S unday of Forgiveness, the last of the preparatory Sundays before Great Lent, has

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1 AL-NOUR The Light of Christ February 18, 2018 Issue 611 PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY: THE ANTIOCHIAN ORTHODOX BASILICA OF ST. MARY Merriman Road Livonia, Michigan Office: (734) Sunday Services Confession: 8:30AM Matins: 9:00AM Divine Liturgy: 10:00AM St. Mary s Cultural and Banquet Center (734) And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. Acts 11:26 Daily Confession by Appointment - Call the Church Office February 18, 2018 FORGIVENESS SUNDAY (CHEESE FARE) أحد مرفع الجب S unday of Forgiveness, the last of the preparatory Sundays before Great Lent, has two themes: it commemorates Adam s expulsion from Paradise, and it accentuates our need for forgiveness. There are obvious reasons why these two things should be brought to our attention as we stand on the threshold of Great Lent. One of the primary images in the Triodion is that of the return to Paradise. Lent is a time when we weep with Adam and Eve before the closed gate of Eden, repenting with them for the sins that have deprived us of our free communion with God. But Lent is also a time when we are preparing to celebrate the saving event of Christ s death and rising, which has reopened Paradise to us once more (Luke 23:43). So sorrow for our exile in sin is tempered by hope of our re-entry into Paradise. The second theme, that of forgiveness, is emphasized in the Gospel reading for this Sunday (Matthew 6:14-21) and in the special ceremony of mutual forgiveness at the end of the Vespers on Sunday evening. Before we enter the Lenten fast, we are reminded that there can be no true fast, no genuine repentance, no reconciliation with God, unless we are at the same time reconciled with one another. A fast without mutual love is the fast of demons. We do not travel the road of Lent as isolated individuals but as members of a family. Our asceticism and fasting should not separate us from others, but should link us to them with ever-stronger bonds. The Sunday of Forgiveness also directs us to see that Great Lent is a journey of liberation from our enslavement to sin. The Gospel lesson sets the conditions for this liberation. The first one is fasting the refusal to accept the desires and urges of our fallen nature as normal, the effort to free ourselves from the dictatorship of the flesh and matter over the spirit. To be effective, however, our fast must not be hypocritical, a showing off. We must appear not unto men to fast but to our Father who is in secret (vv ). (Continued on page 2) The Antiochian Orthodox Basilica of St. Mary Fr. George Shalhoub - Pastor Fr. Jim King - Pastor of Youth & Pastoral Outreach Programs Archdeacon Issa Rizkallah Deacon Dr. Dennis Bojrab Deacon Samer Hanna Salim Sessine - Parish Council Chairman Linda Lawson - Choir Director Stacey Badeen - Church Administrator Sonya Kassis - Parish Ministries Coordinator Bill Lawson - Olive Awad Administrative Assistants Haitham Fakhouri - Communications Richard Shebib/Sami Azzouz - Ushers Dr. Tom Saba - Young Adults- St. John Divine Joanne Kharsa - Ladies Society President Michael Nunu - Teen Soyo President Lina Nunu - Arabic School Montessori School - Abeer Samaan, Director Keith Rowe - Cultural Center General Manager

2 Page 2 THE EPISTLE O chant unto our God, chant ye. Clap your hands, all ye nations. The Reading is from the First Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans Chapter 13:11; 14:4 B rethren, now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk becomingly, as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in chambering and licentiousness, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts. But as for the one who is weak in faith, receive him, but not for disputes over opinions. For one believes he may eat anything; but the weak person eats herbs. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. Who are you to be judge over the servant of a stranger? To his own master he either stands or fails; but he will be made to stand; for God is able to make him stand. THE GOSPEL The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew Chapter 6:14-21 T he Lord said to His Disciples: If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father Who is in secret; and your Father Who sees in secret will reward you. Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (continued from page 1) The second condition is forgiveness If you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you (vv ). The triumph of sin, the main sign of its rule over the world, is division, opposition, separation, hatred. Therefore, the first break through this fortress of sin is forgiveness the return to unity, solidarity, love. To forgive is to put between me and my enemy the radiant forgiveness of God Himself. To forgive is to reject the hopeless dead-ends of human relations and to refer them to Christ. Forgiveness is truly a breakthrough of the Kingdom into this sinful and fallen world. (Taken from GoArch.org)

3 Page 3 The Basilica of Saint Mary Godparent Sunday Despite unfavorable weather, we were blessed to honor our Godparents in an annual tradi"on this past Sunday with a Thank You Brunch. And fun ac"vi"es in church school Thanks to the Parish Council for their sponsorship of the brunch and to the Ladies Society and Teen SOYO for serving the lunch! SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPCOMING EVENTS February 23: Friday Night Akathist Services and Lenten Potlucks Begin March 3: Marriage Seminar March 24: First Confession for First and Second Grade Please visit for details about ministry ac"vi"es and events happening at the Basilica of Saint Mary. If you have any ques"ons regarding Youth and Outreach Ministries, please contact Fr. Jim King or Sonya Kassis at (734)

4 Page 4 PRAYER CORNER L ord, You are the physician of our souls and body. We pray You grant the following parishioners good health and blessings: Metropolitan PAUL Yazigi, Archbishop Youhanna Ibrahim, Nazih, Linda, Nadia Ayoub, George Elias Gharib, Marcus, Marie Abouassaly, Abe Azzam, Laila Hassan, Dolores, Jim Badeen, Rosie Hajjar, Marie Bojrab, Abla Khzouz, Fouad George Shalhoub, HOLY BREAD OF OBLATION H oly Bread of Oblation is offered by the families, for the month of February, in loving memory of: William Nader Ibrahim Rizkallah Amjad George Saba Boulos Jiries and Helen Boulos Saba Salman and Fada Sweis Condolences T he clergy and parishioners at the Basilica of St. Mary extend their deepest sympathy to wife Laila Mourani, children Lea, Joe, Tia, Anthony, mother Afifi, siblings Semaan (Raja) Mourani, Mahassen (Hanna) Saad, Bernadette El-Cheikh, Jeanette (Yacoub) Saad, Joseph (Mirna) Mourani, Assad (Shereen) Mourani and the entire Mourani family on the passing of Georges Antonios Mourani, May his memory be eternal. Senior Heritage Fellowship The Senior Heritage Fellowship will meet on Thursday, February 22nd. Time: 11:00am Menu: Arabic Breakfast Hommus and Pita Bread Zatar Bread Cheese and Olives Hard Boiled Eggs Falafel Fruits and Coffee Cost: $5.00 per person Speaker: Retired Detroit Police Sergeant Robert Haig will speak about a number of scams including phone and computer generated crimes. We encourage men and women to join us for this very informative lecture. OUR NEW ARRIVALS C ongratulations and best wishes to Chris and Courtney Farah on the birth of their baby girl Laura Scott. Proud grandparents are Riad and Dianne Farah and Dr. Robert and Jacqueline Juhl and Rick and Laura Almberg. May God bless parents, grandparents and child. Thank You! Thank you to all who braved the snow storm and a ended our Annual Wine Tas ng! The event was a great success! Thank you to our sponsors: Father George & Nouhad Shalhoub, Deacon Dennis & Andria Bojrab, Nabil & Isabelle Sultani, Jason Amash, Dr. Maher & Joann Rabah, David & Nancy Ghannam, Dr. Ayham & Maria Ashkar, Salim Sessine, Edward & Cindy Ghannam, Peter & Arwa Ansara, Michael Kharsa-CJB, Michel & Hilda Ansara, Drs. Alex & Melissa Shalhoub, Dr. Radwan & Nadia Khoury We really appreciate all the support from our commi ee members: Michelle Toma, Maria Ashkar, Nancy Ghannam, Tina Ghannam Joanne Kharsa-President Save the Dates: March 18th - Lenten Luncheon March 25th - Dr. Rana Awdish Book Signing memorials I am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me shall never die. (John 11:25) March 4th - 40 day memorial in loving memory of Widad Tahmouch offered by the family, A Vigil Light is Burning In Loving Devotion F or The Health and Well Being Of: Phiebe Musallam, Mary Lusko, Dina Gikas, I n Memory Of: Joseph Michael Mouaikel, George Abodeely, Schedule of Prayers for Great Lent أوقات الصالة أيام الصوم األربعيني المقدس Great Compline Service, Monday night at 7:00 pm يارب القوات- صالة النوم الكبر ى يوم االثنين الساعة 7:00 مساء. Pre-Sanctified Liturgy, Wednesday night at 7:00 pm البروجيازميني - القدسات السابق تقديسھا يوم االربعاء الساعة 7:00 مساء. Salutation/Akathist service (Madayeh), Friday night at 7:00pm المدائح- صالة مديح السيدة العذراء مريم كل يوم جمعة الساعة 7:00 مساء. Reminder Great Lent begins February 19th Easter is April 8th

5 Page 5 visit our website: MERRIMAN ROAD LIVONIA, MICHIGAN Return service requested Dated Material NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID LIVONIA, MI PERMIT NO. 413 BASILICA OPERATIONS INCOME AND EXPENSES DO YOU KNOW IT COSTS MONTHLY. Mortgage Payment $25,000.. Salaries (Clergy and staff) and Insurance $37,600.. Office Supplies and Maintenance $ 3,500.. Archdiocese Dues $ 5,000. ( $25.00 Per member, $100 family maximum, per year). All Other $ 22,900.. Monthly Total $ 94,000. January Actual 2018 YTD TOTAL YTD BUDGET INCOME $ 97,750 $97,750. $93,638. EXPENSES $ 105,744. $105,744. $93, ($7,994) YEAR TO DATE EXPENSES EXCEED INCOME BY $7,994 WHAT EACH PARISHIONER CAN DO TO HELP! - Pay your pledge or donation - Pay your Archdiocese Dues, - Participate (support) in Fund raising functions