January 24, 2016 The Second Sunday of Pre-Lent The Commemoration of our Venerable Mother Xenia the Roman THE SUNDAY OF THE PRODIGAL SON

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1 our lady OF THE CEDARS CHURCH A MELKITE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY 140 MITCHELL STREET, MANCHESTER, NH TEL # (603) FAX # (603) oloc.church@comcast.net Website: REV. THOMAS P. STEINMETZ, Pastor RT. REV. ANDRE ST. GERMAIN (retired) REV. ROGER BOUCHER - Weekend Ministry REV. DEACON PAUL LEONARCZYK "Enter the Church and repent... for here is the physician, not the judge. Here one is not investigated, one receives remission of sins." (St. John Chrysostom) January 24, 2016 The Second Sunday of Pre-Lent The Commemoration of our Venerable Mother Xenia the Roman THE SUNDAY OF THE PRODIGAL SON Parish Advisory& Finance Council: KEN MONTY (PRESIDENT), RICHARD ASHOOH, LUKE ANDERSON, ROBERT ANDERSON, ROBIN ANDERSON, MARY CULLEN, MARTHA DAGHER, MARYLOU LAZOS, TERRI LEONARCZYK, MATTHEW LOMANNO, PAUL MANSUR, NAJWA MOUSSOBA, PAUL ST. GERMAIN, AND CHRISTELLE SLAYBE Parish Secretary: ROBIN ANDERSON Cedars Society President: MARYLOU LAZOS Sunday School Coordinator: MARTHA DAGHER N.A.M.Y. Advisor: ROBIN ANDERSON HOLY MYSTERY OF CONFESSION: Before or after any service, or by appointment; HOLY MYSTERY OF CHRISTIAN ILLUMINATION: Please contact the clergy in advance to arrange for the required baptismal instructions; HOLY MYSTERY OF CROWNING: At least six months prior to the proposed wedding, please contact the clergy to arrange for the required interview and instructions; HOLY MYSTERY OF THE ANOINTING OF THE SICK: Please contact the pastor at any time when this sacrament is needed; HOLY COMMUNION FOR THE SICK: Anyone too infirm to attend our services may receive Communion in the home. Please advise the clergy whenever this sacrament is needed. Please remember to contact the church if a loved one is in the hospital and would like a visit from the priest. The hospitals do not always notify the church.

2 THE ORDER OF TODAY S LITURGY The Troparion of the Resurrection (2 nd Tone) Page 51 The Troparion of the Dormition of the Theotokos (1 st Tone): Page 16 The Kontakon of the Prodigal Son (3 rd Tone) In my foolish wretchedness, I ran away from Your glory, and I squandered wickedly the riches You have given me. And so now, like the Prodigal Son, I cry out to You: I have sinned in Your sight, Merciful Father. Receive me now that I repent and make me as one of Your hired servants. THE PROKIMENON: MAY YOUR KINDNESS, O LORD, BE UPON US, FOR WE HAVE HOPED IN YOU. Exult, you just, in the Lord; praise from the upright is fitting. Today s Readings: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 and Luke 15: LITURGY INTENTIONS Saturday, 4:30 PM: For the repose of Josephine Saide (26 th ), Donna Hanneman (24 th ), George Saide (27 th ), Nassery Noufel (3 rd ), John Nassoura (41 st ), Karen Kfoury (7 th ), Fred Jadda (18 th ), Albert Hykil (10 th ), Lillian Franggos (26 th ), Georgette Attalla (58 th ), George Salim (30 th ), Saleemy Thomas (35 th ), Joseph LaJuenesse (13 th ), Juliet Anton (9 th ), and Susan Wihby (47 th ) Sunday, 11:00 AM: For the repose of the members of the parish who have departed from this life, and for our departed friends, relative, and loved ones Next Saturday, 4:30 PM: For the repose of Slama Wehbe (24 th ) and John Baroody (58 th ) Next Sunday, 11:00 AM: For the repose of Nassim Sleiman (40 Day Memorial), by his wife Salwa and the Moussoba Family Next Sunday is the Sunday of the Last Judgment. It is also known as Meatfare Sunday - the last day that meat is eaten according to the traditional Lenten fast. The following Sunday (March 7) is the Sunday of Forgiveness, also known as Cheesefare Sunday, the last day on which dairy products are eaten prior to the start of Great Lent. On the evening of Cheesefare Sunday Great Lent begins with the service of the Vespers of Forgiveness.

3 The Sunday of the Prodigal Son is the second Sunday of the time of Pre-Lent and marks the beginning of Meat-Fare week. This parable of God's forgiveness calls us to come to ourselves" as did the prodigal son, to see ourselves as being "in a far country" far from the Father's house, and to make the journey of return to God. We are given every assurance by the Master that our heavenly Father will receive us with joy and gladness. We must only "arise and go," confessing our self-inflicted and sinful separation from that "home" where we truly belong. The start of Great Lent is just two weeks away. Have you given any thought to the coming of the holy season? How will you make your return to the Lord? The season offers itself as time to become spiritually focused through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Begin planning now on how you will observe this holy season. Christ became man and called to repentance robbers and harlots. Repent, my soul! The door of the Kingdom is already open, and the transformed pharisees, publicans and adulterers are seizing it ahead of you. -St. Andrew of Crete THE SATURDAY OF THE DEAD The Church has set aside this coming Saturday, Jan. 30, (the Saturday before Meat-Fare Sunday) as a day to pray for all those who have passed from this life. We will pray for them at a celebration of the Divine Liturgy on Saturday morning at 10:00 AM. Sign-up sheets will be available in the church that morning for the names of your departed loved who will be remembered at the Liturgy. Come and beseech the Lord to bring all our departed relatives and friends to a place of light, a place of happiness, a place of peace, where there is no pain, no grief, no sighing. Attendance Last Week: Sun. 11:00 AM: 113 Last Weekend s Collection: $ Flood Relief: $ The average Sunday envelope donation: $ The balance remaining on our mortgage is: $ 85, SERVICES FOR THE WEEK Mon., Jan 25 7:00 PM Divine Liturgy: Tuesday of Meatfare Week Wed., Jan. 27 7:00 PM Divine Liturgy: Thursday of Meatfare Week Sat. Jan :00 AM Divine Liturgy: Saturday of the Dead Sat., Jan. 30 4:30 PM Divine Liturgy: The Sunday of the Last Judgment Sun., Jan :15 AM Sunday Orthros Sun., Jan :00 AM Divine Liturgy: The Sunday of the Last Judgment

4 St. Cyril of Alexandria on the Parable of the Prodigal Son What then is the object of the parable? Let us examine the occasion which led to it; for so we shall learn the truth. The blessed Luke therefore had himself said a little before of Christ the Savior of us all, And all the publicans and sinners drew near unto Him to hear Him. And the Pharisees and Scribes murmured saying, This man receives sinners and eats with them. As therefore the Pharisees and Scribes made this outcry at His gentleness and love to man, and wickedly and impiously blamed Him for receiving and teaching men whose lives were impure, Christ very necessarily set before them the present parable, to show them clearly this very thing: that when any are called to repentance, even if they be men highly blamable, he must rejoice, and not give way to an unloving vexation on their account. For sometimes people are indignant at this, and even say, 'This man, who has been guilty of such and such actions has been inscribed among the sons of God, and honored with the glory of the saints! ' Such complaints come from an empty narrowness of mind, not conforming to the purpose of the universal Father. For He greatly rejoices when He sees those who were lost obtaining salvation, and raises them up again to that which they were in the beginning, giving them the garment of freedom... It is our duty, therefore, to conform ourselves to that which God wills: for He heals those who are sick He seeks those who were lost; He raises as from the dead those who had suffered spiritual death. Let us also rejoice and, together with the holy angels, praise Him who is good, and the Lover of mankind. Commentary on the Gospel of St. Luke, 107 PRAYERS FROM THE TRIODION. On the Sunday of the Prodigal Son Brethren, our purpose is to know the power of God s goodness: how when the Prodigal Son gave up sin and hastened to his father s house, his kindly father welcomed him and kissed him, and marked him with the signs of honor. He manifested his mystical joy to the inhabitants of heaven by killing the fatted calf in order that we too may do what is right before the Sacrificer, the Father and the Lover of Mankind, and the Victim, the glorious Savior of our souls. Sticheron of Vespers Wretch that I am, after squandering the riches that that Father gave me, I went to graze with the dumb beasts. I sought their food and hungered, for I had not enough to eat. Wherefore I shall return to the compassionate Father, crying out tearfully: Receive me as one of your servants as I kneel before your love for mankind, and save me. -Aposticha of Vespers I have wasted and squandered all Your riches, O Lord, and in my wretchedness I have become a servant to the wicked demons. O compassionate Savior, have mercy on the Prodigal. Cleanse me from filth and give me once again the robe of Your Kingdom Orthros Exapostilaria I am wasted with hunger, deprived of every blessing, and exiled from Your presence, O Christ of great compassion. Have mercy on me now, as I turn back in repentance, and save me as I sing Your praises, O Lover of Mankind. Ode 6, Canon of Orthros

5 THIS MAN RECEIVES SINNERS EACH YEAR, AS WE PREPARE to embark upon the Great Fast, we hear the Lord s parable of the Prodigal Son (Lk 15:11-32) read at the Divine Liturgy. Some commentators have said that the story might better be called the Parable of the Forgiving Father as he is the most important character in the story. Actually the parable speaks about the character of God, (the father) and the human condition (both his sons). It thus sets the stage for our Lenten journey of repentance. The Prodigal Son and Our Human Condition We are not told the exact age of the young man when he decides to set off on his own, but countless commentators have depicted him as an adolescent. His behavior certainly bears this out. He has the selfish impatience of youth: he wants his inheritance now, even though his father is still alive. He is more interested in what the man s money can buy than in the man himself. In that, the young man repeats the choice made by our first parents who preferred the appetizing but forbidden fruit to continued fellowship with the One who provided it. He also images the choices we all make when we focus our attention on the fruits of creation rather than on the Creator who offers us a relationship with Himself. In any such choice we become the petulant adolescent whose first stabs at maturity always seem to require resentment of the parent if not outright rebellion. On his own the Prodigal s newfound in-dependence seems to lead him into slavery rather quickly. He begins living what various translations call a wild, reckless, loose riotous foolish, notorious, dissolute, wasteful, or prodigal way of life. We are left to imagine what that might have involved; we certainly know what the result was. He spent everything he had and ended up with nothing. He wanted to be independent but did not understand that being independent does not free a person from being responsible. No well-balanced person in our world wants to be dependent on another. We often forget, however, that our desire for human self-determination cannot lead us away from God without disastrous results. We inevitably end up spiritually bankrupt and living on the pig s fodder of a Godless world. Unlike many people, however, the Prodigal does something about his condition: he returns to his father. He repents. Still thinking of himself and his own needs, he plans to plead for the lowest place in his father s household. The young man does not know with whom he is dealing.

6 The Forgiving Father and the Mercy of God The father does not wait for his son to apologize or beg for forgiveness. He welcomes him home with open arms and calls for a celebration. He is the image of our heavenly Father who knows when one of His children seeks forgiveness and grants it at once, without demanding any form of penance or satisfaction. Note that the father does not go in search of his son when the lad is enjoying the wasteful life he has chosen or when he is miserable, but not yet resolved to return home. His mercy would bear fruit only when the son had come to truly desire it and so the father waits for his son to make the first move. But when the son does return, the father does not make him work for forgiveness; he gives it freely. In this the father is unlike many of us who would want the ungrateful son to squirm before accepting him back home. We might feel justified in teaching him a lesson, but this is apparently not God s way. When repentance truly touches the heart, the lesson has already been learned. The Father s extraordinary mercy is no excuse for taking advantage of Him: seeking the blessing of His house while not repenting in action as well as in words. As St Isaac the Syrian taught, But the fact that repentance furnishes hope should not be taken by us as a means to rob ourselves of the feeling of fear, so that one might more freely and fearlessly commit sin (Isaac the Syrian, First Collection: Homily Ten). Proclaiming the Mercy of God Our liturgy continually emphasizes the mercy of God. The beloved Polyeleos psalm sung so frequently in our churches at the most solemn occasions has as its refrain, For His mercy endures forever, alleluia The Typica psalms each proclaim the depths of God s mercy to His People: He forgives all your iniquity, he heals all your diseases, he redeems your life from the pit, he crowns you with steadfast love and mercy (Ps 102:3, 4). The second psalm is even more specific: He brings about justice for the oppressed; he gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free; the Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous. The Lord watches over the strangers, he upholds the widow and the fatherless; but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin (Ps 146:7-9). Coincidentally it is precisely these psalms, so familiar to the faithful of our Church, which Pope Francis cited in the letter opening his Year of Mercy. Is it unreasonable to think that we, who continually sing of God s mercy in our services, should not be encouraging one another to return to the Father by attending the Church s Lenten services, by approaching the Holy Mystery of Confession and by embracing the ideas in The Great Fast in the Home, available on our eparchy s web site, As the Lord said in the parables which precede the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15, I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents (Lk 15:7, 10).

7 THE BISHOP S APPEAL Although the annual Bishop s Appeal has ended, gifts to the Bishop s Appeal will continue to be received and credited to our parish until January 31, 2016 for all who make end-of-year donations. Your gift means so much to so many! Our Father and Shepherd, Bishop Nicholas, thanks you for your generous support and asks God s abundant blessings upon you and all your family in the New Year! Remember Magdalen College? It is now Northeast Catholic College. With much more than a new name, NCC offers a vibrantly Catholic culture, five new majors, an internship program, and free skiing. On April 4, 2016, NCC will welcome Cardinal Raymond Burke to New Hampshire for Mass at the Cathedral and a special dinner in Manchester. For information about the new NCC and the Cardinal s visit, please see St. Francis School Open House for Preschool Sixth Grade Wednesday, January 27th & Wednesday, February 17 th. Join us for some or all of the day. Saint Francis of Assisi School is a joyfully Catholic school with a curriculum that provides a lasting foundation in what is good, true and beautiful. Complete with enriching specials in Latin & Greek, Spanish, Art, and an integrated Virtues Program that inspires students to live and love well. All set on a beautiful 14-acre campus along the rolling Merrimack River in the farming community of Litchfield, New Hampshire. For more information, and to register visit or call (603) Thirsty? Jesus thirst for us led Him to the cross will our thirst for Him lead us to prayer? OUR LADY OF HOPE - HOUSE OF PRAYER 400 Temple Road, New Ipswich, NH olhope1@yahoo.com Retreat February 26-28, 2016 (Registration Deadline Feb. 12 th ) During this Lenten season, come away for the weekend as we let scripture, prayer and music draw us into deeper reflection about this tremendous desire our God has for us. Let s make our best attempt to quench God s thirst by coming together and giving Him the gift of our presence and desire for Him. Cost: $150 (includes $40 registration fee) ARE YOU CURIOUS? What is Religious Life? Is God still calling people to religious life? How do I know if I have a religious vocation? How do you join a religious community? What are the vows? The Come and See Weekend, January 29-31, 2016, allows single Catholic women to look at these and other questions about religious life. You will meet and talk with Sisters of the Presentation of Mary, have time for quiet prayer, liturgy, group sharing, and relaxation. We begin Friday evening at 4:00 pm and end Sunday at 1:00 pm after lunch. The weekend will take place at Our Lady of Hope House of Prayer, 400 Temple Road, New Ipswich, NH To register or for more information contact: Sr. Holly Gauthier, p.m. shollypm@gmail.com, tel #

8 Please remember to pray for the health and protection of Genevieve Allen, Elizabeth Ashooh, Elsie Ashooh, Louise Ashooh, Al Auclair, Alice Auclair, Erin Baroody, Michael Baroody, Sarah Beadle, Anthony Blando, Helena Burkush, Fr. Michael Carl, Danielle Caron, Michael Cavanaugh, Meghan Connors, Theresa Cullen, Jamileh Dagher, Sher Farrow, Declan Finn, Janet Drake, Julie Fregeau, Mary Fregeau, Peter Fregeau, Christine Freitas, John Gallagher, Loretto Gauvin, Nick Haddad, Jean Hannoush, Lucille Harper, Howard Jabaley, Laura Jorba, Virginia Kearney, Shirley Lanoue, Susan Latvis, Roger Lawrence, Peggy Leclear, Sadie Grace McCallum, Miriam McCallum, Susan Merrill, Margaret Mitchell, Alfred Nasr, Afef Nasr, Blaise Notter, Steven O Leary, Denis O Keefe, Ellen Osgood, Josephine Paquette, Russell Pond, Sheila Quinn, Deborah Roberts, Adam Rubin, Fr. Andre St. Germain, Nassim Sleiman, Salwa Sleiman, Tarrant Smith, Mary Stephen, Catherine Waldron, Laura Weingast, and Iris Angelina Velasquez. If you are visiting our church, our parish family is delighted to welcome you here! Please give us the chance to get to know you by joining us for some coffee, pastry, and conversation in the church hall following the Divine Liturgy. If you would like to know more about the Melkite Catholic Church, check out the brochure entitled Welcome to this Holy House, located on the table in the back of the church. NORTH HILLS REALTY GROUP, LLC Residential Real Estate Brokers Abraham Dagher, Realtor 814 Elm St., Suite # 302 Manchester, NH (603) Your Ad Here $300 per Year Check out the Mahrajan Website: Your Ad Here: $300/year!! Check out -new educational material is posted regularly!