Sunday, February 15, 2026

Sunday of the Last Judgment (Meat Fare)

SUNDAY OF THE LAST JUDGEMENT:

The third Sunday of preparation for Lent is The Sunday of the Last Judgement and Meat Fare

Sunday. It is the last day before the Lenten fast from meat and the beginning, in part, of the Fast.

The fast from meat reminds us especially of the times when the celebration of God’s glory, though promised and sure, is not evident. The ram sacrificed in Isaac’s stead, the meat of the purifying sacrifices, the fatted calf, the pure body of the Lamb of God–all present in times of special joy. Participating in the Lenten fast reminds us of Moses’ time on the mountain, the years in the wilderness, our Lord’s fast in the wilderness–times of trial and hardship, but steps to times of joyous celebration and victory, as our fast leads to the great celebration of the Resurrection. The more practical and historically specific question concerning meat, whether meat used for sacrifice could be eaten in good conscience, helps illuminate the standard of the Last Judgement, for the true question was not the eating of the meat but the love of him who ate for those who would or could not. If we do not care enough for those about us to refrain from acting to their detriment, we show the same callousness for our Lord and will be confronted with our hardness of heart on the day of judgement. The love we have for men is inseparable from the love we have for Him whose image men bear. Refraining from meat not only reminds us of the trials of our Lord, of those who have gone before us, and those who are remote from us; it reminds us of the struggles of those about us and of their need of His grace extended through us.

I Corinthians (8:8-9:2) Brethren, food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. Only take care, lest this liberty of yours somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if any one sees you—a man of knowledge—at table in an idol’s temple, might he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? And so by your knowledge this weak man is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food is a cause of my brother’s falling, I will never eat meat, lest I cause my brother to fall. Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

Matthew (25:31-46) The Lord said, “When the Son of man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and He will place the sheep at His right hand, but the goats at the left. Then the King will say to those at His right hand, ‘Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed Me, I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me, I was in prison and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see Thee hungry and feed Thee, or thirsty and give Thee drink? And when did we see Thee a stranger and welcome Thee, or naked and clothe Thee? And when did we see Thee sick or in prison and visit Thee?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ Then He will say to those at his left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave Me no food, I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome Me, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see Thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to Thee?’ Then He will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to Me.’ And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Troparion of the Resurrection: Let the heavens rejoice and the earth be glad, for the Lord hath done a mighty act with His own arm. He hath trampled down death by death, and become the first-born from the dead. He hath delivered us from the depths of Hades, granting the world the Great Mercy.

Troparion of the Chains of St. Peter: O Holy Apostle, Peter, thou dost preside over the Apostles by the precious chains which thou didst bear. We venerate them with faith and beseech thee that by thine intercessions we be granted the great mercy.

Kontakion for the Last Day of Judgement: When Thou comest, O God, to earth with glory, and all creatures tremble before Thee, and the river of fire floweth before the Altar, and the books are opened and sins revealed, deliver me then from that unquenchable fire, and make me worthy to stand at Thy right hand, O righteous Judge.

Calendar

Sunday, February 15, 2026 (Sunday of the Last Judgment (Meat Fare))

8:50 AM – Orthros

9:00 AM – Christian Education

10:00 AM – Divine Liturgy

12:00 PM – Potluck

Monday, February 16, 2026

Fr. Herman off

Tuesday, February 17, 2026

No Services

Wednesday, February 18, 2026

5:30 PM – Teen Meeting

6:30 PM – Daily Vespers of Cheese Week

Thursday, February 19, 2026

No Services

Friday, February 20, 2026

No Service

Saturday, February 21, 2026:

8:30 AM – Men’s Breakfast

6:00 PM – Great Vespers

Sunday, February 22, 2026 (Sunday of Forgiveness (Cheese Fare))

8:50 AM – Orthros

9:00 AM – Christian Education

10:00 AM – Divine Liturgy

6:30 PM – Forgiveness Sunday Vespers

Special Announcements

Please remember the following in your prayers: Aidan Milnor, the Milnor family; Mary Greene (Lee and Kh. Sharon’s sister); Jay and Joanna Davis; Fr. Leo and Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver and their family; Jack and Jill Weatherly; Dn.Terry Algood and their family; Fr. John and Kh. Janet Henderson and their family

DOMSE 2026 Parish Life Conference, June 10-13, 2026: Registration is now open. Please refer to the email sent by Fr. Herman. If you have not received the email and are interested in signing up, please contact Fr. Herman.

The Eucharist Bread was provided by the Bakers yesterday morning for the Saturday of the Souls Divine Liturgy and by the Hendersons for the Divine Liturgy this morning.

Eucharist Bread Schedule:

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

February 15 Henderson Algood/Rodriguez

Meatfare Potluck

February 22 Algood Baker/Jimmy Jones

Sunday of Forgiveness &

Cheesefare

March 1 Jones Pigott/Ian Jones

March 8 Meadows Ken Jones/Stewart

POTLUCK

March 15 Davis Meadows/Brock

March 22 D. Root Dansereau/Alaeetawi

March 24 (Tues PM) Karam Ellis/Zouboukos

Annunciation

March 29 Brock Miller/D. Root

Schedule for Epistle Readers – Page numbers refer to the Apostolos (book of Epistles) located on the chanters’ stand at the front of the nave. Please be sure to use book when you read.

Reader Reading Page#

February 15 Brandon Strain I Cor 8:8-9:2 273

February 22 Athena Zouboukos Rom 13:11-14:4 279

March 1 Gabrielle Jones Heb 11:24-26,36-40 281

March 8 Sophie Dansereau Heb 1:10-2:3 283

March 15 Katie Miller Heb 4:14-5:6 285

March 22 Mary Martha Ellis Heb 6:13-20 287

March 24 Kh. Sharon Meadows Heb 2:11-18 376

March 29 Athena Zouboukos Heb 9:11-14 290

The Diocesan Women’s Retreat is February 28. We are asking for volunteers to help provide lunch. Please see Mary Marth Ellis for questions.

Please make sure to check and subscribe to the Google calendar for all updated services and events at the parish

Please remember that we still need your tithes and offerings which may be placed in the tray that is passed during Divine Liturgy, in the tithe box at the back of the nave or be mailed to: St. Peter Orthodox Church, P.O. Box 2084, Madison, MS 39130-2084

Potluck Meals: Everyone who attends the potluck meals during the month is encouraged to bring a dish to share with everyone. This is to ensure that there is enough food for all to partake. Over the past several months we have been running out of food before everyone has an opportunity to go through the line. This also applies to the Festal Liturgies that may be served during the week and the Soup Suppers after Presanctified Liturgies during Lent. Parents, please accompany your children through the line. Thank you all for your help with this.

As a friendly reminder, in regards to coffee hour, the church will provide beef sticks, cheese cubes, crackers, cookies, and orange juice. For sponsors of baptisms/chrismations a reception may be held after the service and may have whatever food the sponsors would like to provide in celebration of this occasion. If you wish to bring a snack for your children, please be responsible for the clean up of those items. Coffee hour is not meant to be a meal, but a means to break the fast with a snack and visit with each other. Also, as a friendly reminder, please make sure kids are not getting ice in the kitchen without adult supervision.

Calendar Items

* The men of the parish meet for lunch at 11:00 a.m. on the first Thursday of the month. The next

lunch is scheduled for March 5 at 11:00 a.m.

* The men will also meet for breakfast once a month. The next breakfast meeting will be on

Saturday, February 21 at 8:30 a.m.

* The Ladies meet for dining on the last Tuesday of the month. Times will vary.

* The Ladies meet at the church at 10:00 a.m. on the second Saturday of the month to pray the

Akathist. Alternating on behalf of our children and our sick.

* The Ladies of St Peter will meet every third Sunday during Coffee Hour.

* The next Church Workday is on Saturday, March 21 at 8:30 a.m.

* Great Lent begins on February 23.

* The Diocesan Women’s Retreat is February 28

* The ladies Lenten Retreat is March 14th.

* Stewpot on May 2, and November 7

Fasting Discipline for February/March

The traditional fasting is observed on the third week of February. (Wed and Fri: Abstain from meat, dairy, eggs, fish, olive oil and wine.)

Great Lent begins the following week on February 23 and runs through April 11. Please see the Fasting Calendar for daily abstinences.

Major Commemorations for February/March

February 15 – Meatfare

February 22 – Forgiveness Sunday

Cheesefare

February 24 – The Forerunner (1st and 2nd Discoveries)

March 1 – 1st Sunday of Lent; Sunday of Orthodoxy

March 9 – 40 Martyrs of Sebaste

March 8 – 2nd Sunday of Great Lent; Commemoration of St. Gregory Palamas

March 15 – 3rd Sunday of Great Lent; Adoration of the Holy Cross

March 22 – 4th Sunday of Great Lent; Commemoration of St. John Climacus

March 25 – Feast of Annunciation

March 26 – Synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel

March 29 – 5th Sunday of Great Lent; Commemoration of St. Mary of Egypt

Quote: Sin is the absence of love; it is separation and isolation. When Christ comes to judge the world, His criterion for judgment will be love. Christian love entails seeing Christ in other people, our family, our friends, and everyone else we may encounter in our lives. We shall be judged on whether we have loved, or not loved, our neighbor. We show Christian love when we feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, visit those who are sick or in prison. If we did such things for the least of Christ’s brethren, then we also did them for Christ (Mt.25:40). If we did not do such things for the least of the brethren, neither did we do them for Christ (Mt.25:45).

+Father Alexander Schmemann: GREAT LENT (Ch. 1:4),

Worship: Sunday, February 22, 2026 (Sunday of Forgiveness (Cheese Fare))

Scripture: Rom 13:11-14:4; Matthew 6:14-21

Epistle Reader: Athena Zouboukos

Prosphora: Algood

Coffee Hour: Baker/Jimmy Jones