Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church Sunday, April 14, 2019 Sunday of Saint Mary of Egypt

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1 Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church Sunday, April 14, 2019 Sunday of Saint Mary of Egypt SAINTS OF THE WEEK Martyrs Anastasia and Basilissa of Rome, celebrated on April 15 These two noble Roman women were converted to the faith by the holy Apostles Peter and Paul. Emperor Nero had Peter and Paul condemned to death for converting imperial concubines and for the demise of Nero s friend, Simon Magus. Emperor Nero arrested and executed a large number of Christians. Anastasia and Basilissa gathered the relics of these martyrs and buried them honorably. When this news reached Nero, Anastasia and Basilissa were imprisoned. They were subjected to cruel torture, but would not renounce Christ. They were beaten with whips, tore at their skin with hooks, and burned them with fire. Nero ordered their beheading with the sword. Panagia Chrysafitissa of Monemvasia, celebrated on April 16 This Byzantine style icon miraculously came to reside in the seventh-century church of Monemvasia. The icon seems to date from the fifteenth or sixteenth century. Originally it was discovered in the village of Chrysafa in Sparta, Greece, on the spot where today there is a spring of holy water. Various diseases are cured through this spring, and it plays a special role in helping people bear children, especially males. One day merchants from Chrysafa traveled to Monemvasia to celebrate a Feast to the Theotokos. When they entered the church, they saw their icon from Chrysafa, and they thought that it had been stolen. They took the case to trial, and the judge awarded the icon back to Chrysafa. The merchants took the icon back to Chrysafa and placed it in one of their churches. They celebrated a service in honor of the icon, locked up the church, and left. But that night in a miraculous manner the icon left the church and was found back in Monemvasia, where it remains today. The Theotokos continues to work miracles there for the faithful, especially for those suffering from psychotic episodes and the demon-possessed. Thus we see whoever glorifies and honors the Mother of God becomes a partaker of the grace given to her by God South Archer Road, Justice, Illinois (708) , fax (708) Web: office@holycrossil.org Rev. Fr. Demetrios Kounavis - Parish Priest

2 ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΗΜΕΡΑΣ EPISTLE READING FOR THE DAY ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΟΝ ΤΗΣ ΗΜΕΡΑΣ GOSPEL READING FOR THE DAY Αδελφοί, Χριστὸς παραγενόμενος ἀρχιερεὺς τῶν μελλόντων ἀγαθῶν διὰ τῆς μείζονος καὶ τελειοτέρας σκηνῆς, οὐ χειροποιήτου, τοῦτ ἔστιν οὐ ταύτης τῆς κτίσεως, οὐδὲ δι αἵματος τράγων καὶ μόσχων, διὰ δὲ τοῦ ἰδίου αἵματος εἰσῆλθεν ἐφάπαξ εἰς τὰ Αγια, αἰωνίαν λύτρωσιν εὑράμενος. Εἰ γὰρ τὸ αἷμα ταύρων καὶ τράγων καὶ σποδὸς δαμάλεως ῥαντίζουσα τοὺς κεκοινωμένους ἁγιάζει πρὸς τὴν τῆς σαρκὸς καθαρότητα, πόσῳ μᾶλλον τὸ αἷμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὃς διὰ Πνεύματος αἰωνίου ἑαυτὸν προσήνεγκεν ἄμωμον τῷ Θεῷ, καθαριεῖ τὴν συνείδησιν ὑμῶν ἀπὸ νεκρῶν ἔργων εἰς τὸ λατρεύειν Θεῷ ζῶντι; BRETHREN, when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the Holy Place, taking not the blood of goats and calves but his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the sprinkling of defiled persons with the blood of goats and bulls and with the ashes of a heifer sanctifies for the purification of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify your conscience from dead works to serve the living God. Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, παραλαβάνει ὁ Ἰησοῦς τοὺς δώδεκα μαθητάς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἤρξατο αὐτοῖς λέγειν τὰ μέλλοντα αὐτῷ συμβαίνειν, ὅτι ἰδοὺ ἀναβαίνομεν εἰς Ιεροσόλυμα καὶ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδοθήσεται τοῖς ἀρχιερεῦσι καὶ γραμματεῦσι, καὶ κατακρινοῦσιν αὐτὸν θανάτῳ καὶ παραδώσουσιν αὐτὸν τοῖς ἔθνεσι, καὶ ἐμπαίξουσιν αὐτῷ καὶ μαστιγώσουσιν αὐτὸν καὶ ἐμπτύσουσιν αὐτῷ καὶ ἀποκτενοῦσιν αὐτόν, καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἀναστήσεται. Καὶ προσπορεύονται αὐτῷ Ιάκωβος καὶ Ιωάννης υἱοὶ Ζεβεδαίου λέγοντες διδάσκαλε, θέλομεν ἵνα ὃ ἐὰν αἰτήσωμεν ποιήσῃς ἡμῖν. ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς τί θέλετε ποιῆσαί με ὑμῖν; οἱ δὲ εἶπον αὐτῷ δὸς ἡμῖν ἵνα εἷς ἐκ δεξιῶν σου καὶ εἷς ἐξ εὐωνύμων σου καθίσωμεν ἐν τῇ δόξῃ σου. ὁ δὲ Ιησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς οὐκ οἴδατε τί αἰτεῖσθε. δύνασθε πιεῖν τὸ ποτήριον ὃ ἐγὼ πίνω, καὶ τὸ βάπτισμα ὃ ἐγὼ βαπτίζομαι βαπτισθῆναι; οἱ δὲ εἶπον αὐτῷ δυνάμεθα. ὁ δὲ Ιησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς τὸ μὲν ποτήριον ὃ ἐγὼ πίνω πίεσθε, καὶ τὸ βάπτισμα ὃ ἐγὼ βαπτίζομαι βαπτισθήσεσθε τὸ δὲ καθίσαι ἐκ δεξιῶν μου καὶ ἐξ εὐωνύμων οὐκ ἔστιν ἐμὸν δοῦναι, ἀλλ οἷς ἡτοίμασται. Καὶ ἀκούσαντες οἱ δέκα ἤρξαντο ἀγανακτεῖν περὶ Ιακώβου καὶ Ιωάννου. ὁ δὲ Ιησοῦς προσκαλεσάμενος αὐτοὺς λέγει αὐτοῖς οἴδατε ὅτι οἱ δοκοῦντες ἄρχειν τῶν ἐθνῶν κατακυριεύουσιν αὐτῶν καὶ οἱ μεγάλοι αὐτῶν κατεξουσιάζουσιν αὐτῶν οὐχ οὕτω δὲ ἔσται ἐν ὑμῖν, ἀλλ ὃς ἐὰν θέλῃ γενέσθαι μέγας ἐν ὑμῖν, ἔσται ὑμῶν διάκονος, καὶ ὃς ἐὰν θέλῃ ὑμῶν γενέσθαι πρῶτος, ἔσται πάντων δοῦλος καὶ γὰρ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἦλθε διακονηθῆναι, ἀλλὰ διακονῆσαι, καὶ δοῦναι τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ λύτρον ἀντὶ πολλῶν. At that time, Jesus took his twelve disciples, and he began to tell them what was to happen to him, saying, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and deliver him to the Gentiles; and they will mock him, and spit upon him, and scourge him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise." And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him, and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." And he said to them, "What do you want me to do for you?" And they said to him, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory." But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?" And they said to him, "We are able." And Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared." And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant of James and John. And Jesus called them to him and said to them, "You know that those who are supposed to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

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4 Η αγάπη που δεν έχει όρια Γέροντας Παίσιος...Αυτός ο άνθρωπος με τόση προσευχή, με τόσα δάκρυα που έχυνε...μια φορά πήγα, τον είδα. Ήταν πολύ κουρασμένος. Του λέω: -Τι έχεις γέροντα; - Τι να κάνω, ευλογημένη ψυχή; Πονάω πάρα πολύ με τους ανθρώπους που έρχονται. Και ιδίως για τα παιδιά με τα ναρκωτικά (σσ: Τότε είχε αρχίσει το κύμα των ναρκωτικών το πολύ και έρχονταν πολλά παιδιά στον γέροντα και ζητούσαν βοήθεια). Να, χθες είχα τρεις μέρες άυπνος κι ήρθε ένα παιδάκι, το καημένο εδώ πέρα, ταλαιπωρημένο, ορφανό, εγκαταλειμμένο, δεν είχε που την κεφαλή κλίνη και μου είπε: "Γέροντα, κανέναν δεν έχω στον κόσμο. Κανένας δεν με αγάπησε και είμαι και ορφανός και έμπλεξα και με τα ναρκωτικά. Θέλω να μου πεις κάτι". Και, ενώ τα μάτια μου έκλειναν απ' την αγρυπνία, τα τραβούσα -λέει- 9 ώρες, τα κόλλησα πάνω σ' αυτό το παιδάκι να μπορέσω να το βοηθήσω να καταλάβει κι αυτό ένα ίχνος αγάπης. Ε... Έφυγε αναπαυμένο. Τώρα δεν ξέρω πόσο το βοήθησα... Αλλά αυτό το πράγμα, αν ερχόταν σε μένα κάποιος που θα 'μουν κουρασμένος, θα έλεγα "άφησέ με να ξεκουραστώ και μετά". Ο π. Παΐσιος δεν έβαζε τον εαυτό του ποτέ μπροστά. Έβαζε πάντοτε τον άλλον. Που είναι δείγμα μεγάλης αγιότητος αυτό... (Απόσπασμα από ομιλία του π.αθανασίου Σιμωνοπετρίτη για τον γέροντα Παϊσιο) CALLING ALL READERS! Any parishioners who are able to read a foreign language and would enjoy reading the Gospel at the AGAPE Vespers on Pascha, April 28th, please contact the Church office.

5 SAVE THE DATE April 28: Easter Egg Hunt after Agape Vespers May 2: Christianiki Philoxenia at St. Nicholas Church May 3: Bright Friday Feast May 5: 2:00pm - Greek Parade on Halsted Street May 11: Parish Trip to the St. Iakovos Retreat Center, WI May 12: Mother s Day Breakfast March 18: Spring Food Festival May 19: Couples Outing (Location TBD) May 24-26: Metropolis of Chicago Jr. Olympics June 1: Greek School Graduation June 4: Christianiki Philoxenia at St. Spyridon Church, Palos Heights June 8: Church Cleaning and Garage/Storage room cleaning June 9: Graduate Sunday June 9: Women s Outing (Location TBD) June 15: Saturday of the Souls June 15: Parish trip to Great America JUNE 21-23: 2019 GREEK FESTIVAL August 10: Feed My Starving Children, Schaumburg MEMORIALS Argiris Kanatas 17 years, Right 1 May his memory be eternal! Today s coffee fellowship is hosted in memory of Argiris Kanatas. Everyone is invited to our community hall to enjoy fellowship. May his memory be eternal!

6 Time to Repent - Be the Bee #28 Can you believe we only have about a week left of Great Lent? Its been a long few weeks with a lot of challenges. Lent is hard work. Lent unites us in a common struggle, and a common preparation and if we're honest, in a common failure. No one's perfect. These past few weeks we've all stumbled. We've all fasted less than we should or said things we shouldn't have said or done things we shouldn't have done. And instead of allowing us to move into Holy Week discouraged or demoralized the Church offers us hope in the person of Saint Mary of Egypt. For a long time Saint Mary lived a very sinful life until one day she decided to go to Jerusalem to visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre which is where the Tomb of Christ is. And when she tried walking in she felt some invisible force keeping her out. She realized it was because of her sin. She was ashamed. When she saw an icon of the Virgin Mary outside of the church building she repented. She asked for forgiveness and went to the desert. She stayed in the desert for 40 years praying, drawing closer to God, repenting of her sins. Now when we think about Saint Mary we don't think about her flaws. We don't think about who she WAS. We think about who she IS: A Saint, a holy person in the kingdom of God. She's a saint, because she repented. Now normally when we think of repentance we associate with feeling bad for our sins. But it means a lot more than that. Repentance comes from the Greek word "metanoia" which means a change of mind or a change of direction. Saint Mary didn't simply feel bad for her sins, she changed her life, she changed her direction. She stopped moving away from God and started moving towards Him. Sometimes we resist repentance in our own lives because of fear. We're so burdened by guilt that we think forgiveness is impossible. We build walls around ourselves because we're afraid, fearing that we're too broken, too imperfect to love. When Saint Mary felt that force outside of the church she had a choice: She could turn around and keep moving further away from God, or she could try moving towards Him. It's no accident that she made her decision after looking into the eyes of the Virgin Mary, because somewhere deep down in her heart she knew the saints love her and are waiting for her. She knew that God loves her and is waiting for her. She realized that no sin is too big, or too bad for God to forgive. No matter what she had done or how long she had been doing it for God was waiting for her, arms open, ready to forgive. We've all sinned and we've all had our own failures, but no matter what we've done there's nothing that God can't handle! That doesn't just go for Great Lent. That goes for our lives generally. Now repentance isn't easy, and it takes a lot more than a moment. Saint Mary spent forty years repenting in the desert. But it started with a moment, with the decision to turn back to God. And the saints continue this throughout their lives, every day every minute, every moment is an opportunity and an invitation to refocus on God. And sure, we'll stumble and we'll fall but God is always there to reach out His hand, and lift us up again. And if you feel like you haven't taken advantage of the opportunity of Great Lent don't worry, there's time to prepare for Easter! Just start now. And even if you've spent your entire life running away from God, don't worry. Just stop running and turn around. So let's Be the Bee, and repent this moment, every moment.

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8 WEEKLY EVENTS TODAY 6:00pm - Solemn Vespers at St. Nicholas, Oak Lawn with reflection given by Fr. Sotirios Wednesday, April 17 5:30pm - Presanctified Liturgy 7:00pm - Orthodoxi Zoe with Lenten Meal Thursday, April 18 10:00am - H.O.P.E. Group 7:00pm - Greek Festival Meeting Friday, April 19 9am-4pm - Philoptochos Easter Bake Sale 6:00pm - Presanctified Liturgy at St. Spyridon, with refection given by Fr. Demetri Saturday, April 20 8:30am - Saturday of Lazarus 9:00am-4:00pm - Philoptochos Easter Bake Sale 10:00am - Greek School 11:00am - Church Cleaning Children s Lenten Retreat; making of the palms Sunday, April 21 Palm Sunday Plaki Luncheon 11:00am-2:00pm - Philoptochos Easter Bake Sale 7:00pm - Nymphios Service ΗΜΕΡΟΛΟΓΙΟ ΣΗΜΕΡΑ 6.00μ.μ. - Κατανυκτικός Εσπερινός στον Ι.Ν. Αγ. Νικολάου, ομιλητής π. Σωτήριος Τετάρτη, 17 Απριλίου 5.30μ.μ. - Προηγιασμένη Θ. Λειτουργία 7.00μ.μ. - Ορθόδοξη Ζωή/μικρό δείπνο Πέμπτη, 18 Απριλίου 10.00π.μ. - Συνεδρίαση H.O.P.E. 7.00μ.μ. - Συνεδρίαση Φεστιβάλ Παρασκευή, 19 Απριλίου 9.00π.μ μ.μ. - Philoptochos Easter Bake Sale 6.00μ.μ. - Προηγιασμένη Θ. Λειτουργία στον Ι.Ν. Αγ. Σπυρίδωνος, ομιλητής π. Δημήτριος Σάββατο, 20 Απριλίου 8.30π.μ. - Σάββατο του Λαζάρου 9.00π.μ μ.μ. - Philoptochos Easter Bake Sale 10.00π.μ. - Ελληνικό Σχολείο 11.00π.μ. - Καθαρισμός της εκκλησίας Παιδική Πνευματική Σύναξη; ετοιμασία των βαΐων Κυριακή, 21 Απριλίου Γεύμα Κυριακής των Βαΐων 11.00π.μ μ.μ. - Philoptochos Easter Bake Sale 7.00μ.μ. - Ακολουθία του Νυμφίου Lenten and Holy Week Needs Flowers for the Panagia Icon (4 Salutations Services) - $225 each 2 icons donated plus $25 donated Flowers for the Panagia Icon (Akathist Hymn Service) Flowers for Sunday of the Holy Cross (Processional Icon) Daffodils Sunday of the Holy Cross Dikerotrikera Candles for Sunday of the Holy Cross Lambathes Holy Cross Vespers Palm Sunday Church Décor Palms and Bay Leaves Flowers for Palm Sunday Icon Flowers for the Nymphios Icon Flowers for Last Supper Icon Wreath for Cross of Christ Candles for the 12 Gospels Flowers for the Crucifixion Icon Flowers for the Kouvouklion (Christ s Tomb) Rose Petals for Myrophores Rose Water Gardenias for the Epitaphio Priest Paschal Candle Flowers for the Lavaron - $350 Easter Lilies - $ Altar Candles Anastasi Icon - $ cups for Anastasi - $ cups for Good Friday -$ cases white candles - $60 per case 4 cases donated Thank you for your support during this holy season.