Archangel Michael Church Η Εκκλησία του Αρχαγγέλου Μιχαήλ

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1 Archangel Michael Church Η Εκκλησία του Αρχαγγέλου Μιχαήλ 100 Fairway Drive, Port Washington, NY (516) Clergy: Fr John Lardas, Fr Joshua Pappas, Fr Dennis Strouzas February 4, Sunday of the Prodigal Son 2 nd Mode - 2 nd Morning Gospel The Prodigal Son We respond to parables in one of two ways. One option is to politely acknowledge the spiritual truth being communicated; we glimpse God s love - His action in the world - but we remain spectators at a safe distance from the drama of the story. The second option is more dangerous because it places our soul under a microscope; we move from comfortable spectator to participant, sensing the challenging claims the parable makes on our lives. If we don t struggle to enter the second category, we re at risk of living a lip-service Orthodoxy, which is Orthodox in appearance but devoid of any real depth. Today, on the second Sunday of Triodion, the Church presents us with the Parable of the Prodigal Son. It s a familiar story, and any time familiarity creeps into a situation, numbness often follows. Familiarity with people or with situations easily renders us blind to the awesomeness, holiness, and freshness of God s living presence. But if we gather our attention and look closely at this familiar parable, we have an opportunity to enter its mystery. At first glance, we may seem very distinct from the prodigal son. He s an extreme manifestation of sinfulness, having squandered everything in loose living (Luke 15:13). Perhaps he s an alcoholic, a gambler, a habitual fornicator; whatever the case, we know he wastes his time and money in excessive luxury and entertainment. He can t seem to help himself, and we usually label this kind of extreme lack of self-control as addiction. We don t normally think of ourselves as addicts, but Orthodox spirituality understands addiction in a different sense. What early Christian spiritual masters called passions, we can think of as addictions : that is, deeply ingrained habits that restrict free will and take us away from God. A bit of saintly wisdom reveals how susceptible we are to passions, or addictions: There is one method which, if practiced with full attention, will seldom allow anything passionate to slip unnoticed into the heart. This is to examine our thoughts and feelings, so as to discover which way they tend: toward pleasing God or toward pleasing ourselves. (St Theophan the Recluse, AD) If we practice this kind of inner vigilance, we discover rather quickly our estrangement from God: our selfabsorption, our simple indifference to living a life of purity and service in the footsteps of Christ. In short, we see that we re the prodigal. The parable isn t just a nice story about God s unconditional love; it s foremost a story about my sinfulness, my constant return to God s loving embrace. Prodigal, at its root, has to do with wastefulness. If we don t see how we ve been wasteful in any number of ways - with the gift of time, for example - then we can t be sure we ve begun to live a life of repentance and, therefore, a life of returning to God: If we use crumbs of wasted time to try to build short moments for prayer, we may discover that there is quite a lot of it. If you think of the number of empty minutes in a day when we will be doing something because we are afraid of emptiness and of being alone with ourselves, you will realize that there are plenty of short periods which could belong both to us and to God at the same time. (Metropolitan Anthony Bloom, AD) Κυριακή του Ασώτου Η παραβολή είναι ανεξάντλητη σε νοήματα, αφού, όπως λέγεται, ολόκληρο το έργο της Θείας Οικονομίας ευρίσκεται μέσα σ' αυτή. Το βαθύτερο νόημα της παραβολής είναι τετραπλό: α.) Η απελπιστική κατάσταση στην οποία φθάνει ο αμαρτωλός. β.) Η ανάγκη μετανοίας και τα σωτήρια αποτελέσματα της. γ.) Το μέγεθος της θείας Ευσπλαχνίας στην οποία μπορούν να στηρίζονται και οι πλέον αμαρτωλοί, ώστε να μη φθάνουν ποτέ στην απελπισία. Κανένα αμάρτημα, όσο μεγάλο κι αν θεωρείται, δεν μπορεί να υπερνικήσει τη φιλάνθρωπη γνώμη του Θεού. δ.) Η αποφυγή του αισθήματος της αυτάρκειας του δικαιωμένου, όπως θεωρούσε τον εαυτό του ο πρεσβύτερος υιός. (*Οι πληροφορίες είναι από:

2 Άγιοι και Εορτές Tῆς τοῦ Ἀσώτου Υἱοῦ παραβολῆς, ἣν οἱ θειότατοι Πατέρες ἡµῶν δευτέραν ἐν τῷ Τριῳδίῳ ἐνέταξαν. Tοῦ Ὁσίου Πατρὸς ἡµῶν Ἰσιδώρου τοῦ Πηλουσιώτου. Tοῦ Ὁσίου Πατρὸς ἡµῶν Νικολάου Ὁµολογητοῦ, τοῦ Στουδίτου. Tοῦ Ἁγίου Ἱεροµάρτυρος Ἁβραµίου, Ἐπισκόπου Ἀβρὴλ τῆς Περσίδος. Ἀντίφωνον Β Σῶσον ἡµᾶς Υἱὲ Θεοῦ, ὁ ἐν ἀγκάλαις τοῦ Δικαίου Συµεὼν βασταχθείς, ψάλλοντάς σοι, Ἀλληλούϊα. Ἀπολυτίκιον τῆς Ἑορτῆς Χαῖρε κεχαριτωµένη Θεοτόκε Παρθένε ἐκ σοῦ γὰρ ἀνέτειλεν ὁ Ἥλιος τῆς δικαιοσύνης, Χριστὸς ὁ Θεὸς ἡµῶν, φωτίζων τοὺς ἐν σκότει. Εὐφραίνου καὶ σὺ Πρεσβύτα δίκαιε, δεξάµενος ἐν ἀγκάλαις τὸν ἐλευθερωτὴν τῶν ψυχῶν ἡµῶν, χαριζόµενον ἡµῖν καὶ τὴν Ἀνάστασιν. Ἀπολυτίκιον Ἀναστάσιµον 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. Απολυτίκιον Των Ταξιαρχών Τῶν οὐρανίων στρατιῶν Ἀρχιστράτηγοι, δυσωποῦμεν ὑμᾶς ἡμεῖς οἱ ἀνάξιοι, ἵνα ταῖς ὑμῶν δεήσεσι, τειχίσητε ἡμᾶς, σκέπῃ τῶν πτερύγων, τῆς ἀΰλου ὑμῶν δόξης, φρουροῦντες ἡμᾶς προσπίπτοντας, ἐκτενῶς καὶ βοῶντας Ἐκ τῶν κινδύνων λυτρώσασθε ἡμᾶς, ὡς Ταξιάρχαι τῶν ἄνω Δυνάμεων. Κοντάκιον Ὁ µήτραν παρθενικὴν ἁγιάσας τῷ τόκῳ σου, καὶ χεῖρας τοῦ Συµεὼν εὐλογήσας ὡς ἔπρεπε, προφθάσας καὶ νῦν ἔσωσας ἡµᾶς Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός. Ἀλλ' εἰρήνευσον ἐν πολέµοις τὸ πολίτευµα, καὶ κραταίωσον Βασιλεῖς οὓς ἠγάπησας, ὁ µόνος φιλάνθρωπος. Saints and Feasts Today, on the second Sunday of Triodion, we remember the Parable of the Prodigal Son; our devout father Isidore of Pelusium; our devout father Nicholas the Confessor and Studite; the holy priest-martyr Abramios, bishop of Avril in Persia. Antiphon II Save us, O Son of God, who were held in the arms of righteous Symeon, as we chant to You, Alleluia. Hymn of the Feast (1 st Mode) Rejoice, you who are full of grace, O Virgin Theotokos, * for from you has risen the Sun of Righteousness, * Christ our God, illuminating those in darkness. * Rejoice, you also, righteous Elder, * receiving in your embrace the One who frees our souls, * and Who grants to us the Resurrection. Resurrectional Hymn (2 nd Mode) When You descended unto death, O Lord who yourself are immortal Life, then did You mortify Hades by the lightning flash of Your Divinity. Also when You raised the dead from the netherworld, all the Powers of the heavens were crying out: O Giver of life, Christ our God, glory to You. Hymn of the Archangels (4 th Mode) Supreme Commanders of * the hosts of the Heavens, * we, the unworthy, importune and beseech you, * that by your supplications you encircle us * in the shelter of the wings * of your heavenly glory * guarding us who now fall down * and cry to you with fervor. * Deliver us from dangers of all kinds * as the great marshals * of the heavenly hosts on high. Kontakion (1 st Mode) You Who sanctified the Virgin s womb by Your birth, * and Who blessed Symeon s hands as was proper, * by anticipation has even now saved us, O Christ God. * Now, grant peace in the midst of wars unto Your commonwealth, * and strengthen our leaders, whom You have loved, * O only Friend of man. Today s Scripture Readings Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 6:12-20 Brethren, "all things are lawful for me," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful for me," but I will not be enslaved by anything. "Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food" and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I therefore take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that

3 he who joins himself to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, "The two shall become one flesh." But he who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Shun immorality. Every other sin which a man commits is outside the body; but the immoral man sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body and in your spirit which belong to God. Πρὸς Κορινθίους Αʹ Ἐπιστολῆς Παύλου 6:12-20 Ἀδελφοί, πάντα µοι ἔξεστιν, ἀλλ' οὐ πάντα συµφέρει πάντα µοι ἔξεστιν, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐγὼ ἐξουσιασθήσοµαι ὑπό τινος. Τὰ βρώµατα τῇ κοιλίᾳ καὶ ἡ κοιλία τοῖς βρώµασιν ὁ δὲ Θεὸς καὶ ταύτην καὶ ταῦτα καταργήσει. Τὸ δὲ σῶµα οὐ τῇ πορνείᾳ, ἀλλὰ τῷ Κυρίῳ, καὶ ὁ Κύριος τῷ σώµατι ὁ δὲ Θεὸς καὶ τὸν Κύριον ἤγειρε καὶ ἡµᾶς ἐξεγερεῖ διὰ τῆς δυνάµεως αὐτοῦ. Οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι τὰ σώµατα ὑµῶν µέλη Χριστοῦ ἐστιν; Ἄρα οὖν τὰ µέλη τοῦ Χριστοῦ ποιήσω πόρνης µέλη; Μὴ γένοιτο. Ἢ οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι ὁ κολλώµενος τῇ πόρνῃ ἓν σῶµά ἐστιν; Ἔσονται γάρ, φησίν, οἱ δύο εἰς σάρκα µίαν ὁ δὲ κολλώµενος τῷ Κυρίῳ ἓν πνεῦµά ἐστι. φεύγετε τὴν πορνείαν. Πᾶν ἁµάρτηµα ὃ ἐὰν ποιήσῃ ἄνθρωπος ἐκτὸς τοῦ σώµατός ἐστιν ὁ δὲ πορνεύων εἰς τὸ ἴδιον σῶµα ἁµαρτάνει. Ἢ οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι τὸ σῶµα ὑµῶν ναὸς τοῦ ἐν ὑµῖν Αγίου Πνεύµατός ἐστιν, οὗ ἔχετε ἀπὸ Θεοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἐστὲ ἑαυτῶν; ἠγοράσθητε γὰρ τιµῆς δοξάσατε δὴ τὸν Θεὸν ἐν τῷ σώµατι ὑµῶν καὶ ἐν τῶ πνεύµατι ὑµῶν, ἅτινά ἐστι τοῦ Θεοῦ. Luke 15:11-32 The Lord said this parable: "There was a man who had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the property that falls to me.' And he divided his living between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in loose living. And when he had spent everything, a great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want. So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have fed on the pods that the swine ate; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants.' And he arose and came to his father. But while he was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to make merry. Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what this meant. And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound.' But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, 'Lo, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf!' And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'" Kατὰ Λουκᾶν 15:11-32 Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τὴν παραβολὴν ταύτην Ἄνθρωπός τις εἶχε δύο υἱούς. καὶ εἶπεν ὁ νεώτερος αὐτῶν τῷ πατρί πάτερ, δός µοι τὸ ἐπιβάλλον µέρος τῆς οὐσίας. καὶ διεῖλεν αὐτοῖς τὸν βίον. καὶ µετ' οὐ πολλὰς ἡµέρας συναγαγὼν ἅπαντα ὁ νεώτερος υἱὸς ἀπεδήµησεν εἰς χώραν µακράν, καὶ ἐκεῖ διεσκόρπισεν τὴν οὐσίαν αὐτοῦ ζῶν ἀσώτως. δαπανήσαντος δὲ αὐτοῦ πάντα ἐγένετο λιµὸς ἰσχυρὰ κατὰ τὴν χώραν ἐκείνην, καὶ αὐτὸς ἤρξατο ὑστερεῖσθαι. καὶ πορευθεὶς ἐκολλήθη ἑνὶ τῶν πολιτῶν τῆς χώρας ἐκείνης, καὶ ἔπεµψεν αὐτὸν εἰς τοὺς ἀγροὺς αὐτοῦ βόσκειν χοίρους καὶ ἐπεθύµει γεµίσαι τὴν κοιλίαν αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν κερατίων ὧν ἤσθιον οἱ χοῖροι, καὶ οὐδεὶς ἐδίδου αὐτῷ. εἰς ἑαυτὸν δὲ ἐλθὼν εἶπε πόσοι µίσθιοι τοῦ πατρός µου περισσεύουσιν ἄρτων, ἐγὼ δὲ λιµῷ ὧδε ἀπόλλυµαι! ἀναστὰς πορεύσοµαι πρὸς τὸν πατέρα µου καὶ ἐρῶ αὐτῷ πάτερ, ἥµαρτον εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ ἐνώπιόν σου οὐκέτι εἰµὶ ἄξιος κληθῆναι υἱός σου ποίησόν µε ὡς ἕνα τῶν µισθίων σου. καὶ ἀναστὰς ἦλθε πρὸς τὸν πατέρα ἑαυτοῦ. ἔτι δὲ αὐτοῦ µακρὰν ἀπέχοντος εἶδεν αὐτὸν ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐσπλαγχνίσθη, καὶ δραµὼν ἐπέπεσεν ἐπὶ τὸν τράχηλον αὐτοῦ καὶ κατεφίλησεν αὐτόν. εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ υἱὸς πάτερ, ἥµαρτον εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ ἐνώπιόν σου, καὶ οὐκέτι εἰµὶ ἄξιος κληθῆναι υἱός σου. εἶπε δὲ ὁ πατὴρ πρὸς τοὺς δούλους αὐτοῦ ἐξενέγκατε τὴν στολὴν τὴν πρώτην καὶ ἐνδύσατε αὐτόν, καὶ δότε δακτύλιον εἰς τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ καὶ ὑποδήµατα εἰς τοὺς πόδας, καὶ ἐνέγκαντες τὸν µόσχον τὸν σιτευτόν θύσατε, καὶ φαγόντες εὐφρανθῶµεν, ὅτι οὗτος ὁ υἱός µου νεκρὸς ἦν καὶ ἀνέζησεν, καὶ ἀπολωλὼς ἦν καὶ εὑρέθη. καὶ ἤρξαντο εὐφραίνεσθαι. Ἦν δὲ ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ὁ πρεσβύτερος ἐν ἀγρῷ καὶ ὡς ἐρχόµενος ἤγγισε τῇ οἰκίᾳ, ἤκουσε συµφωνίας καὶ χορῶν, καὶ προσκαλεσάµενος ἕνα τῶν παίδων ἐπυνθάνετο τί εἴη ταῦτα. ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὅτι ὁ ἀδελφός σου ἥκει, καὶ ἔθυσεν ὁ πατήρ σου τὸν µόσχον τὸν σιτευτόν, ὅτι ὑγιαίνοντα αὐτὸν ἀπέλαβεν. ὠργίσθη δὲ καὶ οὐκ ἤθελεν εἰσελθεῖν. ὁ οὖν πατὴρ αὐτοῦ ἐξελθὼν παρεκάλει αὐτόν. ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπε τῷ πατρὶ ἰδοὺ τοσαῦτα ἔτη δουλεύω σοι καὶ οὐδέποτε ἐντολήν σου παρῆλθον, καὶ ἐµοὶ οὐδέποτε ἔδωκας ἔριφον ἵνα µετὰ τῶν φίλων µου εὐφρανθῶ ὅτε δὲ ὁ υἱός σου οὗτος, ὁ καταφαγών σου τὸν βίον µετὰ πορνῶν, ἦλθεν, ἔθυσας αὐτῷ τὸν µόσχον τὸν σιτευτὸν. ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῷ τέκνον, σὺ πάντοτε µετ' ἐµοῦ εἶ, καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐµὰ σά ἐστιν εὐφρανθῆναι δὲ καὶ χαρῆναι ἔδει, ὅτι ὁ ἀδελφός σου οὗτος νεκρὸς ἦν καὶ ἀνέζησε, καὶ ἀπολωλὼς ἦν καὶ εὑρέθη.

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7 Memorials: Niki Maratheftis Demetrios Kambouras ~ 40 days ~ 7 years Worship Schedule: Wednesday, Feb. 7 ~ Paraklesis 10 am (followed by Bible Study at 11 am) ~ Small Vespers 7 pm (followed by Bible Study at 7:30 pm) Saturday, Feb. 10 ~ 1st Saturday of the Souls and St Haralambos ~ Orthros 8:30 am, Divine Liturgy 9:30 am Pastoral Visits: If you have an elderly family member who is homebound or in a nursing home, or a family member suffering from an illness who is in need of a visit by a priest, please call the office to schedule a pastoral visit. House Blessings: Please call the Church office to schedule a blessing of your home or business. Fr. John and Fr. Joshua are available and would love to come and visit with you during this season of Epiphany! Upcoming Events: Wednesday, Feb. 7 ~ Bible Study (11 am and 7:30 pm) Sunday, Feb. 11 ~ Godparent Sunday & Brunch; Fairy Godmother Project (see more info below) Tuesday, Feb. 13 ~ Special Needs Family Support Ministry -10:30 am Wednesday, Feb. 14 ~ AMC Bookclub (11 am and 7:30 pm) Friday, Feb. 16 ~ GOYA Midnight Run (Delivering food & clothing to the homeless in Manhattan) Monday, Feb. 19 ~ Great Compline to begin Great Lent (7 pm) Monday, Feb. 26 ~ Registration for Session 2 of Adult Greek Language classes (Classes begin March 5) Thursday, March 1 ~ Registration begins for 2018 Ionian Village (see flyer) Friday, March 2 ~ Parish Oratorical Festival Saturday, March 3 ~ DAD Clergy-Laity Conference hosted by AMC Wednesday, March 7 ~ Session 2 of Mommy & Me begins Tuesday, March 13 ~ AMC Blood Drive Thursday, March 15 ~ Pre-School Open House (Please call to RSVP) March (FSS) ~ Annunciation Weekend (see flyer for details) Friday, May 18 ~ Preschool Annual Dance at Strathmore Vanderbilt Country Club Philoptochos News: Contact us at: philoptochos@archangelmichaelchurch.org Wear Red today to celebrate women's heart health! A basket will be passed to support The American Heart Association. Join us after church in the fellowship hall for a healthy snack, some nutrition tips, have your BMI and blood pressure checked and dance a bit to get your heart pumping. Our 3rd Annual Godparents Brunch will be held on Sunday Feb 11th ($20 Adults ~ $10 Childr en) All proceeds for Make- A-Wish Courtesy of our Fairy Nouna Project. Reservations Appreciated. Please RSVP via . The Nouna Project was initiated by National Philoptochos as a challenge for individual chapters to support the Fairy Godmother Foundation, which grants wishes to terminally ill adults. This foundation helps patients and their families create important memories that will ease the pain of their loss. The Fairy Godmother Foundation accepts monetary donations, as well as in-kind donations of goods and services, (ie, air miles). As a tie-in to Godparents Sunday, our chapter has expanded the outreach, choosing to dedicate all proceeds to grant wishes to terminally ill children through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Please Save the Date for the Archangel Michael Church Annual Blood Drive, Tuesday, March 13th, 2018 at 2:30 pm - 8:30 pm in the Fellowship Hall. 1 in 3 adults will require a blood transfusion at some point in their lives. To be eligible to donate, you must be between the ages of 16 and 75, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in good health. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call Marina Vlahos at Our COAT DRIVE has begun in earnest toward the goal of collecting at least 150 sets for distribution during GOYA's Midnight Run on Feb 16th, Please place the coats in the boxes at the church's main office. As our community comes together to show love and gratitude by helping those who are without a bed to sleep in and warm clothes to wear during the winter months, please remember to never hesitate to bring to the attention of Philoptochos any person or family in need that you would like for us to try to " adopt and know that we will always do our best to make a difference for them.

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