Fourth Sunday of the Great Fast Commemoration of Saint John Climacus Repentance

Transcription

1 Fourth Sunday of the Great Fast Commemoration of Saint John Climacus Repentance Icon of Saint John Climacus Eastern Christian Bulletin Service -- PO Box Fairfax, VA Ph: Fax:

2 St. Mary Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church A Parish of the Self-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese (antiochian.org) and The Diocese of Charleston, Oakland & The Mid-Atlantic (antiochian.org/east) ( the Disciples were called Christians first in Antioch! Acts 11:26) 111 Alberta Avenue Johnstown, PA stmaryaocc.org // office@stmaryaocc.org Most Rev. Metropolitan PHILIP Archbishop & Primate Right Rev. Bishop THOMAS Bishop of Charleston / Oakland and Asst. to the Metropolitan Very Rev. Fr. Donald E. Shadid, D.Min. Archpriest & Pastor Edward Makdad Parish Council Chairperson Fr. Don Home: frdon@stmaryaocc.org Office: THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT: ST. JOHN OF THE LADDER+ (Also Known as St. John Climacus of Sinai) Sunday, April 14, 2013 Apostles ARISTARCHOS, PUDENS & TROPHYMOS of the Seventy; Martyr THOMAIS of Alexandria and The New-Martyr DEMETRIOS of the Peloponnesos. Glory be to Jesus Christ! Glory be to Him Forever! A WARM WELCOME TO ALL! We welcome all of you, our Faithful and our visitors, to St. Mary Orthodox Church! It is a pleasure to have you with us as we glorify and praise the Name of our God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Please sing along with our Choir during the Liturgy. Please note that the Sacrament of Holy Communion can only be given to Orthodox Christians who have prepared themselves by prayer, fasting, regular Confession (at least twice per year 7 Yrs. old & up), who attend Liturgy regularly & on time and are at peace with all people. When receiving Holy Communion, please fold your arms over your chest, open your mouth wide, tip your head back slightly and allow the priest to place the elements in your mouth. For our non-orthodox brethren, we welcome you to sing and pray with us, venerate the Cross and receive the Holy Bread at the end of the Divine Liturgy. Please join us again soon. May God Bless You Always!

3 HOLY OBLATION: Offered by the Faithful of our St. Mary Parish for the health of our St. Mary Parish Council as they, along with Fr. Don, continue to lead us on our Journey towards Communion with God! PASCHAL CANDLES: Offered: (1) for the health of Roger Knepper as he continues to recover from his surgery and (2) in beloved memory of mother & grandmother, Saada Sayegh, sisters & aunts, Adele (Sayegh) Audi & Laila (Sayegh) Karam and brothers & uncles, George & Fred Sayegh by Huda (Sayegh) Martin & Family. PROSKAMEDIA CANDLE: Offered in beloved memory of aunt, Della (Salem) Hutton by Christine Salem. PRAYERS OF LITURGICAL REMEMBRANCE: Offered: (1) for the health of Helena Metry (grandmother of Kristen Catanese) by Sam & Lisa Catanese and (2) in beloved memory of James Youngdahl, Sr. by Marjorie Hamaty and The Hamaty Family. For The Living God Grant Them Many Years! and For The Departed May Their Memory Be Ever Eternal! VARIATIONS & NOTES ON THE LITURGY - PLEASE NOTE: During the Sundays of Great Lent, we celebrate the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great (Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia), in which the priest s prayers for the Faithful are longer and more penitential, and the Anaphora Prayers (the offering of the Liturgical Gifts for consecration) are more detailed regarding our Salvation History. Also, Fr. Don has to prepare the Lamb for this week s Pre-Sanctified Liturgy. Please be attentive during these prayers and quiet moments so that you may truly join your prayer to that of the Church. We now have Service Books on the Front Pews for this Liturgy so that you may more easily & fully participate in our Worship. Thank You! THIRD ANTIPHON: (Troparion During The Little Entrance Tone Four) See Troparion of The Resurrection Below. AFTER THE LITTLE ENTRANCE: TROPARION OF THE RESURRECTION: (Tone Four) Having learned the joyful message of the resurrection from the angel, the women disciples of the Lord cast from them their parental condemnation and proudly broke the news to the disciples saying death hath been spoiled, Christ God is risen granting the world great mercy.

4 TROPARION OF ST. JOHN OF THE LADDER: (Tone Eight) With the streams of thy tears, thou didst cultivate the barrenness of the desert; and by thy sighings from the depths, thou didst bear fruit a hundredfold in labors; and thou becamest a luminary, shining with miracles upon the world, O John our righteous Father. Intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved. TROPARION OF THE DORMITION OF THE VIRGIN MARY: (Patron Feast Day - Tone One) In thy birth-giving, O Theotokos, thou didst keep and preserve virginity; and in thy falling-asleep thou hast not forsaken the world for thou wast translated into life, being the Mother of Life. Wherefore, by thine intercessions, deliver our souls from death. KONTAKION OF THE SUNDAYS OF GREAT LENT: (Tone Eight) To thee, the Champion Leader, I thy servant offer thanks of victory; O Theotokos, thou who hast delivered me from terror. But as thou that hast that power invincible, O Theotokos, thou alone can set me free; from all forms of danger free me and deliver me, that I may cry unto thee: Rejoice, O Bride without bridegroom! EPISTLE: Hebrews 6:13-20 (Fourth Sunday of Great Lent) HOLY GOSPEL: Mark 9:17-31 (Fourth Sunday of Great Lent) Concerning the Kiss of Peace, prior to the Nicene Creed, we encourage you to greet those around you with a handshake, saying: Christ is in our Midst! the response being: He is and Always Shall Be! In this way, we express: (1) our Joy that God has acted to restore our Communion with Him and (2) our Hope in the Resurrection from the Dead that is offered to us by our Lord s own trampling down death by death! God is With Us ( Emmanuel )! MEGALYNARION (For the Liturgy of St. Basil): (Tone Four) In thee rejoiceth, O full of grace, all creation: the angelic hosts, and the race of men, O hallowed Temple and super-sensual paradise, glory of Virgins, of whom God was incarnate and became a little child, even our God Who is before all the ages; for He made thy womb a throne, and thy body He made more spacious than the heavens. In thee rejoiceth, O full of grace, all creation; and it glorifieth thee. KOINONIKON (Communion Hymn Tone Eight): Refrain: Praise ye the Lord from the heavens; praise Him in the highest.

5 Alleluia! (Note: The Alleluia! is done at the end of the Refrain only after the last Verse has been sung.) Verse: Praise Him, all ye His angels; praise Him, all ye His hosts. (Refrain) Verse: Praise Him, O sun and moon; praise Him, all ye stars and light. (Refrain) Verse: Praise Him, ye heavens of heavens, and thou water that art above the heavens. (Refrain) THIS WEEK S EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS - (Church Office: 9 AM 1 PM Monday - Friday) + Monday, April 15 GREAT COMPLINE 6 PM. + Tuesday, April 16 DAILY LENTEN MATINS 8 AM and PARISH COUNCIL MEETING 6 PM. + Wednesday, April 17 NINTH HOUR & TYPIKA 5:15 PM Followed by the PRE-SANCTIFIED LITURGY 6 PM Please abstain from food & drink from your Noon Meal onward if you will be partaking of the Holy Eucharist at this Vesperal Liturgy also, please note that our Parish Organizations will again take turns setting-up & cleaning-up the Lenten Suppers this year our host this week is our Choir if you can bring a non-meat and / or non-dairy Casserole / Dish / Lenten Dessert, please do so and everyone, please join us after the Service as we break our fast together. + Thursday, April 18 DAILY LENTEN MATINS 8 AM. + Friday, April 19 NO SERVICES Please Join Us at the Antiochian Village at 7 PM for the Little Compline and Akathist Hymn. + Saturday, April 20 ANTIOCHIAN WOMEN OF THE EAST LENTEN RETREAT Antiochian Village 9:45 to 11:45 AM and 1:30 to 3:30 PM and NO GREAT VESPERS 5 PM. + Sunday, April 21 FIFTH SUNDAY OF GREAT LENT COMMEMORATION OF OUR RIGHTEOUS MOTHER MARYOF EGYPT 8:15 AM & DIVINE 9:30 AM Followed by Church School & Fellowship and DEANERY LENTEN ST. MICHAEL CHURCH Monessen, PA (1201 Patton Avenue / ) 5 PM.

6 Also Note that we are now celebrating the Great Fast, in which we abstain from all Meat, Poultry, Dairy Products, Fish, Wine & Olive Oil. THOSE IN SPECIAL NEED OF OUR PRAYERS: SHADYSIDE HOSPITAL (Pittsburgh): Cay Lynne Jackson (ICU); ALLEGHENY LUTHERAN HOME: Margaret Abraham (#11); HARMONY HOUSE MANOR: Vivian Salem (#11 // 601 Lamberd Ave. // 15904); LAUREL VIEW VILLAGE (2000 Cambridge Dr. // Davidsville, PA 15928): Very Rev. John Govrusik (#104-L) & George Heider (#210); WILLIAMSPORT RETIREMENT VILLAGE (154 N. Artizan St. // Williamsport, MD 21795): Edward Joseph (#223-B) and IN TREATMENT, RECOVERING AND / OR SHUT-IN AT HOME : Becky Azar; Mitchell Azar; Kisa Colbert; Vivian (Saleeba) Curry; Renee D Ettorre; Elaine Emeigh; Paul Hodge; Bea Jaber; Jill Jaber; Roger Knepper; Genevieve Milkie; Samuel Shahade; Greg & Mary Evelyn (Finley) Smith and their infant son, Simeon Lee and Mitchell Spanovich. May God Be With All of Them & All Of Those Who are Sick and / or In Need! A SPECIAL THANK YOU! : On behalf of our entire St. Mary Parish Family, Fr. Don would like to offer a special Thank You! to one & all who supported last weekend s Homemade Spinach Pie Sale the spinach pies were wonderful and we completely sold out! To all those who: ordered, helped to prepare & bake the Spinach Pies, distribute them, and cleaned-up, we offer our Thanks! and we pray that our Lord will Bless & Keep You and Your Loved Ones! St. Mary Parish Financial Snapshot As of February 28, 2013 February 2013 Year to Date (YTD) Parishioner Giving (Income) $ 7, $ 13, Expenses Paid $ 6, $ 18, Parishioner Giving vs. Expenses Paid $ 1, $ - 4, ANNUAL DIOCESAN ANTIOCHIAN WOMEN RETREAT The Antiochian Women of the East (Dioceses of NY & Washington, D.C. and Charleston, Oakland & Mid-Atlantic) are pleased to announce this year s Retreat for all Christian Women April at the Antiochian Village. The Theme is: Be Still and Know That I am God: Learning Theology From The Hymns of Holy Week and The Retreat Leader is the Rev. Fr. Bogdan Bucur,

7 Parish Priest (St. Anthony Butler, PA) and Associate Professor of Theology (Bible & Patristics) at Duquesne University (Pittsburgh, PA). Registration Forms available in Office Commuter Rates are based on Meals Lodging Rates include meals Any Questions, please see Fr. Don. This is a special opportunity for all Christian Women please don t miss it! Reading of the Life of St. Mary of Egypt Fr. Don will offer the Reading of the Life of St. Mary of Egypt after the Little Compline with the Canon of St. Lazarus on Friday, April 26 at 6 PM. This Hagiagraphy (life of a saint) is a fascinating and uplifting story of repentance and love for God that will move you to a deeper Faith and appreciation for those who have gone before us! Mother Mary is commemorated on April 1 and on the Fifth Sunday of Great Lent. Please join us for this true story this Reality Show which points us towards the Real Life, that of the Church, the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. A Spiritual Gem (compiled by Fr. Noah Bushelli St. Philip Antiochian Orthodox Church Souderton, PA) Masters, Fathers, Mothers, Brothers & Sisters, Bless! I pray that this beautiful image from St. John Climacus Ladder of Divine Ascent (#24) will inspire & edify you as you continue on your Lenten Journey towards Pascha Meekness is an unchangeable state of mind, which remains the same in honor and dishonor. Meekness is a rock overlooking the sea of anger, which breaks all the waves that dash against it, yet remains completely unmoved. In Christ, +Fr. Noah

8 Epistle Priest: Reader: Let us attend. The Lord will give strength to His people. Verse: Bring unto the Lord, ye sons of God; bring unto the Lord glory and honor! Priest: Reader: Priest: Wisdom. The Reading is taken from The Holy Apostle Paul s Letter to the Hebrews (6:13-20) Let us attend. BRETHREN, when God made a promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, Surely I will bless thee and multiplying I will multiply thee. And thus, having patiently endured, he obtained the promise. For people indeed swear by what is greater, and in every dispute of theirs the oath is final for confirmation. So when God, being minded to show more abundantly to the heirs of the promise the immutability of His counsel, He interposed it with an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, we, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope that is set before us; a hope, which we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and entering into that which is within the veil, where Jesus entered as Forerunner on our behalf, having become a High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek Over + + +

9 Holy Gospel The reading is taken from the Holy Gospel according to St. Mark (9:17-31) AT THAT TIME: a man came to Jesus, kneeling down and saying unto him, Teacher, I brought my son to You, for he has a dumb spirit. And wherever it seizes him, it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked Thy Disciples to cast it out, and they were not able. And Jesus answered them, O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to Me. And they brought the boy to Him; and when the spirit saw Jesus, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, How long has he had this? And he said, From childhood. And it has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if Thou canst do anything, have pity on us and help us. And Jesus said to him, If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes. Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help my unbelief! And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, You dumb and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again. And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse; so that most of them said, He is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when Jesus had entered the house, His Disciples asked Him privately, Why could we not cast it out? And Jesus said to them, This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting. They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And Jesus would not have anyone know it; for He was teaching His Disciples, saying to them, The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him; and after He is killed, He will rise on the third day. May God Be With You!

10 The Saints Of The Day *Fourth Sunday of Lent- April 14, 2013* THE VENERABLE JOHN CLIMACUS John Climacus is the author of "The Ladder of Divine Ascent." John came to Mt. Sinai as a sixteen year old youth and remained there, first as a novice under obedience, and afterwards as a recluse, and finally as abbot of Sinai until his eightieth year. He died around the year 563 A.D. His biographer, the monk Daniel, says about him: "His body ascended the heights of Sinai, while his soul ascended the heights of heaven." He remained under obedience with his spiritual father, Martyrius, for nineteen years. Anastasius of Sinai, seeing the young John, prophesied that he would become the abbot of Sinai. After the death of his spiritual father, John withdrew into a cave, where he lived a difficult life of asceticism for twenty years. His disciple, Moses, fell asleep one day under the shade of a large stone. John, in prayer in his cell, saw that his disciple was in danger and prayed to God for him. Later on, when Moses returned, he fell on his knees and gave thanks to his spiritual father for saving him from certain death. He related how, in a dream, he heard John calling him and he jumped up and, at that moment, the stone tumbled. Had he not jumped, the stone would have crushed him. At the insistence of the brotherhood, John agreed to become abbot and directed the salvation of the souls of men with zeal and love. From someone John heard a reproach that he talked too much. Not being angered by this, John however remained silent for an entire year and did not utter a word until the brothers implored him to speak and to continue to teach them his God-given wisdom. On one occasion, when sixhundred pilgrims came to the Monastery of Sinai, everyone saw an agile youth in Jewish attire serving at a table and giving orders to other servants and assigning them. All at once, this young man disappeared. When everyone noticed this and began to question it, John said to them, "Do not seek him, for that was Moses the Prophet serving in my place." During the time of his silence in the cave, John wrote many worthwhile books, of which the most glorious is "The Ladder." This book is still read by many, even today. In this book, John describes the method of elevating the soul to God, as ascending a ladder. Before his death, John designated George, his brother in the flesh, as abbot. George grieved much because of his separation from John. Then John said to him, that, if he [John] were found worthy to be near God in the other world, he would pray to Him, that, he, [George], would be taken to heaven that same year. And, so it was. After ten months George succeeded and settled among the citizens of heaven as did his great brother, John. REFLECTIONS If humility before men is necessary for the sake of being exalted before God and temporal effort for the sake of eternal life, what do you care if someone wags their head and laughs at your humility? John the Silentary [the Hesychast] was a bishop in Ascalon for ten years. Seeing that the honors of men hindered him, he disguised himself as a simple monk and entered the Monastery of St. Sabas the Sanctified, where he was assigned to gather wood and to boil lentils for the laborers. When he was recognized, he closed himself in a cell, where he lived for forty-seven years, feeding on vegetables only. This is how the Fathers avoided worldly honors, for which many in our day, in neckbreaking struggle, squander their souls away to dust and ashes. *Taken from The Prologue from Ochrid by Saint Nicholas (Velimirovich) To God Be Glory and Praise Always! Amen.

11 Hieromartyr Simeon the Bishop in Persia, and those with him in Persia April 17, The School of the Cross To suffer in the presence of Christ, and in like manner as He suffered, is to have a foretaste of Paradise. Like as the visible material Cross is the royal standard of the visible kingdom of Christ, so is our secret cross the seal and distinguishing mark of the true and chosen servants of the invisible kingdom of God. It is a precious pledge of the love of God it is the rod of the Father, not so much chastening and breaking the spirit, as restoring and comforting it [Ps. 2:9; 23:3-4]; it is the purifying fire of faith, companion of hope, the mortifier of sensuality, the conqueror of passion, the inciter to prayer, the protector of chastity, the parent of humility the teacher of wisdom, the guardian of the sons of the kingdom. Where were all the great angels, the guides and guardians of the Church, the Josephs, the Moses s, the Daniels, the Pauls, brought up? In the school of the Cross. St. Philaret of Moscow, Select Sermons, pp Troparion Tone 4 As an instructor of divinely inspired doctrines / you trained martyrs for contest by your words and deeds. / You suffered with them, holy hierarch Simeon, / crying out to Christ while hastening to Him: / We are counted as sheep for the slaughter out of love for You, O Savior. Troparion Tone 4 As an instructor of divinely inspired doctrines / you trained martyrs for contest by your words and deeds. / You suffered with them, holy hierarch Simeon, / crying out to Christ while hastening to Him: / We are counted as sheep for the slaughter out of love for You, O Savior. Kontakion Tone 4 With your holy band of martyrs / you shone forth from Persia like radiant stars. / With them we praise you, O Simeon

12 +++ LENTEN & PASCHAL OFFERINGS +++ We are on our Lenten Journey towards Pascha! There are many items that the Church needs for all of our special services, and we ask for your participation and support. If you would like to offer a donation to our St. Mary Parish Family for the health of or in memory of a loved one, please fill out the form below and leave it in the Prayer Request Box in the Hallway, marked for Fr. Don s attention. We thank you and pray that your Lenten Journey and Pascha will be a most Fruitful, Joyous & Peaceful one (John 14:27)! Cut Here Dear Fr. Don: It would be a great joy for me (us) to offer a donation of $ towards the following: Wine Agape Meal Incense Candles for Processions Pastor s Discretionary Fund (Help for Needy & Misc.) Holy Week Books For the Health of: - and / or In Beloved Memory of: Given by:

13 HOLY THURSDAY BREAD ORDER To Commemorate the Institution of the Holy Eucharist Thursday: May 2, 2013 St. Mary Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church Deadline For Orders Palm Sunday April 28, 2013 Bread to be taken home after the Divine Liturgy on Thursday, May 2, ORDER FORM Holy Bread Thursday # Loaves: X $10 / Loaf = $ (Please Call or Send your orders in by Sun., 04/28/13) (814) Offered By: For the Health Of:

14 *** 2013 CONFESSION SCHEDULE FOR GREAT LENT *** Monday: 5:00 PM 5:45 PM Wednesday: 4:45 PM 5:15 PM Friday: 5:00 PM 5:45 PM Saturday: 4:00 PM 4:45 PM (unless Great Vespers Cancelled) Tuesday & Thursday: By Appointment Please Note: No Confessions After Liturgy on Wednesdays. Due To Fr. s Commitment to Church School & Matins, Confession Will Not Be Offered On Sunday Mornings. Also, it is disrespectful to come for Confession and not stay for any liturgical service which is to follow. Please stay and join us for our corporate worship. If you cannot stay, then please refrain from coming for Confession on that day. Note: All Parishioners Are Asked To Have Their Confessions Heard by Lazarus Saturday, April 27, 2013 (Exception Only for Those Out of Town)

15 Fourth Sunday of the Great Fast Commemoration of Saint John Climacus Repentance Icon of Saint John Climacus Eastern Christian Bulletin Service -- PO Box Fairfax, VA Ph: Fax: