1280 Boston Road, Bradford, MA Daily Lectionary Readings

Transcription

1 Morning Service Առավոտեան Ժամերգություն 9 am Divine Liturgy Badarak- Սուրբ Պատարագ - 10:00 am Sunday school- Կիրակնօրեա Դպրոց 10:15 AM This Sunday Deacon Zakar Hachikian will share a reflection on the Sunday of Prodigal Son. UPCOMING EVENTS Առաջիկա Միջոցառումներ FRIDAY, March 9, "ANCHORED IN HOPE" LENTEN dinner, services & SPEAKER: REV. FR. VASKEN KOUZOUIAN, PASTOR OF HOLY TRINITY ARMENIAN CHURCH OF GREATER BOSTON, CAMBRIDGE, MA~ $15 TWO SLICES OF PIZZA, SALAD, DESSERT & DRINK ~ $7 DINNER 5-6:15 PM, SERVICES 6:30-7 PM, PROGRAMS 7 PM, RESERVATIONS ONLY CALL WITH YOUR MEAL CHOICE Wednesday, March 14, am Morning Service. As we enter the Holy season of the great lent, every Wednesday from February 14 March 28, we are going to conduct morning service/առավոտեան Ժամերգություն: We will not have Morning Hour Service only on Wednesday, March 7, Thursday, March at 7:30 PM Intent to Destroy Documentary about the Armenian Genocide. At AMC Theaters in Methuen, MA: Someone is donating 38 tickets. if you are interested to join us: Please Dr. Vera Machkalyan verochka12am@yahoo.com or call to church by February 25, First come first serve. Thank you! Saturday, April 14, 2018 The Women's Guild of Hye Pointe will be hosting Saintly Women's Day. Program starts at 10AM. Donation $35. Please reserve by contacting Co-Chairs Sylvia Tavitian or Barbara Arthur Sunday, March 4, 2018 Կիրակի, Մարտ 4, 2018 THE ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH AT HYE POINTE ՀԱՅ ՓՕԻՆԹ ՀԱՅԱՍՏԱՆՅԱՑ ԱՌԱՔԵԼԱԿԱՆ ԵԿԵՂԵՑԻ Rev. Fr. Vart Gyozalyan - Pastor 1280 Boston Road, Bradford, MA Daily Lectionary Readings Աստվածաշնչական Ընթերցումներ Isaiah 56:1-57:21, Ephesians 4:17-5:14, Luke 16:1-31 Fourth Sunday of Great Lent Sunday of the Steward - Տնտեսի կիրակի Cell phone reminder: Please turn off your cell phones prior to entering the Church, out of respect for the Divine Liturgy, the sanctity of the Sanctuary and your fellow worshiping parishioners. Thank you for your cooperation! Hokehankist Հոկեհանգիստներ For the Soul of Karlen Gevorgyan requested by Laura Gevorgyan, Armen Gevorgyan, M/M Armen & Piruza Bogossian & Family, M/M Hovik & Taguhi Avetisyan & Family

2 . TODAY S GOSPEL READING Այսօրվա Ավետարանը Luke 16: Then Jesus said to the disciples, There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was squandering his property. 2 So he summoned him and said to him, What is this that I hear about you? Give me an accounting of your management, because you cannot be my manager any longer. 3 Then the manager said to himself, What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. 4 I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes. 5 So, summoning his master s debtors one by one, he asked the first, How much do you owe my master? 6 He answered, A hundred jugs of olive oil. He said to him, Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty. 7 Then he asked another, And how much do you owe? He replied, A hundred containers of wheat. He said to him, Take your bill and make it eighty. 8 And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. 9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes. 10 Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. 11 If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own? 13 No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. 14 The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all this, and they ridiculed him. 15 So he said to them, You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of others; but God knows your hearts; for what is prized by human beings is an abomination in the sight of God. REQUEST FOR PRAYERS Աղօթքի Խնդրանք Prayers & get well wishes to all who are ill from Eva Naroian, John & Charlotte Mosto, Paul & Linda Doherty, Barbara Naroian Special prayers & blessings for Rosa Azarian & Esther Tanoian from - M/M Charles Bazarian, Happy wishes & congratulations to all who celebrate happy occasions in March from Mike & Sona Naroian Prayers & get well wishes to Rose Azarian, Pam Pahigian & to all who are ill from Bea Ohanian Prayers & get well wishes to Rose Azarian & to all who are ill from Emmanuel Baghdayan, Annette DerMinasian In loving memory of Family Friend Rose Chakerian Babain from John & Charlotte Mosto Բարի Նպատակ Paree Nebadag from John & Charlotte Mosto Prayer One of our most fundamental Christian responsibilities is to pray. There is truly great power in prayer. During this Divine Liturgy and throughout this next week your prayers are requested: For the spiritual growth of The Armenian Apostolic Church at Hye Pointe; For more young men to hear the Lord s call to service into the Holy Priesthood of the Armenian Church; For other young men and women also to hear God s call to serve His Church. For Unity of the Armenian Church and of all Churches. For the sick, homeless, hungry, the poor and disabled; those in mourning, lonely or depressed; those experiencing emotional, physical or spiritual difficulties; For those experiencing family, employment or financial difficulties; For the increase of love and understanding among us all; For us all to gain a personal relationship with our Lord, Jesus Christ; And especially for good health for: All our parishioners who are ill or in recovery ALTAR DONATIONS Նվիրատվություններ Սուրբ Խորանին Altar candles are given to the Glory of God & for special prayer for niece Barbara Lutey from Mary Tatoyan Donations for Hokehankist Հոգեհանգիստյան Նվիրատվություններ For the soul of Sarkis Almoyan from Bea Ohanian For the Souls of Krikor Hachikian (12 years) & Jilda Hachikian (2 years) from - M/M Zakar & Gayane Hachikian and Family

3 During the period of Great Lent, the church offers Services reflective of this penitential season. They are part of the Armenian Church s cycle of seven daily hours of worship. The Morning Hour In the service of the Moring Hour Aravodyan Zahm the Church thanks God for the new day and, as Sun warms and nourishes the Earth, we ask God to bless and protect us during the course of the coming day. The Sunrise Service is an early morning service that is unique to the Armenian Church. It seems to have developed around the 7-8th century in those Armenian monasteries that had the custom of fusing the Night Service (Keesherayeen Zham) and the Morning Service (Aravodyan Zham) together into one composite ceremony that began in the middle of night and ended before dawn. St. Nersess Shnorhali (d. 1173) vastly reformed the service, adding new hymns and prayers, and probably melodies as well. It will be performed every Sunday during the Great Lent after the Divine Liturgy. It reminds us that God is the giver of the morning light and He is the Light of our Salvation. The Peace Hour and Rest Hour Services -These services are performed on Fridays during the Great Lent. Originally the Peace Hour is one of two compline services of the Armenian Church intended to be offered late at night. The service features abundant Psalmody, beloved and stirring hymns, as well as prayers for a peaceful night and protection against evil and misfortune. This services contains the prayers of St. St. Nersess Shnorhali ( the Graceful). 16 The law and the prophets were in effect until John came; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is proclaimed, and everyone tries to enter it by force. 17 But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one stroke of a letter in the law to be dropped. 18 Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and whoever marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery. 19 There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. 24 He called out, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames. 25 But Abraham said, Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. 26 Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us. 27 He said, Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father s house 28 for I have five brothers that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment. 29 Abraham replied, They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them. 30 He said, No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent. 31 He said to him, If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead..

4 Holy Communion In the Armenian Church Holy Communion is distributed in the following manner. The communicant stands before the priest, makes the sign of the cross and says: Megha Asdoodzo, "I have sinned against God." The priest then places a small particle of our Lord's Body and Blood -- the bread having been dipped into the wine -- directly into the mouth of the communicant. The communicant again makes the sign of the Cross and steps aside for others to approach the blessed sacrament. After all have received Holy Communion, using the chalice to imprint the sign of the Cross over the communicants, the priest imparts the blessing of Psalm 28:9 : "Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance; shepherd them and lift them up from henceforth until eternity". Family Life and Cultural Center Building the Legacy If you would like to donate to our Building Fund, you may send your donation, made payable to: "The Armenian Church at Hye Pointe Building Fund", PO Box 8069, Bradford, MA DIstrIbutIon of Mas In the armenian ChurCh taking Mas The Person giving Should say; Մաս եւ բաժին եղիցի քեզ ի Սուրբ Պատարագիս Mas yev pajin yeghitzi kez ee Sourp Badarakis May this be to you a share and a portion from the Divine Liturgy. The Person receiving should say; Բաժին իմ Աստուած յաւիտեան Pajin im Asdvadz Havidian God is my portion for ever MAKE A DONATION TO YOUR CHURCH The Armenian Apostolic Church at Hye Pointe has developed an option for those who wish to make a donation to their church in the form of stocks, bonds, mutual funds or other securities. The church has established a brokerage account and for those individuals who wish to make such a donation. The church will benefit by the donation, and you as the donor will receive a tax deduction for your donation. It is a win win for both your church and yourself. Please contact a Parish Council for more details if you are interested. Church Office:

5 granted by baptism (see Galatians 3:27). Is that reason enough to celebrate and eat at the Table provided by the Father, who sent His only Son to heal the world of sin and lead us back to the Garden? So arrive on time! Don t be late for the party! Let s celebrate what s been done for us out of the Father s inexhaustible love. We have been lost and now we are found! We were dead and have been made alive! The parable leaves us with a question that forces us to look at ourselves, individually and as a parish community. The older brother in the parable refused to celebrate, refused the invitation of his father, claiming his father never threw this kind of celebration for him. The father simply tells the son that everything he owns is also his, but there is a time to celebrate: when someone who has been lost is found, when someone who was dead is now alive. The younger son wasn t living his faith the way he should, but eventually returned home. But how are we like the older son? What does it say about us if we are not celebrating the way we should? By Dn. Eric Vozzy Weekly Wisdom The legendary and famous parable of the unjust steward, from ancient times until today, has been one of the more troubling and controversial passages in all of the Gospels. Theologians and Church Fathers of all Christian traditions have wrestled with its seemingly contradictory message of condoning fraud and criminal business practices. What the Church has inherited then are numerous interpretations as to what message Jesus was trying to convey through this parable. In the story, a steward has not been responsible with his master s affairs and property. The master, in turn, instructs the steward to get his books together before his dismissal. To secure his future, the steward finalizes his books through questionable business practices by discounting the debts owed to his master, but in the process, the steward makes friends with those who owed his master by earning their gratitude. When the master finds out what his steward did, rather than further accuse him, he commends his clever ingenuity. One can clearly see the internal difficulties and thus, the challenge in interpreting this parable. In Jesus time, there were those who claimed to belong to the people of God but proved to not be good stewards of what He entrusted to them. They excluded and restricted people, demanded and extracted from them, and wasted those resources on themselves rather than show mercy to those in need. Perhaps the message is that the children of the light (the Church, the people of God) are not as diligent or committed to their mission and calling as are the children of the world (the Pharisees) in their pursuit of earthly goals. The steward was concerned for his material future, those things that are highly esteemed among humanity: money, power, position, and praise. As Christians, as the Church, we should be concerned with the Kingdom of God, storing up treasures in heaven. How do we do that? We use our wealth, the resources given to us by God, for those in need. As St. John Chrysostom preached, the Scripture says, Deprive not the poor of his living (see Sirach 4:1). To deprive is to take what belongs to another By this, we are taught that when we do not show mercy, we will be punished just like those who steal. If we are not trustworthy of what has been entrusted to us by God, then how can we be trusted with eternal wealth, the riches of God? By Dn. Eric Vozzy

6 2018 STEWARDSHIP The Joy of the Generosity is on the way to reaching its $50,000 goal. You do not need to be a dues paying member of the Church to be a steward. For the benefit of our Church, please help us reach our end. Please see one of our Stewardship Committee members Armen Derderian, Treasurer or Charlie Bazarian, Linda Doherty or Marilyn Shahian for additional details or to ask questions. You can reached them 1. Armen at (978) or at armen@armentaxcpa.com 2. Charlie can be reached at (978) or at cabazarian@comcast.net. 3. Marilyn Shahian - marilynshahian@aol.com 4. Linda Doherty linda.ld.doherty@siemenshealthineers.com or (603) Please be a part of our goal! ALTAR DONATIONS Նվիրատվություններ Սուրբ Խորանին Parishioners requesting Altar Flowers and Candles for any occasion or Sunday should approach a member of the Parish Council for an Altar Flower or Candle Donation form. For Altar Flowers please contact Alice Kasparian at Alicehaverhill@aol.com. Name of the donor will be listed in the weekly Bulletin and Newsletter. Requests for the Altar Donations can also be done by calling or ing the Church.

7 Sunday of Steward The fourth Sunday of the period of Great Lent is called the Sunday of the Steward, and the message of the day teaches us with the parable of the unjust steward. This parable is mentioned only in the Gospel of St. Luke (Luke 16:1-13). In the parable, a wealthy man learns that the steward of his house (the supervisor of his holdings) is squandering his possessions. The rich man calls the steward, asking for an accounting, having decided to release him from employment. The steward, realizing that he may soon be without work, begins to act accordingly so that in the near future, others may accept him into their homes. The steward calls those men who have debts to his employer, and he relieves them of a portion of their debts. Following this act, the wealthy man praises the steward for his contrivance. At first glance, it seems as though there is a great contradiction in this commendation. But the unjust steward grants back to the debtors, only that which he had added to the debt originally for his own gain. Thus, the wealthy man is not injured by the actions of his steward. The master praises the steward for resigning himself from the gains that the steward would have realized in these transactions. Thus, high praise is given to resignation, or abstinence, which is one of the foundations of Great Lent. Lent teaches mankind about the ability we each have to resign ourselves from all forms of temptation, the beginning of which is self-control and self-denial. Christ says, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me (Matthew 16:24). This parable admonishes every one of us that the journey towards salvation must include self-control and resignation. The allegorical meaning of the parable is in the wealthy man symbolizing God, and the unjust steward symbolizing the sinner. For an extended period of time, the sinner carelessly wastes the graces granted by God, until God calls him for an accounting of his life. The unjust steward symbolizes all who, upon regretting their actions, forgive those who have sinned against them, and become seekers of righteousness and the just.

8

9 Applications for Diocesan scholarships are now available online. The application deadline for the academic year is May 20, Each year the Diocese awards scholarships to promising youth who are headed to college. The Diocese seeks students who are active in their local parishes and have assumed leadership roles in their communities. To be eligible, applicants must be U.S. citizens enrolled in four-year undergraduate programs. For information, contact Maria Barsoumian at (212) Thank you We thank you the Jaffarian Family for donating a new car to the Church. We offer our heartfelt prayers to heaven and ask the Almighty to grant Jaffarian family health and many long years of life and happiness. Again, on behalf of our Parish we thank and pray for Jaffarian Volvo s continued success.

10 "ANCHORED IN HOPE" LENTEN PROGRAMS "ANCHORED IN HOPE" LENTEN PROGRAMS Friday February 16, 2018 Lenten dinner and program. Our speaker was Rev. Krikior Sabounjian, Pastor of Armenian Apostolic Church of the Holy Translators.Thank you to Der Hayr for the inspirational message and to our Women s Guild members who prepared the Lenten Dinner Friday, February 23, 2018 Lenten dinner and program. Our speaker was Fr. John Delaney, Pastor of the Sacred Hears Catholic Parish in Bradford, MA. Thank you to Fr. John for the inspirational message, to our Women s Guild members who prepared the Lenten Dinner & David Tavitian for the great pictures.