ՇՈՂ - SHOGH
SIXTH SUNDAY OF GREAT LENT SUNDAY OF ADVENT
SYNAXIS READINGS
ISAIAH 66.1-24
COLOSSIANS 2:8-3:17
MATTHEW 22:34-23:39
Morning Service at 9:30 am
Divine Liturgy at 10:30 am
Celebrated by REV. FR. HAYARI TANASHIAN
Pastor’s Assistant
Choirmaster Dn. Shahe Altounian
Organist Mrs. Sona Artinian
MATTHEW
22:34-23:39
Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?”
“The son of David,” they replied.
He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says,
“‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.”’
If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” 46No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
“Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries a wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.
“But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.
“Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’ You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift on the altar is bound by that oath.’ You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who
murdered the prophets. Go ahead, then, and complete what your ancestors started!
“You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? Therefore, I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation.
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.
THE SUNDAY OF ADVENT
This Sunday is the sixth Sunday of Great Lent, known as Sunday of Advent (Kalusdyan Giragi). This Sunday teaches us about the first Advent of Christ and also symbolizes Promise of His Second coming, the Second Advent, which is a fundamental tenet of our Christian faith. Christ came to the world for the salvation of humankind and by his first coming he opened the door of our salvation and showed us the way to the salvation. In his second coming "He is to come with the same body and with the glory of the Father to judge the living and the dead" ( 'Procession of Faith'). We can find many references dedicated to the Second Advent in the Gospels and Apostolic Letters, where our Lord warns us about His return.
REMEMBRANCE OF THE RAISING OF LAZARUS
On Eve of Palm Sunday, the Armenian Apostolic Church commemorates the Remembrance of the Raising of Lazarus, when our Lord Jesus Christ raised Lazarus from the dead after he had lain in the grave for four days (John 11:1-46)
In triumph and joy the Church bears witness to the power of Christ over death and exalts Him as King before entering the most solemn week of the year, the Holy Week. The Remembrance of Raising of Lazarus foreshadows both the impending death of Christ and His Resurrection. It also gives us a hope of Resurrection of the Dead at his second coming. A hymn traditionally sung on Saturday evening (eve of Palm Sunday) says: “With the raising of Lazarus by which the dead were given hope, the descendants of Adam were also raised….”
Requested by
Garry Mirzoian
Olga Mirzoian
Anry Mirzoian
Sofi Mirzoian
In Memory of THE LATE EVGHENIA CAZAREAN -Էվճինիա
On the 14th day of her passing
Requested by
The Altounian and Kurdian families
In Memory of THE LATE HAGOP ALTOUNIAN
On the 7th anniversary of his passing
THE LATE AROUSSIAG, GARABET, ARAXIE ALTOUNIAN
THE LATE BARKEV SHAHBAZIAN
On the 7th anniversary of his passing (Yerevan)
As well as
The departed souls of the Altounian, Salian, Dambourajian, Kurdian, Kirishjian and Koundakjian family members
Requested by Mrs. Talin Hacat
Dr. and Mrs. Nathalie & Grant DeGroot and children, Justin and Alexandra
Dr. Kevork Justin Hacatoğlu
In Memory of Their Beloved Husband, Father, and Grandfather
THE LATE MINAS HACATOGLU
On the 30th Anniversary of his passing As well as Their Beloved Mother, Grandmother, and Great Grandmother
THE LATE SIRVART HAZAROSYAN
On the 3rd Anniversary of her passing
Their Beloved Father, Grandfather, and Great Grandfather
THE LATE HOVSEP HAZAROSYAN
On the 17th Anniversary of his passing
Requested by Mr. & Mrs. Eduard and Anush Avtandlyan and sons, Davit and Sevak
In Memory of Their Beloved Father and Grandfather
SERGEY AVTANDLYAN
On the 7th day of his passing in Armenia
Altar Flowers sponsored by MR. & MRS. MADAT & TAMAR MAMOURIAN AND FAMILY
MS ANAHID
MAMOURIAN
In Memory of THE LATE BENJAMIN MAMOURIAN
On the 15th anniversary of his passing
Arrangements by: Flowers of the World
List of Donations March 14- 20, 2026
GENERAL
Mrs. Anita Ohanessian $500 (Women's Guild)
Mr. & Mrs. Victor & Hermine Tashjian $50
Ms. Talin Hacoupian $120
Mrs. Meri Nersisyan $30
Mrs. Salbi Rubenyan $100
Mr. & Mrs. Razmik & Amy Nevasartian $50
LOUMA
Mrs. Noor Wartan $100
Mrs. Arpiné Altounian $100
Mr. & Mrs. Avedis & Lucy Garabedian $50
MEMBERSHIP
Mrs. Silva Mermer $100
Mr. Levon Mermer $100
Mrs. Maria Altounian $100
Mr. Shahe Altounian $100
Mr. Daron Altounian $100
Mrs. Janet Yeremian $100
Mrs. Dalita Dokmecian $100
Mr. Hagop Dokmecian $100
Mrs. Yeghisapet Alpay $100
Mr. Ara Alpay $100
Mr. Aram Isnar $100
Dr. Harry Sakarya $100
Mr. Arbe Satouri $100
Mr. Boghos Ishkanian $100
Mrs. Zaroug Ishkhanian $100
Mr. Hrayr Tadevosyan $100
Mrs. Nrane Grigoryan Tadevosyan $100
Miss Mariam Genc $50
Mrs. Anahid Panossian $100
Mr. Harootoon Panosian $100
Ms Ivet Panosian $100
Mrs. Cecilia Jaladian Abajian $100
Mrs. Margarita Odjaghian $100
Mr. Hrant Ketenjian $100
Mr. Zohrab Kazandjian $100
Miss Nairy Tourabian $100
Miss Sareen Tourabian $100
Mr. Suren Vardanyan $100
Mr. Wartan Garabedian $100
Mrs. Sona Balabanian $100
Mr. Serge Colekessian $100
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