ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST Melkite Catholic Church 200 E. North Ave. Northlake, IL 60164

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1 ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST Melkite Catholic Church 200 E. North Ave. Northlake, IL SUNDAY La Divina Misa en Español 9:00 AM DIVINE LITURGY AT 11:00 AM Rev. Fr. Ezzat Bathouche Rectory: (708) Cell: (708) St. John the Baptist, Hall Phone: (708) ProtoDn. Antoine Shehata: (847) Deacon Fadi Rafidi: (708) Para La Comunidad Hispana por favor llama al Fr. Ezzat Bathouche (708) correo electronico: St. John s Office Information Office Phone: (708) Office Hours: Thursdays & Fridays 09:00 AM to 01:00 PM All other times, please call the Rectory and then the cellular phone. Please do not call later than 8:00 PM, unless it is an emergency. Confession: Available before or after any service, or by appointment. Baptism: Please contact the pastor in advance to arrange for the required instructions. Marriage: A notice of at least 6 months should be given to the pastor, before the proposed wedding date to arrange for the required interview and instructions. Communion of the sick: Sick parishioners may receive the Holy Communion at home. Please advise the pastor whenever this sacrament is needed. Anointing the sick: Please contact the pastor at any time for this mystery.. Sunday, November 19 th, 2017 االحد 19 تشرين الثاني th Sunday after the Holy Cross Parable of the rich fool Theme of the Year Keep Alert, Stand Firm In Your Faith, Be Courageous, Be Strong Let All You Do Be Done In Love (1 Corinthians 16:13) Hymns Troparion of the Resurrection (7 th tone) Through your Cross You destroyed death, You opened Paradise to the thief, and turned into joy the mourning of the ointment bearing women, and You ordered your Apostles to proclaim that You rose, O Christ God, Bestowing great mercy upon the world. النشيد لشفيع الكنيسة نشيد القيامة )اللحن السابع( الشيت بصليبك الموت وفتحت للص الفردوس وحولت نوح حامالت الطيب الى فرح وأمرت رسلك أن يكرزوا مبشرين بأنك قد قمت أيها المسيح االله مانحا العالم عظيم الرحمة. Troparion of the patron of the church Kondakion of the Entrance (4 th tone) The most pure Temple of the Savior, His most precious bridal chamber, the Virgin, sacred treasury of God s glory, enters today into the house of the Lord, bringing with her the grace of the divine Spirit. Wherefore the angels of God are singing: Behold the heavenly tabernacle! نشيد الختام لدخول العذراء الى الهيكل )اللحن الرابع( ان هيكل المخلص االطهر البتول الحجلة الوافرة الكرامة وكنز مجد هللا المقدس تدخل اليوم الى بيت الرب وت دخ ل معها نعمة الروح االلهي. في سبح ها مالئكة هللا: هذه هي المظلة السماوية. Epistle EPHESIANS 2:14-22 PROKIMENON (Tone 7,) Ps.28: 11,1 The Lord will give strength to his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace. Stichon: Give to the Lord, you Sons of God, give to the Lord glory and praise. READING from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Ephesians BRETHREN, Christ is our peace. He it is who has made both [Jews and Gentiles] one, and has broken down the intervening wall of the enclosure, the enemy, in his flesh. He has voided the Law of commandments expressed in decrees, so that of the two he might create in himself one new man, and make peace, and reconcile both in one body to God through the cross, having destroyed their enmity within himself. And as he came, he announced the good tidings of peace to you who were far away, and of peace to those who were near: because through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. Therefore, you are now no longer strangers or foreigners, but citizens with the saints and members of God s household: you are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets (Cf.Is.28: 16) with Christ himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole structure is closely fitted together and grows into a temple holy in the Lord; in him you too are being built together into a dwelling place for God in the Spirit. ALLELUIA (Tone 7,) Ps.91: 1, 2 It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High! Stichon: To proclaim your kindness at dawn and your faithfulness throughout the night. االحد الرابع والعشرون بعد العنصرة مقدمة الرسالة الرب يؤتي شعبه قو ة الرب يبارك شع به بالسالم قدموا للرب يا أبناء هللا قدموا للرب أبناء الكباش

2 الرسالة )افسس 22-14( 2: يا اخوة ان المسيح هو سالمنا. هو جعل األثنين واحدا ونقض في جسد ه حائط السياج الحاجز أي العداوة. وأبطل نامو س الوصايا بتعاليمه ليخلق االثنين في نفسه انسانا واحدا جديدا بإجرائه السالم ويصالح كليهما في جسد واحد مع هللا بالصليب بقتله العداوة في نفسه. وجاء وبشر كم بالسالم أنتم البعيدين وأنتم القربين. الن به لنا كل نا التوص ل إلى اآلب في روح واحد. فلستم اذن بعد غرباء وال نزالء بل انما انتم م واطنو القديسين وأهل بيت هللا. وقد ب نيتم على أساس الرسل واالنبياء. ورأ س الزاوية هو يسوع المسيح نفسه الذي ي نس ق فيه الب نيان كل ه فينمو هيكال مقدسا في الرب. وفيه أنتم أيضا ت بن ون معا مسكنا هلل في الروح. هللويا صالح االعتراف للرب واالشادة الس مك أيها العلي لي خ ب ر برحمت ك بالغداة وفي الليل بحق ك Gospel Luke 12:16-22 (The parable of the rich fool) The Lord told this parable: The land of a certain rich man brought forth abundant crops. And he began to consider, saying, What shall I do, for I have no room to store my crops? And he said, I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger one, and there I will store up all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have many good things laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be marry. But God said to him, You fool, this very night, you must give up your life; and the things you have provided, whose will they be? So is the man who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich as regards God. After he had said this, he cried out, He who has ears to hear, let him hear. اإلنجيل التاسع بعد الصليب )لوقا -16 :12 )22 قال الرب هذا المثل: أنسان غني أخص ب ت ضيعت ه. فجعل ي فكر في نفسه قائال : ماذا افعل فإ نه ليس لي م وضع أ خزن فيه غاللي. ثم قال: أ فعل هذا أ هد م أ هرائي وأ بني أ وسع منها وأ خزن هناك جميع غاللي وخيراتي. وأ قول لنفسي: يا نفس لك خيرات كثيرة موضوعة لسنين كثيرة فاستريحي وك لي واشربي وتنع مي. فقال له هللا: يا جاهل في هذه الليلة ت طلب من ك نفس ك فهذا الذي أعد د ت ه لمن يكون هكذا م ن يد خر لنفسه وال ي غتني ألجل هللا. ولم ا قال هذا صاح: م ن له أذنان للس ماع فليسم ع. 9 th Sunday after the Holy Cross The island of the Saints WHEN PEOPLE THINK of Byzantine Churches today, Constantinople (Byzantium) comes to mind as do the Ancient Patriarchates (Antioch, Alexandria and Jerusalem} which adopted this rite later in their history. The largest Byzantine Churches today are the Slavic Churches (Russia, Ukraine, and the rest). These are also the Churches most represented in the West. But there are other ancient Churches with ancient histories that are less common in the West, such as the Apostolic Church of Cyprus and the Church of Georgia. Neither of these Churches have eparchies in the United States, so we may know little about them. The Church of Barnabas and Mark Cyprus, an island in the Mediterranean west of Syria, was settled by Greeks in the eleventh century BC. By the first century AD, it was part of the Roman Empire. According to the Acts of the Apostles, Cyprus was one of the first non-jewish territories to receive the Gospel. Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch,,, (Acts 11:19). Cypriots trace the founding of their Church to the Apostles, specifically Barnabas and Mark, who went there after they parted from St Paul (see Acts 15:36-41). Dependent at first on the Church of Jerusalem and, later on, on Antioch, the Cypriot Church was made autocephalous at the Council of Ephesus (431). Cyprus was occupied by the Arabs ( ), the Crusaders ( ), the Venetians ( ), and the Ottoman Turks ( ). Under the Crusaders and Venetians, the Church of Cyprus was subjected to Latin rule and the Latins were recognized as the island s elite. Under Turkish control the Ottoman millet system was introduced and restored the autocephaly of the Orthodox Church. Its archbishop was declared to be the head of the rum millet on Cyprus. Despite the taxation, harassment, and outright persecution at times, the Church prospered under Ottoman rule. By 1878 it numbered two-thirds of the island s population in its ranks. As a result of the Russo-Turkish War, the British Empire took control of Cyprus in Many hoped that Cyprus would be united to Greece, but when Britain ceded control of the island in 1960 it was to an independent Republic of Cyprus. In 1974 those favoring union with Greece deposed the president and sought to unite the island to Greece. The Turkish army invaded and partitioned Cyprus into Greek and Turkish parts. None of the many attempts at reunion which followed have been successful. The Saints of Cyprus Cyprus has been called the island of saints. Some 240 local saints are commemorated on its calendar. A synaxis for all these saints is celebrated in Cyprus on the first Sunday of October. Perhaps the most famous Cypriot saints after the apostles are: St Lazarus the Four-Days Dead (Mar. 17) Lazarus of Bethany, whom the Lord raised from his tomb, is said to have fled to Cyprus in the first persecution of Christians in Jerusalem mentioned in Acts 11. He settled in Kition (present day Larnaca), where he is regarded as its first bishop. Lazarus tomb in Larnaca, with the inscription Lazarus, the Friend of Christ, was discovered in 860. The bulk of his relics were taken to Constantinople in 869, but the emperor built a church over the saint s tomb. In 1972 a marble sarcophagus containing human remains was excavated below the altar of this church.

3 The Palm Sunday carol, Rejoice, O Bethany, sung in many Middle Eastern churches, is of Cypriot origin. St Spyridon the Wonderworker (Dec. 12) Born at the end of the third century, he was a shepherd so known for his piety and generosity to those in need that, after the death of his wife, he was chosen to be bishop of Tremithusia, a village in Northern Cyprus. Spyridon attended the First Ecumenical Council in 325 where he reputedly converted a pagan philosopher to Christ. In his Life, the philosopher is said to have responded, Listen! Until now my rivals have presented their arguments, and I was able to refute their proofs with other proofs. But instead of proofs from reason, the words of this Elder are filled with some sort of special power, and no one can refute them, since it is impossible for man to oppose God. If any of you thinks as I do now, let him believe in Christ and join me in following this man, for God Himself speaks through his lips. Stories of St Spyridon s life and the healings attributed to him are found in the fifth-century Church histories of Socrates Scholasticus and Sozomen. His life was included in the tenthcentury Menologion written by St Simeon Metaphrastes. St Spyridon died in 348 and his body was later found to be incorrupt and a source of healing. When the Arab invaded Cyprus in 649, the saint s holy remains were taken to Constantinople. With the fall of that city to the Turks in the fifteenth century, the relics were taken to the island of Corfu where they are today. St Spyridon is also regarded as the protector of Corfu. In 1716 that island, then under Venetian rule, was besieged by the Turks. St Spyridon is said to have been seen by the Turkish troops walking through their camp. This apparition sent the Turks into a panic and the siege was lifted after only 22 days. Since then it has become the custom to replace the slippers on the saint s body when they show signs of wear, because, in walking about the island to care for the people, St Spyridon wears out his shoes. The Hieromartyr St Philoumenos (Nov 29) Born in 1913, this contemporary Cypriot saint and his twin brother were raised by their devout grandmother on the Church s prayers and the lives of the saints. At the age of fourteen they entered the Stavrovouni Monastery in Cyprus. After five years, the brothers went to Jerusalem where, in 1939, Fr Philoumenos joined the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulcher which cares for the holy places in the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Known for his piety and devotion to the performance of the daily services even when alone, Fr Philoumenos was appointed guardian of the monastery at Jacob s Well, near Nablus, where Jesus had asked a Samaritan woman for a drink. A few months later a group of Zionist extremists came to the monastery demanding the removal of all icons, crosses, etc. and that the monastery be given to them as a Jewish site. The saint reminded them that the Church had served this shrine since the time of the Emperor Constantine and that it had been in Samaritan hands for eight centuries before that. A few days later, on November 29, a group entered the monastery and desecrated the church. They butchered Fr Philoumenos with a hatchet in the form of a cross, plucked out his eyes and cut off the fingers of his right hand (with which he would make the sign of the cross). Fr Philoumenos body retained its elasticity for several days. When it was exhumed in 1984, it was found to be substantially incorrupt. Fr Philoumenos was glorified as a saint by the Jerusalem Patriarchate in 2008 and his relics enshrined in the church at Jacob s Well where he had been martyred. The Doll And A White Rose I hurried into the local department store to grab some last minute Christmas gifts. I looked at all the people and grumbled to myself. I would be in here forever and I just had so much to do. Christmas was beginning to become such a drag. I kinda wished that I could just sleep through Christmas. But I hurried the best I could through all the people to the toy department. Once again I kind of mumbled to myself at the prices of all these toys. And wondered if the grandkids would even play with them. I found myself in the doll aisle. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a little boy about 5 holding a lovely doll. He kept touching her hair and he held her so gently. I could not seem to help myself. I just kept looking over at the little boy and wondered who the doll was for. I watched him turn to a woman and he called his aunt by name and said, "Are you sure I don't have enough money?" She replied a bit impatiently, "You know that you don't have enough money for it." The aunt told the little boy not to go anywhere that she had to go get some other things and

4 would be back in a few minutes. And then she left the aisle. The boy continued to hold the doll. After a bit I asked the boy who the doll was for. He said, "It is the doll my sister wanted so badly for Christmas. She just knew that Santa would bring it." I told him that maybe Santa was going to bring it. He said "No, Santa can't go where my sister is. I have to give the doll to my Momma to take to her." I asked him where his sister was. He looked at me with the saddest eyes and said "She has gone to be with Jesus. My Daddy says that Momma is going to have to go be with her." My heart nearly stopped beating. Then the boy looked at me again and said, "I told my Daddy to tell Momma not to go yet. I told him to tell her to wait till I got back from the store." Then he asked me if I wanted to see his picture. I told him I would love to. He pulled out some pictures he'd had taken at the front of the store. He said "I want my Momma to take this with her so she doesn't ever forget me. I love my Momma so very much and I wish she did not have to leave me. But Daddy says she will need to be with my sister." I saw that the little boy had lowered his head and had grown so very quiet. While he was not looking I reached into my purse and pulled out a hand full of bills. I ask the little boy, "Shall we count that money one more time?" He grew excited and said, "Yes, I just know it has to be enough." So I slipped my money in with his and we began to count it. And of course, it was plenty for the doll. He softly said, "Thank you, Jesus, for giving me enough money." Then the boy said, "I just ask Jesus to give me enough money to buy this doll, so Momma can take it with her to give to my sister and he heard my prayer! I wanted to ask him for enough to buy my Momma a white rose, but I didn't ask him, but he gave me enough to buy the doll and a rose for my Momma. She loves white roses so very, very much." In a few minutes the aunt came back and I wheeled my cart away. I could not keep from thinking about the little boy as I finished my shopping in a totally different spirit than when I had started. And I kept remembering a story I had seen in the newspaper several days earlier about a drunk driver hitting a car and killing a little girl and the Mother was in serious condition. The family was deciding on whether to remove the life support. Now surely this little boy did not belong with that story. Two days later I read in the paper where the family had disconnected the life support and the young woman had died. I could not forget the little boy and just kept wondering if the two were somehow connected. Later that day, I could not help myself and I went out and bought some white roses and took them to the funeral home where the young woman was. And there she was holding a lovely white rose, the beautiful doll, and the picture of the little boy in the store. I left there in tears, my life changed forever. The love that little boy had for his little sister and his mother was overwhelming. And in a split second, a drunk driver had ripped the life of that little boy to pieces. Announcements Epistle Reading If you are interested in reading the epistle, please Dr. Kayed Akkawi at: kayedakkawi@gmail.com Nov 19 th : Michael Ibrahim. Nov 26 th : Zane Bisharat Dec 3 rd : Sarah Ibrahim. Dec 10 th : Jessica Jreisat Dec 17 th : Fouad Rafidi Dec 24 th : Jehan Mady Dec 31: OPEN Jan 7 th : Dr. Angie Ghanayem St. John s Calendar Dec 1 st MAYA/NAMY Christmas Decoration Dec 3 rd, 2017 Saint Barbara & NAMY Lunch Dec 9 th,2017 Virgin of Guadalupe dinner Dec 15 th, 2017 Dinner with St. Nicholas Dec 17 th, 2017 Christmas Bazar Dec 24 th, 2017 Cheese and Wine Dec 31, 2017 New Year's Eve Party Jan 7 th, 2018 Eid El Eghtas Feb 10 th, 2018 Valentine Party Mar 10 th, 2018 Karaoke Night Mar 25 th, 2018 Easter Bake Sale Dinner with Santa December 15 th at 7:00 PM Games, Pizza and so much fun! $15 per person 2 years and up at the door, or $10 if prepaid in person or by check. Checks should be mailed to 200 E North Ave, Northlake, IL by December 5 th, Registered Sunday School students are free of charge Gifts not included For reservations, please contact Monkia Alcheikh Safaa Azar

5 New Year s Eve Party 2017 Singer Tony Michael and his band Dec 31 st, 2017 at 8:00 PM Dinner Served at 9:00 PM Tickets: $65 Person $45 12 and under $25 for babysitting games and food Tickets will be sold after church in the hall or contact Sarie Haddad for tickets: (630) Phoenician Club of Chicago 99 th annual appreciation and installation of officers dinner and Christmas party Saturday, December 2 nd, 2017 New Crystal Palace 1070 S. Elmhurst Rd Mt. Prospect, IL60056 Cocktails: 6:00 PM. Dinner: 7:00 PM Ticket: $50 Adult. $25 Children under 12 For info and tickets please call: Fahim Shadid at: (630) Angel Tree Help the needy this Christmas NAMY members will be distributing Angel Tree gift tags. Please buy at least one item on the list, or something similar, and bring them unwrapped along with the tag. NAMY members will be collecting them on Sunday, December 10 th. These gifts will be distributed through the Salvation Army to needy children this Christmas. Thank you for your love and generosity! Gift donation will be collected Sunday, December 10 th Honoring your loved ones: Please consider signing up for one or more Sundays to provide Holy Bread and Coffee hour. It s this gift of Holy Bread that we use to prepare communion and to share with our parishioners at the end of the service. What better way to honor your loved ones on their birthday, anniversary, graduation or memorial. It takes minimal effort, and it encourages fellowship among our community. Hall Rental: This is just a friendly reminder, if you are interested in using the hall, whether for a personal party or a church event, please talk to Abe Souri at to reserve a date. Abe keeps the schedule of all appointments of the Hall rental. Thank you for your cooperation. Text Messaging System: Sign Up today - 1. Create a new text message; 2. Type in as the recipient; 3. In the message section, 4. Hit send; 5. You should receive a message asking for your full name; 6. Please type your full name and press send; 7. You should receive another message saying "Thanks Mr(s).. As a member you will receive all St John Baptist's Remind notifications. Reply HELP for commands. Are you receiving our s? We need your help to ensure that we have everyone s . All you need to do is to send us a blank and we will make sure that your address in in our system. Please take a few minutes this week and us at: stjohnthebaptistchicago@hotmail.com COFFEE HOUR: To sponsor the Coffee Hour call Randa Tourjman at (773) Please remember, there is also a donation of $20 for the coffee in addition to the snacks. Coffee Hour Schedule: Suha Jreisat Jeris & Samar Mansour N.A.M.Y Adel & Alice Mady Christmas Bazar Cheese and Wine

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9 Liturgy Intentions To add or remove Names from the list please call ( ) Total Collection: : $ (Regular $ + Electronic $518) To add or remove Names from the list please call (708/ ) Happiness and Prosperity: Suha Jreisat & family Health & Speedy Recovery: for all our brothers and sisters who need spiritual & corporal recovery: Pierre Nafaa, Jiries Dababneh, and Luis Smith Repose in the Heavenly Kingdom All our brothers and sisters who have fallen asleep in the Lord Jeries Suleiman Jreisat By Jreisat family Samir Mansour By Mansour family Linda Natour, Saleem Alabou By Rayyan family Issa Jamil Shihadeh By Shihadeh family