Hope in Our Lenten Journey ~ A Message from Fr. Robert

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1 March Phillips Road, Tallahassee, Florida (850) Rev. Fr. Robert J. O Loughlin Hope in Our Lenten Journey ~ A Message from Fr. Robert Hope is essential in our lives and in the times of despair and knowing that Christ is there for us and hope that if we believe and have faith, our hope can save us. Whether hope is dwindled by the body or the mind or threatened by loss of work or the by the loss of joy in our work or through a physical or mental illness, or by a loss of a loved one, our hope is being tested. In the Gospel of Mark we are told of a paralytic who was blessed with friends that knew the way for a friend to be healed. They had hope and faith. The paralyzed man was provided with the hope that his path on how to get to heaven was told to him by Jesus. Jesus knows the hearts and hopes of men and finds genuine faith wherever it is. Jesus saw the faith of these men. He looked at the paralytic and said, My son, your sins are forgiven. Here was a man with a great physical need. He couldn t even walk. This man desired physical healing as he lay on the mat paralyzed, but there is no greater need than the forgiveness of sins. Christ came to this world to save sinners and endured the cross that we might have our sins forgiven. And we need to repent and turn from our sins and put our faith and hope in Christ in our lives. There are many lessons that we can learn from the story of the paralytic. This includes that it takes some work to get to Jesus. Our spiritual life can be a struggle and there will be obstacles along the way. We may ask ourselves from time to time is it worth the effort and time necessary to put into our spiritual growth. When we struggle, we may find ourselves praying less. The less we pray the more apt we are to sin. The more we sin, the more difficult it is to know joy, to feel peace, and to hear or see anything that is good for our spiritual growth. We are to lose the hope and faith that the paralytic man and his friends had. Hope can start with hearing the voice of God, and taking action. The key is to hear the voice of God calling us to do work on behalf of others. There may be some struggles in our lives that we find difficult to overcome because we re too proud, too busy, selfabsorbed or too stubborn to work with others. We are to be willing to open up and help others and let others help us! Unfortunately, how often do we approach such situations with a more hands off approach. We may know someone who is having troubles and they need some hope - some light in their lives - but we may say to ourselves, I don t want to get involved. Or I don t have the time, I have enough problems of my own. We may think to ourselves, there s no way I ll be able to help. Bringing ourselves and other people closer to Christ takes work. We need to try to get over obstacles and hurdles. And it is through the assistance of our own community that we can be carried along in our lives when needed. Jesus wanted the paralytic to know that he was a part of God s family. This was the first step to restoring him to health. It only took a few seconds, for the paralytic to go from helpless to joyous and walking. That s how effective and powerful God s Word can be. Jesus is able to overcome any obstacles to healthy living. But it takes work of caring for people and God wants to use us to provide hope for others. What better time for us to bring the hope and salvation to our lives than during this upcoming Great Lenten period. Are we going to reject some of our sinful ways? Are we going to make peace with our neighbors? Are we going to try to keep the fast? Are we going to go to Church and pray more frequently? All these are helpful hints that the Church reminds us in order to save our souls. It can provide us with the hope that Christ is there for all of us if we follow Him in our journey. Wishing you a Blessed Lenten journey, Fr. Robert

2 Page 2 If an emergency or special need should arise, please contact Fr. Rob immediately at Our next ECHO Sundays are March 5th and April 2nd. Please drop off your nonperishable food donations into the bins located in the Hellenic Center and Patmos Hall. Presentation of a plaque to George and Helen Buzyna by Fr. Rob on behalf of the Holy Mother of God Community as they will soon be moving to the greater Atlanta area to be closer to family. Many blessings and best wishes to George and Helen. MARCH 26, 2017 Following Divine Liturgy CELEBRATION OF THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE THEOTOKOS AND GREEK INDEPENDENCE DAY Luncheon ADULTS... $12.00 For STUDENTS and CHILDREN - FREE Fried Shrimp with French Fries Cole slaw, Bread, Coffee, Tea and Dessert Sponsored by AHEPA Remember to set your clocks forward one house. Daylight saving time 2017 begins on Sunday, March 12 at 2:00 am!

3 SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT Pangari Schedule for March *Denotes a 9:15 am; **10:15 & Coffee(c) start time 03/05 - Poulos*/Belcher**/NJoanos(c) 03/12 - Kanelidis*/Gavalas**/Catsimpiris(c) 03/19 - Atayants*/SJoanos**/Belcher(c) 03/26 - NJoanos*/Mathes**/Gavalas(c) 04/02 - Catsimpiris*/Belcher**/Poulos(c) 04/09 - SJoanos*/Kanelidis**/NJoanos(c) Orthros 9:30 a.m. & Divine Liturgy 10:30 a.m. Sunday of Orthodoxy Procession of Icons ECHO Sunday GOYA Meeting Orthros 9:30 a.m. & Divine Liturgy 10:30 a.m. No Church School Sunday of the Holy Cross Orthros 9:30 a.m. & Divine Liturgy 10:30 a.m. Church School Orthros 9:30 a.m. & Divine Liturgy 10:30 a.m. Church School Greek Independence Day & Annunciation Luncheon Parish Council Meeting 5:30 pm Choir Practice 14 + Choir Practice Choir Practice Choir Practice Oratorical Festival Salutations to the Theotokos Salutations to the Theotokos Fr. Rob attending Metropolis Council Meetings Great Vespers and 4th Salutations to the The otokos Salutations to the Theotokos Saturday of Souls Divine Liturgy 9:00 am Great Vespers 5:00 pm District Oratorical Festival in Jacksonville, FL 25 f Feast Day of the Annunciation Divine Liturgy 9:00 am Calendar Symbol Key + = Strict Fast = Wine and Oil allowed = Dairy & eggs allowed = Father Away Page 3 MARCH 2017 s = Fish Allowed

4 Page 4 A Huge thanks to our Holy Mother of God Community for your generosity in raising funds for the IOCC (International Orthodox Christian Charities) and for William Perrigan for informing our community of the wonderful mission and works of the IOCC. Great Job GOYAns at the Ronald McDonald House outreach and in performing the various tasks needed. Next GOYA meeting Sunday, March 5th Church School Students are invited to bring an Icon from home to carry in the procession Sunday of Orthodoxy Procession of icons Sunday March 5th The Orthodox Church commemorates the restoration of icons in the church after decades of struggle against the Iconoclast heresy. Once again, we will have the procession of icons after the Divine Liturgy in the Church. All students are encouraged to bring an icon from home, remembering the procession, which took place centuries ago, lead by the Empress, St. Theodora. The Parish St John s Oratorical Festival will take place Wednesday March 8th following Presanctified Liturgy. We look forward to hearing our youth as they : Explore a deeper knowledge of the Orthodox Faith Think critically about current issues Speak to our Church community St. Stephen s Camp online registration will open March 28th at the following: Camping Dates Week #1 June 25-July 1 Week #4 July 16-July 22 Week #2 July 2-July 8 Week #5 July 23-July 29 Week #3 July 9-July 15 Do you fast? Give me proof of it by your works. If you see a poor man, take pity on him. If you see a friend being honored, do not envy him. Do not let only your mouth fast, but also the eye, and the feet, and the hands and all the members of our bodies. Let the hands fast, by being free of avarice. Let the feet fast, by ceasing to run after sin. Let the eyes fast, by disciplining them not to glare at that which is sinful. Let the ears by not listening to evil talk and gossip. Let the mouth fast from foul words and unjust criticism. For what good is it if we abstain from birds and fishes, but bite and devour our brothers? - St. John Chrysostom

5 Page 5 The Akathist Hymn to the Most Holy Theotokos Introduction "Rejoice, unfading rose. Rejoice, the only one who budded forth the unfading apple. Rejoice, birth-giver of the aromatic balm of the King of all. Rejoice, O Bride unwedded, the world's salvation." The Akathist Hymn is a profound, devotional poem, which sings the praises of the Holy Mother and Ever- Virgin Mary. It is one of the most beloved services in the Orthodox Church. It was composed in the imperial city of Constantinople, "the city of the Virgin," by St. Romanos the Melodist, who reposed in the year 556. The Akathist Hymn has proven so popular in the liturgical life of the Church that many other hymns have been written following its format. These include Akathists to Our Lord Jesus Christ, to the Cross, and to many Saints. The Akathist hymn consists of praises directed to the Mother of God, beginning with the salutation of the Archangel Gabriel: "Rejoice." As the hymn is chanted all of the events related to our Lord's Incarnation pass before us for our contemplation. The Archangel Gabriel marvels at the Divine self-emptying and the renewal of creation which will occur when Christ comes to dwell in the Virgin's womb. The unborn John the Baptist prophetically rejoices. The shepherds recognize Christ as a blameless Lamb, and rejoice that in the Virgin "the things of earth join chorus with the heavens." The pagan Magi following the light of the star, praise Her for revealing the light of the world. The word "akathistos" means "not sitting," i.e., standing; normally all participants stand while it is being prayed. The hymn is comprised of 24 stanzas, arranged in an acrostic following the Greek alphabet. The stanzas alternate between long and short. Each short stanza is written in prose and ends with the singing of "Alleluia." Each longer stanza ends with the refrain: "Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded." The first part of the hymn is about the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary by the Angel. It describes Mary s surprise at the news, her visit to her mother and Joseph s doubts as to her innocence. The second part is about the birth of Christ, the worship of the Shepherds and Magi, the flight to Egypt and the visit to Saint Simeon in the Temple. In the third part the hymn directs our attention to the renewal of the world by Christ s coming, and the amazement of the Angels and the wise men at the sight of the Incarnation of God s Son. The fourth and the last part is once more a lyric and rhetorical appraisal of Virgin Mary, whom the poet adorns with the most beautiful of adjectives asking her to accept his poetical offering and to intercede for the salvation of human race from the earthly sin. Great Lent, Holy Week, and Pascha An Internet Ministry Teaching Tool Provided By The Department of Internet Ministries of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Copyright The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

6 Page 6 Next Meeting: Thursday, March 9, in the Patmos Hall Conference Room Thank you to all our members and everyone who helped and supported our annual Family Fun Day on Sunday, February 19. It was great fun and extremely delicious!!! Just over the horizon - GYRO FEAST - Friday, April 28, Details to follow! First Saturday of Lent: The Commemoration of the Miracle of Kollyva wrought by Saint Theodore the Tyro Commemorated March 4 Julian the Apostate, knowing that the Christians purify themselves by fasting most of all during the first week of the Fast -- which is why we call it Clean Week -- planned to defile them especially at that time. Therefore he secretly commanded that during those days the markets be filled with foods that had been defiled with the blood of animals offered in sacrifice to idols. But by divine command the Martyr Theodore (see Feb. 17) appeared during sleep to Eudoxius, then Archbishop of Constantinople. The Saint revealed to him the tyrant's plan, then told him to call the faithful together immediately on Monday morning and prevent them from purchasing those foods, but rather to make kollyva to supply their needs. The bishop asked what kollyva might be, and the Saint answered, "Kollyva is what we call boiled wheat in Euchaita." Thus, the purpose of the Apostate was brought to nought, and the pious people who were preserved undefiled for the whole of Clean Week, rendered thanks to the Martyr on this Saturday, and celebrated his commemoration with kollyva. These things took place in 362. Wherefore, the Church keeps this commemoration each year to the glory of God and the honour of the Martyr. AHEPA News The annual AHEPA Valentine's party was held on Saturday February 11. Many thanks to our volunteers and all participants for making this event a successful one, In particular, I like to thank and congratulate Andrew Poulos, Richard Allen, Mike Papageorge, Manny Joanos, Stelios Manias and Paul Pavlakos for the delicious foods. Also, Sally Papageorge and her team of volunteers for the beautiful decorations and for running the gifts raffle. Again, this year, our chapter will provide scholarships to College Bound Graduating High School Seniors that apply and qualify. Please pick up the form at the church office or see Mr. Papageorge. The deadline for submitting applications is Sunday, April 30, The next AHEPA meeting will be on March 12 after the Holy Liturgy. Pete Koikos, President

7 The Fourth Sunday of Lent: Feast of our Righteous Father John (Climacus) of Sinai, Author of The Ladder of Divine Ascent Introduction On March 30 and on the Fourth Sunday of Holy Lent the Orthodox Church commemorates our Righteous Father John Climacus. He is called Climacus due to his authorship of the great spiritual work The Ladder of Divine Ascent. His commemoration is designated by the Church on one of the Sundays of Lent as his life and writings affirm him as a supreme bearer and proponent of Christian asceticism. The ascetic example of this great Saint of the Church inspires us in our Lenten journey. Life of the Saint Saint John Climacus was probably born in the second half of the sixth century; but his country and origins are alike unknown because, from the beginning of his renunciation of the world, he took great care to live as a stranger upon earth. "Exile," he wrote, "is a separation from everything, in order that one may hold on totally to God." We only know that, from the age of sixteen, after having received a solid intellectual formation, he renounced all the pleasures of this vain life for love of God and went to Mount Sinai, to the foot of the holy mountain on which God had in former times revealed His glory to Moses, and consecrated himself to the Lord with a burning heart as a sweet-smelling sacrifice. Setting aside, from the moment of his entry into the stadium, all selftrust and self-satisfaction through unfeigned humility, he submitted body and soul to an elder called Martyrios and set himself, free from all care, to climb that spiritual ladder (klimax) at the top of which God stands, and to "add fire each day to fire, fervour to fervour, zeal to zeal." He saw his shepherd as "the image of Christ" and, convinced that his elder was responsible for him before God, he had only one care: to reject his own will and "with all deliberateness to put aside the capacity to make [his] own judgement," so that no interval passed between Martyrios' commands, even those that appeared unjustified, and the obedience of his disciple. In spite of this perfect submission, Martyrios kept him as a novice for four years and only tonsured him when he was twenty, after having tested his humility. Strategios, one of the monks present at the tonsure predicted that the new monk would one day become one of the great lights of the world. When, later, Martyrios and his disciple paid a visit to John the Savaite, one of the most famous ascetics of the time, the latter, ignoring the elder, poured water over John's feet. After they had left, John the Savaite declared that he did not know the young monk but, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he had washed the feet of the Abbot of Sinai. The same prophecy was confirmed by the great Anastasios the Sinaite (April 21), whom they also went to visit. He took great care over many years to keep his virtues hidden from human eyes, but, when God judged that the time had come for him to transmit to others the light he had acquired for the edification of the Church, He led a young monk named Moses to John, who, thanks to the intervention of the other ascetics, succeeded in overcoming the resistance of the man of God, and was accepted as his disciple. One afternoon, when Moses had gone a long way away to find earth for their little garden, and had lain down under a large rock to rest, Abba John, in his cell, received the revelation that Moses was in danger, and he immediately seized the weapon of prayer. In the evening, when Moses returned, he told John that in his sleep he had, all of a sudden, heard the voice of his elder calling him, at the very moment when the rock began to break away from its moorings and threatened to crush him. An Internet Ministry Teaching Tool Provided By The Department of Internet Ministries of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Page 7 Copyright The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.

8 Holy Mother of God Greek Orthodox Church 1645 Phillips Road Tallahassee, Florida Return Service Requested Holy Mother of God Greek Orthodox Church 1645 Phillips Road Tallahassee, FL Office: Hall: Fr. Rob s Cell: Sunday of the Holy Cross Celebrated March 19th Website: Addresses: Father Rob: fr.robert@comcast.net Church Secretary: hmog@comcast.net Secretary Hours: Mon./Wed./Fri. 9am-2pm