THE CANON. He s Baaaaack!

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1 ST. NICHOLAS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH February 2017 Volume 45 Issue 2 He s Baaaaack! Lorain St. Nicholas Philoptochos Presents Laugh Out Loud with Basile, Again! Friday, April 21, 2017 Doors 7:30 p.m. Show Starts 8:30 p.m. St. Nicholas Zahars Hall 2000 Tower Boulevard, Lorain Pre-Sale Adult Admission: $35.00 Youth 18 & Under: $25.00 General Adult Admission: $40.00 (after March 31st) Live Music & Dancing After the Show Complimentary Mezedakia - Cash Bar - Show Rating: PG-13 THE CANON My Dear Spiritual Children, As we celebrate Valentine s Day we celebrate a time of love (Eros) and romance. From the beginning of time, the Church calls us to celebrate a different kind of love (Αγάπη) Love, this is God s love. The love of God for us is beyond measure. No matter what we have done or how far we have gone astray from Him, God loves us and like a loving Father He does not give up hope in us but patiently waits for us to change our ways through repentance and return back home to Him. We in return for this great love for us should show our great love to God. There are many ways we can love God, but one very important way of showing our love to God is by showing love to each other. We are to love each other as God loves us. St. Paul instructs us to love each other as we love ourselves. We wouldn t want to hurt ourselves in anyway, so we should not hurt each other in any way. We are familiar with the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you want others to do unto you. We constantly pray to God: Forgive us our trespasses AS we forgive those to trespass against us. Our Lord Jesus Christ said, Whatsoever you do to the least of these my brethren, you do to Me. St. John in his Epistle writes, Any man who says he loves God but hates his brother, is a liar. How can you love God whom you do not see, and hate your brother, whom you do see? What is love? St. Paul beautifully expresses love (αγάπη) in his First Epistle to the Corinthians: Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful: it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things hopes all things, endures all things. Love is patient: it bears nobly the neighbor s deficiencies. It is kind: it employs gentleness and courtesy. Love is not jealous: it does not experience the passion of envy. Love does not pry: it does not concern itself with what is not its business, which is what prying is; it does not meddle with measuring the divine being, nor call in question its arrangements, as some are inclined to do. The one who loves refrains from doing anything unseemly. (love meaning the person who has love). It is not puffed up: it is not overbearing towards its brethren. It feels no shame: it declines to do nothings lowly or humiliating for the benefit of the brethren in the belief that such an action is unseemly. It does not look for its own advantage: but for that of many so as to save them. It is not provoked: even

2 11 February 2017 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 Presentation of our Lord Orthros 9:30 D. Lit 10:15 Seniors 5 pm Orthros 9: AHEPA 6:30 Philoptochos 6:30 pm at Wood & Wine 8 Breakfast with Father 9 Parish Council 7:00 pm Orthros 9:15 Divine Lit 10 :00 Godparent Sunday w Night with Father 7:00 pm Saturday of Souls Orhros 9:30 10:15 am 19 Orthros 9:15 am MEATFARE SUNDAY 26 Orthros 9:15 am CHEESEFARE SUNDAY 20 Presidents Day 27 GREAT LENT BEGINS 21 AHEPA 6:30 pm Saturday of the Souls Orthros 9:30 Div. Lit. 10:15 APOKRIATIKO GLENDI

3 3 (Continued from page 1) Godparent Sunday February 12th if something offensive is done by someone, it bears it with patience on account of the action it feels. It gives no thought to evil: it pardons the fallen, supposing this happened with no evil intent. It does not rejoice in iniquity, but joins in rejoicing in the truth: it hates lawlessness; it finds happiness in the good. It endures everything: it puts up with offenses out of love. It believes everything: Nothing that happens to this person can deter them from love. Love never fails: that is, is not disappointed, but always remains firm, stale and immovable, abiding forever. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:15 Love one another as I have loved you. Jesus Happy Valentines Day In Christ s Love, +Fr. Michael Invite your Koumbari, Godchildren & Godparent(s).Plan to attend! Breakfast to Follow. General Donation: ten dollars Children 12 and under: six dollars Toddlers 4 and under: free Reservations via the Church Office or during Coffee Hour January 22nd thru February 5th Wednesday, February 8th Thursday, February PM -

4 9 LOVE FOR GOD AND ONE S NEIGHBOR Love is the queen of virtues. One who strives after love will be enriched with an incomparable treasure. More than anything else, we must love God. Let us love all men without exception as we love ourselves. Many think they have love, but how can this be confirmed? By your works and your conduct, O man, it will be made obvious. If, being injured and slandered you don t hold hostility within you against those who offend you; if your cannot endure seeing a poor man, but give him the most choice of your goods; if you deny yourselves various necessitates so as to be able to give them to one in need, then, in truth, you have love for your neighbor. If you desire to glorify God by praying or giving thanks to Him for the good things He has given you, and this time of prayer is for you not an obligation and duty, but rather a deep yearning of your heart; and if you grieve over your sins and struggle to correct your behavior, then take courage truly you love God. If we don t love our fellow men, then it is impossible that we love God. IMPOSSIBLE. Many there are who run to churches, travel to the Holy Land, and make many prayers, but at the same time have quarrels with their neighbors, and years have passed since they have said good day to them, or they are embittered against them for various causes. Or they deal unjustly with others and are a heavy burden to their fellow men. Let us not deceive ourselves, however. St. John the Evangelist writes: If anyone says, I love God, but hates his follow man, his love for God is even a lie. Because inasmuch as he does not love his fellow man, who is an icon of God, even seeing him daily, how is it possible for him to love God, Whom he has never seen? There is drawing of a monk standing in front of a large closed door. (It is the Door to the Kingdom of Heaven) In front of this closed door are two steps that lead to the Closed Door. Resting on top the first step (The Lower Step) is a key. St. John Kolovos says, Our neighbor is the key of the Kingdom of Heaven. The Top Step is marked, The Love of God. The second step (the bottom step) is marked, Love of one s Neighbor No one is able to achieve love of God if he doesn t gain love for his neighbor first of all. A certain saint writes: The key that opens the door to the Kingdom of God is your neighbor. ZOE FOR LIFE ZOE for Life! is offering Client Advocate Training on Wednesday, February 1st, We are taking another step toward our goal of providing more complete and holistic client services at ZOE House. An interactive volunteer meeting will begin this next phase of our ministry. We will meet at ZOE House, 5454 State Road in Parma, Ohio, at noon. If you have ever thought of volunteering at ZOE for Life! now is the time. If you have never thought about volunteering at ZOE for Life! now is the time to prayerfully consider doing so. Please call to reserve your Cutting of the VasiLopita 2017

5 [Community É NEWS] Seniors: Our next Senior meeting will be Ζωή σέ σάς. Thursday, February 2 nd at 5:00 p.m. here at the church. We kindly ask that you bring a Thank You: The families of Demetria Christo side dish to share with our meal. Looking forward to sharing another year together with greatly appreciate all the help and contributions toward her one year memorial. Thank you. you all and God bless. Deaths: Our deepest sympathy to George Georgas and his family upon the death of his 18 Φεβρουαρίου : Ψυχοσάββατο Ορ. 9:30 wife Koula who fell asleep in the Lord on January 4, Her 40 Day Memorial Service will π.μ. Θ. Λιτ. 10:15 π.μ. take place on Sunday, February 5 th. 25 Φεβρουαρίου: Ψυχοσάββατο Ορ, 9:30 π.μ. Θ. Λιτ. 10:15 π.μ. +May God rest her soul and grant peace and comfort to her family+ 27 Φεβρουαρίου: Καθαρά Δευτέρα Our deepest sympathy to the family of Dan Kantalas. Dan fell asleep in the Lord on January 4, gratefully acknowledge Marie Carone and Philoptochos: The Ladies of Philoptochos +May God rest his soul and grant peace Family for their very kind and generous donation offered in memory of Mike Carone. and comfort to his family+ Our deepest sympathy to Louis Vlahos and Breakfast--Sunday, February 12 th is Godparent Sunday. Please join the Ladies of Philopto- family upon the death of his sister-in-law Marika Vlahos who fell asleep in the Lord on January 16, 2017 in Athens Greece, and his nephlowing the. Adults $10, chilchos for our Godparent Sunday Breakfast folew Chris Vlahos who fell asleep in the Lord dren12 & under $6, toddlers 4 & under free! January 22, 2017 in Athens Greece. They had Make your reservations by February 5 th via the resided in Lorain and were members of our church office or Sundays during the coffee community for many years. God rest their hour. souls and grant peace and comfort to their families. ΨΥΧΟΣΑΒΒΑΤΟ SATURDAY OF THE SOULS Υπέρ αναπαύσεως For the repose 5

6 Fasting, in our days, has become one of the most neglected spiritual values. Because of misunderstandings regarding the nature of fating, because of confused and reversed priorities in its use, many of today s Orthodox Christians fast very little, or disregard fasting altogether. Fasting was practiced by the Lord Himself. After prayer and fasting for forty days in the wilderness, the Lord victoriously faced the temptations of the devil (Matthew 4:1-11). The Lord himself asked the disciples to use fasting as an important spiritual weapon to achieve spiritual victories (Matthew 17:21; Mark 9:29; Luke 2:37). The example of the Lord was followed by His disciples (Acts 14:23; 27:9; I Corinthians 7:5; II Corinthians 6:5; 11:27, etc.) What is fasting? Why is it so important? Why does fasting preceded such important feasts such as Easter and Christmas. The importance of fasting depends on its meaning. Many of the Fathers have written on fasting. Among others St. Basil has left us with the most inspired comments on fasting. St. Basil tells us that fasting is not abstaining from food only; it is first of all, abstaining from sin. Grounded in the teachings of the Fathers, the Church in it hymnology describes fasting as the mother of chastity and prudence, as the accuser of sin and as the advocate of repentance, the life worthy of angels and the salvation of humans. Fasting becomes all of these when observed in the proper spirit. First of all, fasting is abstinence from food. By detaching us from earthly goods and realities, fasting has a liberating effect on us and makes us On Fasting worthy of the life of the sprit, a life similar to that of the angels. Second, fasting as abstinence from bad habits and sin, is the mother of Christian virtues, the mother of sound and wholesome thinking; it allows us to establish the proper priority between the material and spiritual, giving priority to the spiritual. Fasting is the advocate of repentance. Adam and Eve disobeyed God; they refused to fast from the forbidden fruit. They became slaves of their own desires. But now through fasting, through obedience to the rules of the Church regarding the use of spiritual and material goods we may return to the life of paradise, a life of communion with God. Because of the liberating effect of fasting, both material and spiritual, the Church has connected fasting with the celebration of the major feasts of our tradition. Easter is, of course, our main feast. It is the feast of feasts. It is the feast of our liberation from the bondage of sin, from corrupted nature, from death. For on that day, through His Resurrection from the dead, Christ has raised us from death to life, and from earth to heaven, Christ, our new Passover, has taken us away from the land of slavery, sin and death, to the promised land of freedom, bliss and glory; from our sinful condition to resurrected life. It is most appropriate to prepare for this celebration through a liberating fast, both material and (Continued on page 7) (Continued from page 6) spiritual. This is the profound meaning that fasting takes during the Great Lent. Let us allow ourselves to take advantage of the spiritual riches of the Church. Let us use the precious messianic gifts offered to us through its sacramental life, through its celebrations of the central mysteries of our salvation in Christ. Let us use the spiritual weapons to fight the good fight, to walk the way of fasting, to crush the heads of the invisible dragons, to 7 Godparent Sunday Celebration Sunday February 12, 2017 prove ourselves victorious over sin, and without condemnation to reach our goal of worshiping the Holy Resurrection. (Prayer from the Presanctified Liturgy) This is the challenge of the Great Lent: to use fasting to obtain the resurrected life, to unite with the Risen Lord. Who could refuse to accept challenge? Sunday, February 12, 2017 has been designated as Godparent Sunday. On this day we honor the relationship of Godparents who have committed themselves to Christ and their Godchildren by setting the example of a good Christian life. Let us come together on this Sunday, Godparents and Godchildren, to stand before the Holy Altar with our lit candles participating in the Service of Reaffirmation. There we offer our thanks to God as we reaffirm commitments entered into years before. Reach out to your Godparents or Godchildren, regardless of their ages and come worship together on this day. By one spirit we are all baptized into one body, for the body is not one member, but many. 1 Cor. 12:1-4 Plan to stay for the brunch also. Call to reserve a spot today!!!