Sunday of the Canaanite Woman

Transcription

1 Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church 8306 NC HWY 751, Durham NC News & Announcements January 29, 2017 Sunday of the Canaanite Woman Removal of the Relics of Ignatius the God-bearer Laurence the Recluse of the Kiev Caves Ignatius and Nicandrus of Sinai Gildas the Wise NEWCOMERS AND VISITORS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME! Sunday Worship Schedule: Matins 9:00 am & Divine Liturgy 10:00 am To Our Visitors and Guests We welcome you to worship with us today, whether you are an Orthodox Christian or this is your first visit to an Orthodox Church, we are pleased to have you with us. Although Holy Communion and other Sacraments are offered only to baptized and chrismated (confirmed) Orthodox Christians in good standing with the Church, all are invited to receive the Antidoron (blessed bread) from the priest at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy. The Antidoron is not a sacrament, but it is reminiscent of the agape feast that followed worship in the ancient Christian Church. After the Divine Liturgy this morning please join us in the Church hall for fellowship and refreshments. Please complete a Visitor's Card before you leave today and drop it in the offering tray, or give it to one of the parishioners after the service, or mail it to the church Office. Today's Readings: St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 6:16-18; 7:1 BRETHREN, you are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will live in them and move among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore come out from them, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch nothing unclean; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, and make holiness perfect in the fear of God. 1

2 Πρὸς Κορινθίους β' 6:16-18, 7:1 Ἀδελφοί, ὑμεῖς ἐστε ναὸς Θεοῦ ζῶντος, καθὼς εἶπεν ὁ θεός ὅτι Ἐνοικήσω ἐν αὐτοῖς, καὶ ἐμπεριπατήσω καὶ ἔσομαι αὐτῶν θεός, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔσονταί μοι λαός. Διὸ, Ἐξέλθετε ἐκ μέσου αὐτῶν καὶ ἀφορίσθητε, λέγει κύριος, καὶ ἀκαθάρτου μὴ ἅπτεσθε κἀγὼ εἰσδέξομαι ὑμᾶς, καὶ ἔσομαι ὑμῖν εἰς πατέρα, καὶ ὑμεῖς ἔσεσθέ μοι εἰς υἱοὺς καὶ θυγατέρας, λέγει κύριος παντοκράτωρ. Ταύτας οὖν ἔχοντες τὰς ἐπαγγελίας, ἀγαπητοί, καθαρίσωμεν ἑαυτοὺς ἀπὸ παντὸς μολυσμοῦ σαρκὸς καὶ πνεύματος, ἐπιτελοῦντες ἁγιωσύνην ἐν φόβῳ θεοῦ. The Gospel according to Matthew 15:21-28 At that time, Jesus went to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and cried, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely possessed by a demon." But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, "Send her away, for she is crying after us." He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." But she came and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, help me." And he answered, "It is not fair to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." She said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table." Then Jesus answered her, "O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire." And her daughter was healed instantly. Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 15:21-28 Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἐξελθὼν ἐκεῖθεν ὁ Ιησοῦς ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς τὰ μέρη Τύρου καὶ Σιδῶνος. καὶ ἰδοὺ γυνὴ Χαναναία ἀπὸ τῶν ὁρίων ἐκείνων ἐξελθοῦσα ἐκραύγαζεν αὐτῷ λέγουσα ἐλέησόν με, Κύριε, υἱὲ Δαυΐδ ἡ θυγάτηρ μου κακῶς δαιμονίζεται. ὁ δὲ οὐκ ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῇ λόγον. καὶ προσελθόντες οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ἠρώτων αὐτὸν λέγοντες ἀπόλυσον αὐτήν, ὅτι κράζει ὄπισθεν ἡμῶν. ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν οὐκ ἀπεστάλην εἰ μὴ εἰς τὰ πρόβατα τὰ ἀπολωλότα οἴκου Ισραήλ. ἡ δὲ ἐλθοῦσα προσεκύνησεν αὐτῷ λέγουσα Κύριε, βοήθει μοι. ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν οὐκ ἔστι καλὸν λαβεῖν τὸν ἄρτον τῶν τέκνων καὶ βαλεῖν τοῖς κυναρίοις. ἡ δὲ εἶπε ναί, Κύριε καὶ γὰρ τὰ κυνάρια ἐσθίει ἀπὸ τῶν ψυχίων τῶν πιπτόντων ἀπὸ τῆς τραπέζης τῶν κυρίων αὐτῶν. τότε ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Ιησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτῇ ὦ γύναι, μεγάλη σου ἡ πίστις! γενηθήτω σοι ὡς θέλεις. καὶ ἰάθη ἡ θυγάτηρ αὐτῆς ἀπὸ τῆς ὥρας ἐκείνης. Memorial: 3 years - Eleni Varelas Today's Events: Coffee Hour Hosted by John and Gina Varelas in memory of their beloved mother Eleni. Services of the Week: Monday, January 30 Synaxis of the Three Hiearchs - Orthros and Divine Liturgy starting at 9:00 am Thursday, February 2 Presentation of our Lord to the Temple - Orthros and Divine Liturgy starting at 9:00 am 2

3 PROJECTS TO DATE: 2016 January 16 January 30 February 20 June 4-5 July 23 September 24 October 1 November December 2 December 10 May 6-7 April Evening of Music Spaghetti Event Gyro Event Greek Festival Gyro Event Evening of Jazz Greek Style Chicken Dinner & Pastry Athenian Grill and Pastry Christmas Concert Holiday Greek Pastries Greek Festival Easter Concert The Community of Saint Barbara Durham, NC has dedicaated January 22nd & January 29th, 2017 As Diakonia Center Panagia Chapel Sundays 3

4 Happy 2017! Upcoming Events: Membership Tea Saturday February 11. This year there will be an Outreach Activity. As part of Fill the Bag Initiative we will be assembling bags for the homeless. Bags will contain water, wipes, tissues, socks and a non perishable food item. Beginning Sunday February 12, bags will be available for members of our parish to have on hand in their cars to distribute to homeless. All ladies are invited to attend the Tea and become members of Philoptochos. Sunday February 12 there will be a tray passed for Social Services as well. Yours in Christ Catherine Mariakakis- Chapter President Pangia Chapel Doors & Windows Giving Opportunities Doors In Front Of Chapel 1 Main Large Door ($8,000) 2 Doors On Sides Of Main Door ($5,000 each) The total donation needed for Doors In Front Of Chapel is $18,000. Doors On Sides Of Chapel 2 Doors ($4,000 each) The total donation needed for Doors On Sides Of Chapel are $8,000. Doors In Back Of Chapel And Tower 2 Doors Under Holy Altar ($3,000 each) 2 Bathroom Doors ($2,000 each) A Spiral Staircase ($10,000) The total donation needed for Doors In Back Of Chapel And Tower is $20,000. Chapel Wall Windows 60 Small Windows ($2,000 each) 30 Large Windows ($3,000 each) A Holy Altar Window ($3,000) The total donation needed for Chapel Wall Windows is $213,000. Chapel Dome Windows 32 Small Windows ($1,500 each) The total donation needed for Chapel Dome Windows is $48,000. Front Arch Of Chapel Windows 2 Medium Narrow Windows ($1,500 each) 2 Large Narrow Windows ($1,800 each) 2 X Large Narrow Windows ($2,000 each) A XX Large Narrow Window ($2,500) The total donation needed for Front Arch Of Chapel Windows is $13,100. Become a part of the building of this most blessed and monumental testament of our Orthodox faith and our generous faithful. Give a gift to the Panagia Chapel today! Give A Panagia Chapel Gift! THANK YOU TO ALL OUR STEWARD FAMILIES! Our goal for the year 2016 was to increase the number of our active Steward families to 150! We are pleased to report that this ambitious effort has been practically achieved by noting that as of December 31, 2016, we had 145 Steward families contributing generously their time, talents and treasure to assist their church community of St. Barbara in meeting its mission. A big Thank You to ALL for your commitment to total STEWARDSHIP! 4

5 Ahepa News 1. DISTRICT GOVERNOR'S VISIT: On Sunday February 5 th, our District Governor brother Bill Bond and his wife will visit us in Durham and attend Liturgy at St. Barbara's after Liturgy we will host the coffee hour and enjoy a light lunch with our guests. If at all possible, please come to Church, participate in the reception, and bring some food [salty or sweet] for this occasion. Since our visitors may arrive the previous day - Saturday Feb. 4 - we were thinking of taking them for supper, about 6:00PM, to the BLEU OLIVE bistro - our brothers Sam and Kleanthis Papanikas place. Let us know if you and your wife might wish to join us, so we can make adequate reservations. 2. SCHOLARSHIPS: The time to apply for AHEPA SCHOLARSHIPS has arrived on the AHEPA table at St. Barbara s you will find DISTRICT 3 SCHOLASHIP applications, available to undergraduate students, who are accepted into the first to fourth year of a US college or university. Submission deadline is April 15 th, Also AHEPA NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP applications are available to undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate students. The submission deadline for these is March 31, Please note that for both District and National scholarships, the student needs to be sponsored by a parent who is an AHEPA member in good standing [whose 2017 dues are paid], or the applicant must be an AHEPA member in good standing. In addition, a local AHEPA SCHOLARSHIP is available to a qualified high school graduate who is an active member of our St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church parish. The applications for this scholarship will also be at the AHEPA table and the submission deadline is April 15 th Sermon on the Feast of the Three Holy Hierarchs JANUARY 25, 2011 by Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev This sermon was apparently given at St. Vladimir Seminary sometime in the recent past, and is an excellent homily on why the three are commemorated, and their importance to the Church, students, and the clergy. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ! There is much in common among the three hierarchs and great ecumenical teachers whom we commemorate today: Saints Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom. All three lived in a time when the Christian Church, after almost three centuries of persecution, received freedom and was flourishing throughout the Byzantine oikoumene. All the three were involved in contesting contemporary heresies, of which the most dangerous was Arianism, which rejected the Divinity of Jesus Christ. All the three combined serving the Church in episcopal rank with literary activity, and it is precisely their literary legacy which secured for them the paramount place that they occupy in Christian Tradition. All the three were victims of ecclesiastical intrigues, and suffered in one way or another from their fellow bishops: in fact, two of the three (Gregory and John) were deposed and died in exile. Their posthumous glory, however, exceeded any expectations their contemporaries might have had, and their significance for the entire Christian Church in East and West cannot be overestimated. A particular common characteristic of the three holy hierarchs was their love for scholarship and learning. Gathered as we are today, in this place of Christian learning, in this chapel of which they are the holy patrons, it seems appropriate to remind ourselves of some features of their attitude toward scholarship. In what follows I will focus mostly on St Gregory the Theologian s teaching on this subject. 5

6 Gregory was educated in the Academy of Athens, where he extensively studied Greek literature, poetry and philosophy. Apart from Greek authors, he also read the Christian Scriptures, as well as the writings of Origen, from whom he may have inherited the high respect for ancient Greek scholarship. Gregory s closest friends, Basil the Great and Gregory of Nyssa, contributed considerably to the development of Greek scholarship on Christian soil. St Basil wrote a famous Exhortation to Youths as to How They shall Best Profit by the Writings of Pagan Authors, where he recommends Christian youth to use the works by ancient Greek writers, poets and philosophers for educational purposes. The same approach is exhibited by Gregory of Nyssa, who allegorically interpreted the jewellery of silver and of gold, stolen by the Jews on their departure from Egypt (Ex. 12:35-6), to be the wealth of pagan learning which Christians must borrow from the Greeks. He said that this wealth included natural philosophy, geometry, astronomy, dialectic, and whatever else is sought by those outside the Church. The fourth-century Fathers realized that they were living at a time when the scholarly and intellectual wealth inherited from ancient Greek culture needed to be appropriated by the Christian Church. While insisting on the superiority of Christian learning over Hellenistic wisdom, they at the same time thought it necessary for Christians to accumulate everything positive that had been amassed by human civilisation outside Christianity. In accordance with these views Gregory the Theologian promoted the idea that heathen culture and Hellenistic education do not belong to the pagans: though pagan in origin, they belong to the Christians as long as Christians are able to receive them. Not only Greek scholarship, but also world civilisation in general belongs to the Christian Church, Gregory claimed. Together with Origen and Gregory of Nyssa he was convinced that the jewellery of Egypt, which symbolizes pagan learning, must not be left by the New Israel (Christians) in the hands of Egyptians (pagans). We may note that early Christian literature at times saw human civilisation, art and culture, as being demonic in their provenance, since they result from the fall. John Chrysostom himself wrote that cities, arts, clothes and many other things were introduced by death. In the Macarian Homilies we read that wise men, philosophers, writers, poets, artists, sculptors, architects and archaeologists were prisoners and slaves of the evil power and worked under the influence of the devil. Yet many church writers pointed to the positive aspects of human civilisation and culture. Gregory the Theologian was one of them. He argued that no nation, religion, or philosophical school can monopolise culture, science and art, because these belong to the whole of humanity. For Gregory, it is God himself who is the true creator of human civilisation, and the artists are instruments in God s hands: Language belongs not to those who invented it but rather to all who use it, and so also art and every occupation which you can imagine. In music, each string has its own sound, high or low so also in these arts the Divine Word, Artist and Creator, appointed various inventors of various occupations and arts, giving everything to those who desire to use it, in order to unite us by the bonds of common life and friendship, and to make our life more civilised. Gregory the Theologian respected everything which demonstrates the power of human reason, be it humanitarian and natural sciences, rhetoric, literature, poetry, music or other arts, even the art of circus trainers, about which he spoke with great admiration. Gregory s ideal is a man of reason, of high intellectual culture, of great erudition, who combines the true faith with knowledge in various fields and with an open attitude to the world. It is reason that makes humans alike to the divine Logos. Many of Gregory s poetic works contain praises of reason, education, and scholarship. Consider reason as the lamp of your whole life, he says. Do not think that there is anything better than education, he writes elsewhere. At the same time Gregory underlines that education should not be considered as an aim in itself: it is necessary in order to bring one to the knowledge of God and to contribute to one s progress in faith. One has to study in youth in order to offer the fruits of one s learning to the divine Spirit when one reaches maturity. This was Gregory s own aspiration from his early years. In the twilight of his life he wrote: One glory was pleasing to me, to progress in literary sciences, which are collected by East and West, and by Athens, the glory of Greece. In them I toiled much for a long time. But even these I placed before Christ, having prostrated myself, in order that they should give room to the Word of great God, which eclipses any changeable and diverse invention of the human mind. 6

7 Thus, secular letters and the fullness of non-christian culture withdraw into shadow when a person encounters Christ. Compared with the Divine Word, every human word is nothing but myth, tale and invention. Yet the studies of Greek philosophy, mythology, poetry and other humanitarian and natural sciences are necessary in order to bring them to Christ s feet. Gregory the Theologian had before his eyes many living examples of true Christian scholarship. One of them was Basil the Great, his friend and classmate, of whose erudition and learning he spoke with admiration. Praising Basil s knowledge of rhetoric, grammar, history, poetry, philosophy, astronomy, geometry, mathematics and medicine, Gregory exclaims: He was a ship loaded with scholarship insofar as human nature can possibly accumulate. Remembering their days in the Academy of Athens, Gregory writes with nostalgia: Two ways were familiar to us: the first and more precious leading us to our sacred buildings and the masters there; the second. to our secular teachers. All else-festivals, spectacles, assemblies, and banquets-we left to those with a taste for such things. Our great concern. was to be Christians and be called Christians. Being a defender of the Greek paideia, Gregory the Theologian was a strong opponent to any kind of ignorance and obscurantism. Resistance to learning, contempt for education and unwillingness to accumulate the richness of human culture are, according to Gregory, incompatible with Christianity. The understanding of Christianity as a semi-catacomb sect which encloses itself by thick walls of suspicion and prejudice, opposed to the outside world, is alien to Gregory. On the contrary, Christianity must be open and all-embracing enough to be able to contain within itself the achievements of human reason. Entrance of the Theotokos to the Temple The second great feast of the Theotokos is the celebration of her entrance as a child into the Jerusalem Temple which is commemorated on the twenty-first of November. Like the feast of her nativity, this feast of Mary is without direct biblical and historical reference. But like the nativity, it is a feast filled with important spiritual significance for the Christian believer. The texts of the service tells how Mary was brought as a small child to the temple by her parents in order to be raised there among the virgins consecrated to the service of the Lord until the time of their betrothal in marriage. According to Church tradition, Mary was solemnly received by the temple community which was headed by the priest Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist. She was led to the holy place to be nourished there by the angels in order to become herself the holy of holies of God, the living sanctuary and temple of the Divine child who was to be born in her. There is no doubt that the verses of the Old Testamental Psalm 45, used extensively in the services of the feast, provided a great inspiration for the celebration of Mary s consecration to the service of God in the Jerusalem Temple. Hear, O Daughter, and consider and incline your ear; forget your people and your father s house, and the king will desire your beauty. Since he is your Lord, bow to him... The princess is decked in her chamber with gold-woven robes, in many-colored robes she is led to her king, with her virgin companions, her escort, in her train. With joy and gladness they are led along, as they enter the palace of the king. Instead of your fathers shall be your sons; you will make them princes in all the earth. I will cause your name to be celebrated in all generations, therefore, the peoples will praise you forever and ever (Ps ). 7

8 The Orthodox Church understands these words of the psalm to be a prophecy directly related to Mary the Theotokos. According to the Gospel of Saint Luke which is read at the Vigil of each of her feasts, Mary herself speaks the following words: My soul magnifies the Lord and my Spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for He has regarded the low estate of His handmaiden. For behold, hence-forth all generations shall call me blessed; for He who is mighty has done great things for me and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation (Lk ). The main theme of the feast of Mary s entrance to the Temple, repeated many times in the liturgical services, is the fact that she enters the Temple to become herself the living temple of God, thus inaugurating the New Testament in which are fulfilled the prophecies of old that the dwelling of God is with man and that the human person is the sole proper dwelling place of the Divine Presence (Ezek 37.27; Jn ; Acts 7.47; 2 Cor 6.11; Eph ; 1 Pet 2.4; Rev ). Today is the preview of the good will of God, of the preaching of the salvation of mankind. The Virgin appears in the temple of God, in anticipation proclaiming Christ to all. Let us rejoice and sing to her: Rejoice, O Divine Fulfillment of the Creator s dispensation (Troparion). The most pure Temple of the Saviour, the precious Chamber and Virgin, the Sacred Treasure of the Glory of God, is presented today to the house of the Lord. She brings with her the grace of the Spirit, which the angels of God do praise. Truly this woman is the Abode of Heaven! (Kontakion). The fortieth chapter of Exodus about the building of the tabernacle is read at Vespers, together with passages from the First Book of Kings and the Prophecy of Ezekiel. Each one of these readings all end with exactly the same line, for the glory of the Lord filled the house [tabernacle] of the Lord God Almighty (Ex 40.35; 1 Kg 8.11; Ezek 44.4). Once again on this feast, the Old Testament readings are interpreted as symbols of the Mother of God. This glory of the Lord is referred to the Mother of Christ and it fills her and all people after her who hear the word of God and keep it as the Gospel of the festal liturgy proclaims (Lk ). The epistle reading at the Divine Liturgy also proclaims this very same theme (Heb 9.1 7). Thus, the feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple is the feast which celebrates the end of the physical temple in Jerusalem as the dwelling place of God. When the child Mary enters the temple, the time of the temple comes to an end and the preview of the good will of God is shown forth. On this feast we celebrate in the person of Christ s mother that we too are the house and tabernacle of the Lord.... We are the temple of the living God, as God said, I will live in them and move among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people (2 Cor 6.16; Is 52.11). 8

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