according to the Law it is impossible for the bodies of those executed to remain on the crosses, they must be removed, and for this it is necessary that the unfortunate ones finally die. Their legs are broken, making it impossible to rise on their feet to inhale. The Scripture, however, came true, the bone of the Lamb (see: Exodus 12 , 10) was not broken - Jesus of Nazareth had already died by that hour: but one of the soldiers pierced His ribs with a spear, and blood and water immediately flowed out (John 19 , 34 ).
And here, in these same minutes of the service, a mournful line of myrrh-bearing women appears before us: Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James and Josiah, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee (Matthew 27:56 ). In a little over a day, on the “radiant night,” we will pass their path to the sealed doors of the Tomb.
