Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church Sunday, October 15, 2017 Sunday of the 7th Ecumenical Council

Transcript

1 Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church Sunday, October 15, 2017 Sunday of the 7th Ecumenical Council Sunday of the 7th Ecumenical Council St. Lucian the Martyr of Antioch On the Sunday that falls on or immediately after the eleventh of this month, we chant the Service to the 350 holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council, which gathered in Nicaea in 787 under the holy Patriarch Tarasius and during the reign of the Empress Irene and her son, Constantine Porphyrogenitus, to refute the Iconoclast heresy, which had received imperial support beginning with the Edict issued in 726 by Emperor Leo the Isaurian. Many of the holy Fathers who condemned Iconoclasm at this holy Council later died as Confessors and Martyrs for the holy Icons during the second assult of Iconoclasm in the ninth century, especially during the reigns of Leo the Armenian and Theophilus. This Saint was from Samosata, the son of pious parents. He established a catechetical school in Antioch, and taught the correct doctrines of the Faith and made clear the parts of the divine Scriptures that were difficult to understand. He edited the Old Testament translation from the Hebrew tongue, and published it in an excellent edition, free from every heretical corruption and interpolation. He travelled to Nicomedia to strengthen the faithful there in their contests for Christ, and was accused before Maximinus, with whom he conversed openly. When he had made a defence of the Christian Faith, he was condemned to imprisonment where, in 311, he died of hunger and thirst 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 Πιστὸς ὁ λόγος, καὶ περὶ τούτων βούλομαί σε διαβεβαιοῦσθαι, ἵνα φροντίζωσιν καλῶν ἔργων προΐστασθαι οἱ πεπιστευκότες θεῷ. ταῦτά ἐστιν καλὰ καὶ ὠφέλιμα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις μωρὰς δὲ ζητήσεις καὶ γενεαλογίας καὶ ἔριν καὶ μάχας νομικὰς περιΐστασο, εἰσὶν γὰρ ἀνωφελεῖς καὶ μάταιοι. αιῥετικὸν ἄνθρωπον μετὰ μίαν καὶ δευτέραν νουθεσίαν παραιτοῦ, εἰδὼς ὅτι ἐξέστραπται ὁ τοιοῦτος καὶ ἁμαρτάνει, ὢν αὐτοκατάκριτος. Ὅταν πέμψω Ἀρτεμᾶν πρὸς σὲ ἢ Τυχικόν, σπούδασον ἐλθεῖν πρός με εἰς Νικόπολιν, ἐκεῖ γὰρ κέκρικα παραχειμάσαι. Ζηνᾶν τὸν νομικὸν καὶ Ἀπολλῶν σπουδαίως πρόπεμψον, ἵνα μηδὲν αὐτοῖς λείπῃ. μανθανέτωσαν δὲ καὶ οἱ ἡμέτεροι καλῶν ἔργων προΐστασθαι εἰς τὰς ἀναγκαίας χρείας, ἵνα μὴ ὦσιν ἄκαρποι. Ἀσπάζονταί σε οἱ μετ ἐμοῦ πάντες. Ἄσπασαι τοὺς φιλοῦντας ἡμᾶς ἐν πίστει. ἡ χάρις μετὰ πάντων ὑμῶν. Titus, my son, the saying is sure. I desire you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to apply themselves to good deeds; these are excellent and profitable to men. But avoid stupid controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels over the law, for they are unprofitable and futile. As for a man who is factious, after admonishing him once or twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is perverted and sinful; he is selfcondemned. When I send Artemas or Tychicos to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. Do your best to speed Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they lack nothing. And let our people learn to apply themselves to good deeds, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not to be unfruitful. All who are with me send greeting to you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen. Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τήν παραβολὴν ταύτην Ἐξῆλθεν ὁ σπείρων τοῦ σπεῖραι τὸν σπόρον αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἐν τῷ σπείρειν αὐτὸν ὃ μὲν ἔπεσε παρὰ τὴν ὁδόν, καὶ κατεπατήθη, καὶ τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ κατέφαγεν αὐτό καὶ ἕτερον ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν, καὶ φυὲν ἐξηράνθη διὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν ἰκμάδα καὶ ἕτερον ἔπεσεν ἐν μέσῳ τῶν ἀκανθῶν, καὶ συμφυεῖσαι αἱ ἄκανθαι ἀπέπνιξαν αὐτό. καὶ ἕτερον ἔπεσεν εἰς τὴν γῆν τὴν ἀγαθήν, καὶ φυὲν ἐποίησε καρπὸν κατονταπλασίονα. ταῦτα λέγων ἐφώνει ὁ ἔχων ὦτα ἀκούειν ἀκουέτω. Επηρώτων δὲ αὐτὸν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ λέγοντες τίς εἴη ἡ παραβολὴ αὕτη; ὁ δὲ εἶπεν ὑμῖν δέδοται γνῶναι τὰ μυστήρια τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ Θεοῦ, τοῖς δὲ λοιποῖς ἐν παραβολαῖς, ἵνα βλέποντες μὴ βλέπωσι καὶ ἀκούοντες μὴ συνιῶσιν. ἔστι δὲ αὕτη ἡ παραβολή ὁ σπόρος ἐστὶν ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ οἱ δὲ παρὰ τὴν ὁδόν εἰσιν οἱ ἀκούσαντες, εἶτα ἔρχεται ὁ διάβολος καὶ αἴρει τὸν λόγον ἀπὸ τῆς καρδίας αὐτῶν, ἵνα μὴ πιστεύσαντες σωθῶσιν. οἱ δὲ ἐπὶ τῆς πέτρας οἳ ὅταν ἀκούσωσι, μετὰ χαρᾶς δέχονται τὸν λόγον, καὶ οὗτοι ῥίζαν οὐκ ἔχουσιν, οἳ πρὸς καιρὸν πιστεύουσι καὶ ἐν καιρῷ πειρασμοῦ ἀφίστανται. τὸ δὲ εἰς τὰς ἀκάνθας πεσόν, οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ ἀκούσαντες, καὶ ὑπὸ μεριμνῶν καὶ πλούτου καὶ ἡδονῶν τοῦ βίου πορευόμενοι συμπνίγονται καὶ οὐ τελεσφοροῦσι. τὸ δὲ ἐν τῇ καλῇ γῇ, οὗτοί εἰσιν οἵτινες ἐν καρδίᾳ καλῇ καὶ ἀγαθῇ ἀκούσαντες τὸν λόγον κατέχουσι καὶ καρποφοροῦσιν ἐν ὑπομονῇ. ταῦτα λέγων ἐφώνει ὁ ἔχων ὦτα ἀκούειν ἀκουέτω. The Lord said this parable: "A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell along the path, and was trodden under foot, and the birds of the air devoured it. And some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns grew with it and choked it. And some fell into good soil and grew, and yielded a hundredfold." And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, he said, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but for others they are in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy; but these have no root, they believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. And as for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bring forth fruit with patience." As he said these things, he cried out "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

3 "Με τρία μεγάλα πανιά αρμενίζουμε στο πέλαγος" Η Κυριακή προσευχή, το «Πάτερ ημών», είναι σαν κάποιο νοητό καράβι, όπου σαν μπαρκάρεις δεν έχεις να φοβηθείς τίποτα, γιατί θα σε οδηγήσει με ασφάλεια στον παράδεισο. Η πλώρη αυτού του μυστικού καραβιού είναι οι δυο πρώτες λέξεις : «Πάτερ ημών». Ο Χριστός μας έμαθε ν αποκαλούμε πατέρα μας το Θεό. Δεν απευθυνόμαστε, λοιπόν, μονάχα στον Δίκαιο και τον Άγιο, αλλά με το χάρισμα της υιοθεσίας που πήραμε με τη μεσολάβηση του Ιησού, έχουμε να κάνουμε με ένα Θεό που πριν από κάθε άλλο είναι για μας πατέρας, γεμάτος οικτιρμούς και αγάπη. Η πλώρη αυτή είναι στραμμένη πάντα κατά εκεί, στην αγκαλιά του Θεού Πατέρα. Πότε υψώνεται και πότε βυθίζεται στη φουρτούνα των περιστάσεων, αλλά δεν ξεστρατίζει από την κατεύθυνση, που εμπνέει η γνώση πως ο Θεός είναι πατέρας μας! Χωρίς αυτή τη γνώση, χωρίς αυτή την παρρησία, χωρίς αυτή την αμετάθετη βεβαιότητα, θ αρμενίζαμε μάταια πάνω στο πέλαγος της ευσέβειας. Στο πλάι της πλώρης κρέμεται έτοιμη η άγκυρα της ελπίδας, η φράση; «ο εν τοις «ουρανοίς». Δεν έχουμε εδώ κάτω «μένουσαν πόλιν». Το μακάριο αραξοβόλι βρίσκεται πέρα από τον επίγειο βίο, στην άνω Ιερουσαλήμ, όπου, καθώς λέγει ο Ιωάννης στην Αποκάλυψη, θα κατοικήσουν τα έθνη των σωσμένων και που το δάπεδο της είναι από μάλαμα διάφανο. Σε αυτό το λιμάνι που έχει νερά από φως, από το φως της θείας δόξας, θα αγκυροβολήσουμε. «Αγιασθήτω το όνομά Σου, ελθέτω η βασιλεία Σου, γενηθήτω το θέλημά Σου ως εν ουρανώ και επί της γης». Να και τα τρία μεγάλα πανιά που σπρώχνουν αυτό το νοητό καράβι. Τα κολπώνει το Πνεύμα το Άγιο που φυσά δυνατά και βίαια και εμπνέει τους τρεις αυτούς πόθους, που ο Κύριος μας δίδαξε και μας φύτεψε, Ο πρώτος πόθος: Να δοξαστεί το άγιο όνομα του Θεού. Να α- γιαστεί στα χείλη και στις καρδιές των ανθρώπων, που βρίσκονταν κάτω από την κατάρα του Αδάμ και που ο καινούργιος Αδάμ τους ελευθέρωσε μέσα στο Πνεύμα. Ο δεύτερες πόθος : Να έρθει η βασιλεία του Θεού. Να ενθρονιστεί ο Χριστός στις ψυχές και να ποιμάνει με το σιδερένιο σκήπτρο της Αλήθειας τους λαούς, καταισχύνοντας τους ισχυρούς της γης, όπως έψαλλε και ο Δαβίδ. Ο τρίτος πόθος: Να αποκατασταθεί η θεοπήγαστη αρμονία ανάμεσα στα άνω και τα κάτω, με το να πάρουν τα κάτω το καθεστώς των άνω. όπου ένας νόμος υπάρχει και μια αγαλλίαση: το θέλημα του Θεού. Το σκαρί δε του μυστικού τούτου καραβιού είναι τα παρακάτω λογία: «Τον άρτον ημών τον επιούσιον δος ημίν σήμερον». Ένα σκαρί καμωμένο από τα απαραίτητα σωματικά αγαθά. Πανάλαφρο και αμέριμνο. Αλλά ίσο λεπτό και αν ήτανε το σκάφος αυτό, θα βούλιαζε πριν ακόμα ξεκινήσει, χωρίς την παρακάτω θερμή αίτηση. «Και άφες ημίν τα οφειλήματα ημών ως και ημείς αφίεμεν τοις οφειλέταις ημών». Γιατί έχοντας το φοβερό φορτίο των πταισμάτων, και μην αδειάζοντάς το με τη μετάνοια και τη χάρη του Θεού, ο άνθρωπος δεν μπορεί να κάνει ούτε ένα βήμα προς τη σωτηρία, μα απεναντίας ούτε και να σταθεί πάνω στην ευσέβεια μπορεί. Αλλά χάνεται στους βυθούς της απώλειας. Για ν ανακουφιστεί απ αυτό το βάρος πρέπει δύο πράγματα να κάνει: Να συγχωρέσει τους αδελφούς του και να ζητήσει από το Θεό να συγχωρεθεί και ο ίδιος. Και κάτι άλλο όμως χρειάζεται, που είναι και το σπουδαιότερο. Η εγκατάλειψη στο Θεό, που Αυτός μονάχα μπορεί να κυβερνήσει ένα τέτοιο καράβι. Αυτός πρέπει νάχει στα χέρια Του το τιμόνι, γιατί αλλιώς, αν ο χριστιανός βασιστεί στον εαυτό του, είναι αδύνατο να ξεφύγει τις ξέρες που έσπειρε ο διάβολος κάτω από την καρίνα κι όπου θα τσακιστεί. Αυτή τη σημασία έχουν τα λόγια : «Και μη εισενέγκης ημάς εις πειρα σμόν, αλλά ρύσαι ημάς από του πονηρού». Και να τέλος και η ομορφοστόλιστη πρύμη, η δοξολογία με την οποία τελειώνει η Κυριακή προσευχή : «ότι σου έστιν η βασιλεία και η δύναμις και η δόξα». Βασ. Μουστάκης. «Κιβωτός- Απάνθισμα»

4 All Christians Are Called To Pray Without Ceasing By St. Nikolai Velimirovich "Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart" (Luke 18:1). Does the Lord's command about ceaseless prayer that men ought always to pray (Luke 18:1), apply only to monks or to all Christians in general? If it applied only to monks, the Apostle Paul would not have written to the Christians in Thessalonica to "pray without ceasing" (I Thessalonians 5:17). The Apostle repeats the Lord's command, word for word, and issues it to all Christians without distinction, whether monks or laymen. St. Gregory Palamas lived a life of asceticism for some time as a young hieromonk in a monastery in Beroea. The elder Job, a wellknown ascetic whom everyone respected, lived in that monastery. It happened that, in Elder Job's presence, St. Gregory quoted the Apostle's words, asserting that ceaseless prayer is the obligation of every Christian and not just for monks. However, Elder Job replied that ceaseless prayer is the obligation of the monk only, and not for every Christian. Gregory, as the younger of the two, yielded and withdrew in silence. When Job returned to his cell and stood at prayer, an angel in great heavenly glory appeared to him and said: "O Elder, do not doubt the truthfulness of Gregory's words; he spoke correctly and you should think likewise and pass it on to others." Thus, both the Apostle and the angel confirmed the commandment that all Christians must pray to God without ceasing. Not only without ceasing in church, but also without ceasing in every place and at all times, and especially in your heart. For if God does not for a moment tire of giving us good things, how can we tire of thanking Him for these good things? When He thinks of us without ceasing, why do we not think of Him without ceasing? " that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye [may be] rooted and grounded in love" (Ephesians 3:17). With faith, Christ comes into the heart, and with Christ comes love. Thus man is rooted and grounded in love. First then, there is faith; then with faith comes Christ's presence in the heart; then with Christ's presence, the presence of love; and with love, all ineffable goodness. In a few words, the Apostle delineates the whole ladder of perfection. The beginning is faith and the end is love; and faith and love are joined in a living, undivided unity by the Living Lord Jesus Christ's presence in the heart. By strengthening faith, we further abolish the distance between ourselves and the Lord Jesus Christ. The stronger one's faith, the closer one is to Christ. Ultimately, one's heart is filled with Christ and cannot be separated from Christ, just as one's lung cannot be separated from the air. Then a man may, with tears of joy, communicate with Christ by the prayer of the heart -

5 "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner" - and the heart is imperceptibly filled with light and ardent love. In this way, love is united with faith and hope; and when they are united, the boundaries between them are lost, so that man cannot even think of determining of how far faith goes, and where hope and love begin. When the living Christ dwells in a man, then he no longer perceives faith, hope or love in himself, nor does he name them. Instead, he sees only Christ and names only Him. This is just like a fruitgrower in autumn who considers the ripe fruit on the tree, and speaks no more of blossoms and leaves but of fruit, ripe fruit. O Lord Jesus Christ, supreme height of all our endeavors and the destination of all our travels, draw near to us and save us. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen. The Power of Prayer and Fasting By St. Nikolai Velimirovich "This kind can come out by nothing, but prayer and fasting" (St. Mark 9:29). This is the saving prescription of the greatest Physician of human souls. This is the remedy tried and proved. Another remedy for lunacy, there is not. What kind of sickness is that? That is the presence and dominance of an evil spirit in a man, a dangerous evil spirit who labors to eventually destroy the body and soul of man. The boy whom our Lord freed from an evil spirit; this evil spirit that had hurled him at times in the fire, at times in the water just in order to destroy him. As long as a man only philosophizes about God he is weak and completely helpless against the evil spirit. The evil spirit ridicules the feeble sophistry of the world. But, as soon as a man begins to fast and to pray to God, the evil spirit becomes filled with indescribable fear. In no way can the evil spirit tolerate the aroma of prayer and fasting. The sweet-smelling aroma chokes him and weakens him to utter exhaustion. In a man who only philosophizes about faith, there is spacious room in him for the demons. But in a man who sincerely begins to pray to God and to fast with patience and hope, for the demon it becomes narrow and constricted and he must flee from such a man. Against certain bodily ills there exists only one remedy. Against the greatest ill of the soul, demonism, there exists two remedies, which must be utilized at one and the same time: fasting and prayer. The apostles and saints fasted and prayed to God. That is why they were so powerful against evil spirits. O gracious Jesus, our Physician and Helper in all miseries, strengthen us by the power of Your Holy Spirit that we may be able to adhere to Your saving precepts concerning fasting and prayer for the sake of our salvation and the salvation of our fellow men. Amen.

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7 HELP BUILD OUR SIGN Please join us in making this dream of a Holy Cross Church sign a reality! Work has already begun! We will need $20,000 to help cover the cost of the sign and other landscaping upgrades. More landscaping will be needed later as well. Please help support this long-needed addition to our church property. God bless your generosity!

8 WEEKLY EVENTS TODAY Church School Philoptochos Oath of Office Philoptochos Membership Drive Tuesday, October 17 6:00pm - Family Night Wednesday, October 18 8:00am - St. Luke the Evangelist 7:00pm - Orthodox Life Thursday, October 19 10:00am - H.O.P.E Group 11:00am - Orthodoxi Zoe 7:00pm - Vigil for St. Gerasimos Saturday, October 21 10:00am - Greek School Sunday, October 22 Stewardship Sunday Church School/Church School Staff Mtg. ΗΜΕΡΟΛΟΓΙΟ ΣΗΜΕΡΑ Κατηχητικό Σχολείο Philoptochos Oath of Office Philoptochos Membership Drive Τρίτη, 17 Οκτωβρίου 6.00μ.μ. - Family Night Τετάρτη, 18 Οκτωβρίου 8.00π.μ. - Αγ. Λουκά 7.00μ.μ. - Μάθημα στα αγγλικά Πέμπτη, 19 Οκτωβρίου 10.00π.μ. - Συνεδρίαση H.O.P.E π.μ. - Ορθόδοξη Ζωή 7.00μ.μ. - Αγρυπνία Αγ. Γερασίμου Σάββατο, 21 Οκτωβρίου 10.00π.μ. - Ελληνικό Σχολείο Κυριακή, 22 Οκτωβρίου Stewardship Sunday Συνεδ. Κατηχητικού Σχολείου MEMORIALS Janet Nickolaou, 1 year, Right 1-3 Peter Nickolaou, 1 year, Right 1-3 May their memory be eternal! FELLOWSHIP Today s coffee fellowship is hosted in memory of Janet and Peter Nickolaou. Everyone is invited to our community hall to enjoy fellowship. May their memory be eternal!