ՇՈՂ - SHOGH
FIFTH SUNDAY OF GREAT LENT SUNDAY OF JUDGE
SYNAXIS READINGS
Isaiah 65.8-25
Philippians 3.1-4.9
Luke 17.20-18.14
Morning Service at 9:30 am
Divine Liturgy at 10:30 am
Celebrated by
REV. ARCHPRIEST FR. ZAREH ZARGARIAN
Vicar and Parish Priest
Choirmaster Dn. Shahe Altounian
Organist Mrs. Sona Artinian
PHILIPPIANS
3.1-4.9
Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh though I myself have reasons for such confidence.
If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.
But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in a
Christ the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained. Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends!
I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
LUKE
17.20-18.14
Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.” c
Then he said to his disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. People will tell you, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Do not go running off after them. For the Son of Man in his day d will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.
“Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.
“It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.
“It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day no one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. Remember Lot’s wife! Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it. I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.”
“Where, Lord?” they asked.
He replied, “Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather.”
Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’
“For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’ ”
And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people robbers, evildoers, adulterers or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Our Lord commands: “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” (Luke 22:40). Everyone who loves and trusts in God needs to talk to Him continuously, and we do it through prayers. Holy Fathers of our church advise, that as important it is to pray in church, it is also vital to continue praying in our daily life. We can pray anytime and in anyplace, while we are cooking, working, driving, shopping, at school, etc. We may pray in our own words, use the prayers of the saints and also Psalms. Our prayers can be conversations with God or short appeals like 'Father please forgive me', 'Our Lord Jesus Christ please help me', 'Son of God please guide me in all I do'.So, 'Pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus' (1 Thes. 5:17-18).
THE SUNDAY OF THE JUDGE
The Fifth Sunday of Great Lent is the Sunday of the Judge, which takes its name from the Gospel reading of the day (Luke 18:1-7).
This parable reminds us about the importance of the persistent prayer in lives of believers. Jesus told this parable to show, that we should always pray and not give up or become discouraged. We must pray continuously and trust God to answer to our prayers according to His will, not just our wishes.
The Armenian Church observes St. Gregory's Committing to the Pit on the Saturday prior to the Sixth Sunday of Great Lent, the Sunday of Advent, this year March 29. This is the first of three celebrations in Armenian church commemorated to St. Gregory the Illuminator.
The founder of Armenian Church St Gregory was born in 239 AD and was son of Anak Parthian (Պարթեւ) of noble descent. With the encouragement of Sasanid Persians, under the false pretence of
protection Anak moved to Armenia with the intention to assassinate King Khosrov I. He succeeded in his plan, but in retaliation the Armenian nobles slain his family. Anak's Son Gregory was saved by his nanny Sophia and they escaped to Caesarea. Here he was raised and educated in a Christian manner under the guidance of Christian Father Phirmilianos. He got married and had two sons, Aristakes, who succeeded him as Catholicos and attended the Council of Nicea, and Vertanes, who later succeeded his brother as Catholicos.
When Khosrov's son King Trdat came of age, with the support of Roman Emperor Diocletian he went back to Armenia to reclaim his father's throne. Gregory was Trdat's secretary, that came to serve the Armenian King Tirdates III, as a way of cleansing his family name and with the mission to spread Christianity in Armenia. In honor of his triumphal return to Armenia's capital, Vagharshapat, Trdat ordered sacrifices to the pagan goddess Anahit. Gregory refused to take part in the sacrifices. Instead, he confessed his Christian faith. Later his true identity
was revealed as the son of Anak, who had murdered Trdat's father . Gregory was subjected to twelve inhumane tortures, but did not denounce his faith. As a result, he was thrown into a pit, where he stayed for 14 years.
He was consecrated the first Catholicos of the Armenian Church and founded the Holy See of the Armenian Church Etchmiadzin in accordance with a vision he had of Christ descending on that spot in AD 303.
List of Donations March 7- 12, 2026
MEMBERSHIP
Mrs. Lili Agemian $100
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GENERAL
Anonymous Donor $500
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ALTAR FLOWERS
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IN MEMORY OF THE LATE BERJOUHI NALBANDIAN
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THE LATE LEVON KOUYOUMJIAN
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DECEASED LOVED ONES
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THE LATE BARKEV KHOJAJIAN
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HOLY TRINITY
ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH
Vicar of Armenian Church Canadian Diocese and Parish Priest
Rev. Archpriest Fr. Zareh Zargarian
Pastor’s Assistant Rev. Fr. Hayari Tanashian
Church Office Hours: Monday to Friday - 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Executive Secretary, Ani Sarvarian
Ani@TorontoArmenianChurch.com
Administrative Secretary, Betty Panossian
Betty@TorontoArmenianChurch.com
920 Progress Ave. Toronto, ON, M1G 3T5
Tel: 416 431 3001
www.TorontoArmenianChurch.com info@TorontoArmenianChurch.com @TorontoArmenianChurch.com