GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF ZOODOHOS PEGHE PELHAM BAY, BRONX, NEW YORK or

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1 GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF ZOODOHOS PEGHE PELHAM BAY, BRONX, NEW YORK or Sunday, August 20, Κυριακή, Αυγούστου 20, th Sunday of Matthew - Κυριακή 11η τού Ματθαίου ORTHROS 8:30 a.m. DIVINE LITURGY 9:15-10:30 a.m. Welcome Visitor! We are honored that you have chosen to join us for worship today. Our hope is that your visit with us has blessed you in some way. If you belong to another Church, please take our best wishes home with you. If you do not have a parish home, we would be delighted to make you welcome here. Τό Αποστολικό Ανάγνωσμα Ἰσχύς μου καὶ ὕμνησίς μου ὁ Κύριος. Στίχ. Παιδεύων ἐπαίδευσέ με ὁ Κύριος. Πρὸς Κορινθίους α' 9:2-12 τὸ ἀνάγνωσμα Ἀδελφοί, ἡ σφραγὶς τῆς ἐμῆς ἀποστολῆς ὑμεῖς ἐστε ἐν κυρίῳ. Ἡ ἐμὴ ἀπολογία τοῖς ἐμὲ ἀνακρίνουσιν αὕτη ἐστίν. Μὴ οὐκ ἔχομεν ἐξουσίαν φαγεῖν καὶ πιεῖν; Μὴ οὐκ ἔχομεν ἐξουσίαν ἀδελφὴν γυναῖκα περιάγειν, ὡς καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ ἀπόστολοι, καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ τοῦ κυρίου, καὶ Κηφᾶς; Ἢ μόνος ἐγὼ καὶ Βαρνάβας οὐκ ἔχομεν ἐξουσίαν τοῦ μὴ ἐργάζεσθαι; Τίς στρατεύεται ἰδίοις ὀψωνίοις ποτέ; Τίς φυτεύει ἀμπελῶνα, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ καρποῦ αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐσθίει; Ἢ τίς ποιμαίνει ποίμνην, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ γάλακτος τῆς ποίμνης οὐκ ἐσθίει; Μὴ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον ταῦτα λαλῶ; Ἢ οὐχὶ καὶ ὁ νόμος ταῦτα λέγει; Ἐν γὰρ τῷ Μωϋσέως νόμῳ γέγραπται, Οὐ φιμώσεις βοῦν ἀλοῶντα. Μὴ τῶν βοῶν μέλει τῷ θεῷ; Ἢ διʼ ἡμᾶς πάντως λέγει; Διʼ ἡμᾶς γὰρ ἐγράφη, ὅτι ἐπʼ ἐλπίδι ὀφείλει ὁ ἀροτριῶν ἀροτριᾷν, καὶ ὁ ἀλοῶν τῆς ἐλπίδος αὐτοῦ μετέχειν ἐπʼ ἐλπίδι. Εἰ ἡμεῖς ὑμῖν τὰ πνευματικὰ ἐσπείραμεν, μέγα εἰ ἡμεῖς ὑμῶν τὰ σαρκικὰ θερίσομεν; Εἰ ἄλλοι τῆς ἐξουσίας ὑμῶν μετέχουσιν, οὐ μᾶλλον ἡμεῖς; Ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἐχρησάμεθα τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ ταύτῃ, ἀλλὰ πάντα στέγομεν, ἵνα μὴ ἐγκοπήν τινα δῶμεν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ.

2 Today s Appointed Pericope The Lord is my strength and my song. Verse: The Lord has chastened me sorely. The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 9:2-12 Brethren, you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. This is my defense to those who would examine me. Do we not have the right to our food and drink? Do we not have the right to be accompanied by a sister as wife, as the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? Do I say this on human authority? Does not the law say the same? For it is written in the law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain." Is it for oxen that God is concerned? Does he not speak entirely for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of a share in the crop. If we have sown spiritual good among you, is it too much if we reap your material benefits? If others share this rightful claim upon you, do not we still more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. Τό Ευαγγέλιον Ἐκ τοῦ Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 18:23-35 Εὐαγγελίου τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τήν παραβολὴν ταύτην Ὡμοιώθη ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀνθρώπῳ βασιλεῖ, ὃς ἠθέλησε συνᾶραι λόγον μετὰ τῶν δούλων αὐτοῦ. ἀρξαμένου δὲ αὐτοῦ συναίρειν προσηνέχθη αὐτῷ εἷς ὀφειλέτης μυρίων ταλάντων. μὴ ἔχοντος δὲ αὐτοῦ ἀποδοῦναι ἐκέλευσεν αὐτὸν ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ πραθῆναι καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ τέκνα καὶ πάντα ὅσα εἶχε, καὶ ἀποδοθῆναι. πεσὼν οὖν ὁ δοῦλος προσεκύνει αὐτῷ λέγων κύριε, μακροθύμησον ἐπ ἐμοὶ καὶ πάντα σοι ἀποδώσω. σπλαγχνισθεὶς δὲ ὁ κύριος τοῦ δούλου ἐκείνου ἀπέλυσεν αὐτὸν καὶ τὸ δάνειον ἀφῆκεν αὐτῷ. ἐξελθὼν δὲ ὁ δοῦλος ἐκεῖνος εὗρεν ἕνα τῶν συνδούλων αὐτοῦ, ὃς ὤφειλεν αὐτῷ ἑκατὸν δηνάρια, καὶ κρατήσας αὐτὸν ἔπνιγε λέγων ἀπόδος μοι εἴ τι ὀφείλεις. πεσὼν οὖν ὁ σύνδουλος αὐτοῦ εἰς τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ παρεκάλει αὐτὸν λέγων μακροθύμησον ἐπ ἐμοὶ καὶ ἀποδώσω σοι. ὁ δὲ οὐκ ἤθελεν, ἀλλὰ ἀπελθὼν ἔβαλεν αὐτὸν εἰς φυλακὴν ἕως οὗ ἀποδῷ τὸ ὀφειλόμενον. ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ σύνδουλοι αὐτοῦ τὰ γενόμενα ἐλυπήθησαν σφόδρα, καὶ ἐλθόντες διεσάφησαν τῷ κυρίῳ ἑαυτῶν πάντα τὰ γενόμενα. τότε προσκαλεσάμενος αὐτὸν ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ λέγει αὐτῷ δοῦλε πονηρέ, πᾶσαν τὴν ὀφειλὴν ἐκείνην ἀφῆκά σοι, ἐπεὶ παρεκάλεσάς με. οὐκ ἔδει καὶ σὲ ἐλεῆσαι τὸν σύνδουλόν σου, ὡς καὶ ἐγώ σε ἠλέησα; καὶ ὀργισθεὶς ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ παρέδωκεν αὐτὸν τοῖς βασανισταῖς ἕως οὗ ἀποδῷ πᾶν τὸ ὀφειλόμενον αὐτῷ. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ πατήρ μου ὁ ἐπουράνιος ποιήσει ὑμῖν, ἐὰν μὴ ἀφῆτε ἕκαστος τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν καρδιῶν ὑμῶν τὰ παραπτώματα αὐτῶν

3 Today s Gospel Reading The Gospel According to Matthew 18:23-35 The Lord said this parable: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents; and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, 'Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, 'Pay what you owe.' So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me; and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?' And in anger his lord delivered him to the torturers, till he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart." Απολυτίκιον Ὅτε κατῆλθες πρὸς τὸν θάνατον, ἡ Ζωὴ ἡ ἀθάνατος, τότε τὸν ᾅδην ἐνέκρωσας τῇ ἀστραπῇ τῆς Θεότητος, ὅτε δὲ καὶ τοὺς τεθνεῶτας ἐκ τῶν καταχθονίων ἀνέστησας, πᾶσαι αἱ Δυνάμεις τῶν ἐπουρανίων ἐκραύγαζον Ζωοδότα Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν δόξα σοι. Apolytikion When Thou didst descend unto death, O Life Immortal, then didst Thou slay Hades with the lightning of Thy Divinity. And when Thou didst also raise the dead out of the nethermost depths, all the powers in the Heavens cried out: O Life-giver, Christ our God, glory be to Thee. Κοντάκιον Τήν εν πρεσβείαις ακοίμητον Θεοτόκον, καί προστασίαις αμετάθετον ελπίδα, τάφος καί νέκρωσις ουκ εκράτησεν, ως γάρ ζωής Μητέρα, πρός τήν ζωήν μετέστησεν, ο μήτραν οικήσας αειπάρθενον. Kontakion Neither the grave nor death could contain the Theotokos, the unshakable hope, ever vigilant in intercession and protection. As Mother of life, He who dwelt in the ever-virginal womb transposed her to life. Please, be sure to give us your current address for notices from our parish. This way, you receive automated notices such as the weekly Sunday bulletin and other church announcements. Please our church secretary at : secretary@zoodohospeghe.org or call the church office at and ask to be placed on our list.

4 REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S GOSPEL READING " The following is a powerful sermon that I though all of us should read" - Fr. Sylvester I Look At Charlottesville And I Am Afraid by M. K. Marsh About 8:00 last night I threw out the sermon I had for today. I started over and went in a new and completely different direction. That s why I m using the pulpit today and why I have notes. I am just not real settled yet with what I am going to say. Maybe that s my apology or excuse for not being better prepared this morning; I don t know. I only know that I was too afraid to preach what I originally had prepared. I don t mean I was afraid about the sermon or the words I would say. I was afraid of what has happened in Charlottesville. I am still afraid. I am afraid when I see gatherings of groups like the Ku Klux Klan and neo-nazis. I am afraid when I read that Mr. David Duke, former imperial wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, said that the protesters were going to fulfill the promises of Donald Trump to take our country back. I am afraid when white supremacists waving Confederate flags, chanting Nazi-era slogans, wearing helmets and carrying shields, chant phrases like Jews will not replace us. I am afraid when armed militia men dressed in fatigues walk the streets of Charlottesville. I am afraid when white nationalists carry torches and chant White lives matter. I am afraid when violence and willful injury or death become our way of engaging difference. I am afraid when blood and soil are what unite some people.

5 I am afraid when I see Nazi salutes and hear the words End immigration, one people, one nation chanted. I am afraid when I see, once again, that the ghost of racism, prejudice, violence, and hatred still haunts us. Sometimes there is good reason to be afraid. And Charlottesville is one of them. I am afraid for you and me. Let me be clear, however. I am not afraid for your or my physical safety or our well being. I am afraid that we will be brokenhearted over what has happened but not whole hearted enough to speak up. I am afraid that we will be sad over these circumstances but not angry enough to overturn the tables and drive out the animals (John 2:15). I am afraid we will express our opinions of how wrong this is but refuse to be witnesses of and for Christ. I am afraid we will close the gospel book today and go on with business as usual. I am afraid we will tithe mint, dill, and cumin but neglect justice, mercy, and faith (Matthew 23:23). I am afraid we will love ourselves but not our neighbors, to say nothing of our enemies (Mark. 12:31; Matthew 5:44). I am afraid we will come to the communion table for solace only, and not for strength; for pardon only, and not for renewal (Book of Common Prayer, p. 372). The boat of our life is far from land right now. The night is dark, the waves are high, and the wind is strong. There is every reason to be afraid but I don t want to live in fear and I don t want you to either. I want us to see the light that shines in the darkness of this night, a light the darkness cannot overcome (John 1:5). I want us to hear the waves slapping against the bottom of Jesus feet as he walks toward us. I want us to feel the wind of change. I want us to make room in the boat for Jesus. That does not, however, begin in Charlottesville. It begins in my heart, your heart, and the heart of the world; the very same place where fear, racism, violence, hatred, and indifference begin. Charlottesville is a symptom of heart disease. This isn t about taking back America, it s about taking back our hearts and that s exactly what Jesus tells the disciples in his gospel (Matthew. 14:22-33). Take heart, he says. The night is dark, the waves are high, the wind is against them, and they ve seen a ghost. Take heart.

6 A more literal translation of the Greek would be Take courage. Be courageous. Jesus is not, however, talking about a macho, power based, locked and loaded kind of courage, a life denying courage that threatens to unleash fire and fury like the world has never seen. He is imploring a life giving courage, a courage grounded in the I Am of Jesus. I am the light of the world. I am the way. I am the truth. I am the life. I am the good shepherd. I am the resurrection. It is the same I Am of the burning bush that gave Moses the courage to lead the Israelites out of their bondage in Egypt. When Jesus says to the disciples, It is I, he is literally saying, I Am. The world needs life giving I Am courage. Life giving courage confronts evil head on but refuses to become what it hates. Life giving courage seeks reconciliation and the well being of all people. It has no interest in destroying or humiliating the other. It is the courage dedicated to evolution rather than revolution (Chittister, Between the Dark and the Daylight, p ), the courage to grow up and live the gospel. Ultimately, life giving courage manifests the heart of God and it looks, speaks, acts, and loves like Jesus. Life giving courage does not mean we won t be afraid. It is, rather, the means by which we face our fear. I can t tell you what to do, how to take back your heart, or what life giving courage might look like in your life. I can only raise the question; not just for you but also for myself. It will be different for each of us. We must each find our own way of taking back our hearts and living with life giving courage. What do you see when you look at Charlottesville? What do you see when you look into your heart? Are you afraid? I sure hope so. I hope you and I are always afraid, afraid enough to take heart, to take heart again, and to never stop taking heart. Take heart, it is I, Jesus says. Hear his words again, Be courageous, I Am/am. Will we be?

7 The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America Response to Racist Violence in Charlottesville, VA The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America stands with all people of good will in condemning the hateful violence and lamenting the loss of life that resulted from the shameful efforts to promote racial bigotry and white supremacist ideology in Charlottesville, Virginia. The Orthodox Church emphatically declares that it does not promote, protect or sanction participation in such reprehensible acts of hatred, racism, and discrimination, and proclaims that such beliefs and behaviors have no place in any community based in respect for the law and faith in a loving God. The essence of the Christian Gospel and the spirit of the Orthodox Tradition are entirely and self-evidently incompatible with ideologies that declare the superiority of any race over another. Our God shows no partiality or favoritism (Deuteronomy 10:17, Romans 2:11). Our Lord Jesus Christ broke down the dividing wall of hostility that had separated God from humans and humans from each other (Ephesians 2:14). In Christ Jesus, the Church proclaims, there can be neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male or female, but all are one (Galatians 3:28). Furthermore, we call on one another to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather to expose them (Ephesians 5:11). And what is darkness if not hatred? The one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness (1 John 2:11)! Furthermore, in 1872, Hierarchs from around the world assembled in Constantinople and denounced all forms of xenophobia and chauvinism (phyletism). They agreed that the promotion of racial or national supremacy and ethnic bias or dissension in the Church of Christ is to be censured as contrary to the sacred teachings of the Christian Gospel and the holy canons of the Church. It is formally condemned as heresy, the strongest category of false teaching. Finally, such actions as we have witnessed in recent days, by self-proclaimed white supremacists, neo-nazis, and various racists and fascists, betray the core human values of love and solidarity. In this, we pray wholeheartedly for the families of those who lost their lives or suffered in these tragic events. In like manner, we cannot condone any form of revenge or retaliation by any group or individual. Therefore, we fervently appeal to every person of good will, and especially the leaders of our great nation, to consider and adopt ways of reconciling differences in order to rise above any and all discrimination in our history, our present, and our future.

8 ADULT GREEK LANGUAGE CLASSES AT ZOODOHOS PEGHE CHURCH We are pleased to inform you that the first semester of the Adult Greek Language Class will be held on Tuesday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. for 10 weeks. The cost is as follows: $ Registration fee (includes text book) $ Tuition Total $ Payment in full must be made in advance and no later than September 15, The first class will begin on Tuesday, October 3, If you are interested in registering, please complete the application below and return to Ms. Anna Mamaes, School Office. Application for Greek adult language class Name Phone Payment to be made by check or money order payable to the GREEK AMERICAN INSTITUTE Registration & Tuition fee: $310.00