Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church Sunday, June 17, rd Sunday of Matthew

Transcript

1 Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church Sunday, June 17, rd Sunday of Matthew The Christian must be kind with everyone Christians must, according to the commandment of the Lord, become holy and perfect. Perfection and holiness are first engraved deeply in the soul of the Christian, and from there they become sealed in his thoughts, his desires, his words and his actions. Thus, the grace of God, which exists in the soul, pours forth throughout the whole external character. The Christian must be kind [eugenikos] with everyone. His words and actions should exude the grace of the Holy Spirit which dwells in his soul, so as to bear witness to his Christian way of life and that the name of God might be glorified. Whoever is measured in his words, is measured also in his actions. Whoever tests the words that he is about to speak, also tests the works that he is about to perform, and thus he never oversteps the bounds of good and virtuous conduct. The grace-filled words of the Christian are characterized by tact and kindness. These are those that give birth to love, and bring peace and joy. In contrast, idle talk gives birth to hate, enemies, trials, love of falls, brawls, riots and wars. Therefore, let us always be kind. May an evil word never pass our lips, a word that is not seasoned with the grace of God, but may they always be grace-filled words, good words, words that bear witness to kindness according to Christ that adorn us spiritually. by St. Nektarios of Pentapolis, the Wonderworker ************************************** 7560 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 Ἀδελφοί, δικαιωθέντες οὖν ἐκ πίστεως, εἰρήνην ἔχομεν πρὸς τὸν θεὸν διὰ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, διʼ οὗ καὶ τὴν προσαγωγὴν ἐσχήκαμεν τῇ πίστει εἰς τὴν χάριν ταύτην ἐν ᾗ ἑστήκαμεν, καὶ καυχώμεθα ἐπʼ ἐλπίδι τῆς δόξης τοῦ θεοῦ. Οὐ μόνον δέ, ἀλλὰ καὶ καυχώμεθα ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσιν, εἰδότες ὅτι ἡ θλῖψις ὑπομονὴν κατεργάζεται, ἡ δὲ ὑπομονὴ δοκιμήν, ἡ δὲ δοκιμὴ ἐλπίδα ἡ δὲ ἐλπὶς οὐ καταισχύνει, ὅτι ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ θεοῦ ἐκκέχυται ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν διὰ πνεύματος ἁγίου τοῦ δοθέντος ἡμῖν. Ἔτι γὰρ Χριστός, ὄντων ἡμῶν ἀσθενῶν, κατὰ καιρὸν ὑπὲρ ἀσεβῶν ἀπέθανεν. Μόλις γὰρ ὑπὲρ δικαίου τις ἀποθανεῖται ὑπὲρ γὰρ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ τάχα τις καὶ τολμᾷ ἀποθανεῖν. Συνίστησιν δὲ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἀγάπην εἰς ἡμᾶς ὁ θεός, ὅτι ἔτι ἁμαρτωλῶν ὄντων ἡμῶν Χριστὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἀπέθανεν. Πολλῷ οὖν μᾶλλον, δικαιωθέντες νῦν ἐν τῷ αἵματι αὐτοῦ, σωθησόμεθα διʼ αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῆς ὀργῆς. Εἰ γὰρ ἐχθροὶ ὄντες κατηλλάγημεν τῷ θεῷ διὰ τοῦ θανάτου τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ, πολλῷ μᾶλλον καταλλαγέντες σωθησόμεθα ἐν τῇ ζωῇ αὐτοῦ. Brethren, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have obtained access by faith to this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us. While we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Why, one will hardly die for a righteous man -- though perhaps for a good man one will dare even to die. But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we are now justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος Ο λύχνος τοῦ σώματός ἐστιν ὁ ὀφθαλμός ἐὰν οὖν ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου ἁπλοῦς ᾖ, ὅλον τὸ σῶμά σου φωτεινόν ἔσται ἐὰν δὲ ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου πονηρὸς ᾖ, ὅλον τὸ σῶμά σου σκοτεινὸν ἔσται. εἰ οὖν τὸ φῶς τὸ ἐν σοὶ σκότος ἐστί, τὸ σκότος πόσον; Οὐδεὶς δύναται δυσὶ κυρίοις δουλεύειν ἢ γὰρ τὸν ἕνα μισήσει καὶ τὸν ἕτερον ἀγαπήσει, ἢ ἑνὸς ἀνθέξεται καὶ τοῦ ἑτέρου καταφρονήσει. οὐ δύνασθε Θεῷ δουλεύειν καὶ μαμωνᾷ. Διὰ τοῦτο λέγω ὑμῖν, μὴ μεριμνᾶτε τῇ ψυχῇ ὑμῶν τί φάγητε καὶ τί πίητε, μηδὲ τῷ σώματι ὑμῶν τί ἐνδύσησθε οὐχὶ ἡ ψυχὴ πλεῖόν ἐστι τῆς τροφῆς καὶ τὸ σῶμα τοῦ ἐνδύματος; ἐμβλέψατε εἰς τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ὅτι οὐ σπείρουσιν οὐδὲ θερίζουσιν οὐδὲ συνάγουσιν εἰς ἀποθήκας, καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος τρέφει αὐτά οὐχ ὑμεῖς μᾶλλον διαφέρετε αὐτῶν; τίς δὲ ἐξ ὑμῶν μεριμνῶν δύναται προσθεῖναι ἐπὶ τὴν ἡλικίαν αὐτοῦ πῆχυν ἕνα; καὶ περὶ ἐνδύματος τί μεριμνᾶτε; καταμάθετε τὰ κρίνα τοῦ ἀγροῦ πῶς αὐξάνει οὐ κοπιᾷ οὐδὲ νήθει λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐδὲ Σολομὼν ἐν πάσῃ τῇ δόξῃ αὐτοῦ περιεβάλετο ὡς ἓν τούτων. Εἰ δὲ τὸν χόρτον τοῦ ἀγροῦ, σήμερον ὄντα καὶ αὔριον εἰς κλίβανον βαλλόμενον, ὁ Θεὸς οὕτως ἀμφιέννυσιν, οὐ πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὑμᾶς, ὀλιγόπιστοι; μὴ οὖν μεριμνήσητε λέγοντες, τί φάγωμεν ἢ τί πίωμεν ἢ τί περιβαλώμεθα; πάντα γὰρ ταῦτα τὰ ἔθνη ἐπιζητεῖ οἶδε γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος ὅτι χρῄζετε τούτων ἁπάντων. ζητεῖτε δὲ πρῶτον τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην αὐτοῦ, καὶ ταῦτα πάντα προστεθήσεται ὑμῖν. The Lord said, "The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light; but if your eye is not sound, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear? For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well."

3 June 24 - Nativity of the Forerunner John the Baptist He that was greater than all who are born of women, the Prophet who received God's testimony that he surpassed all the Prophets, was born of the aged and barren Elizabeth (Luke 1: 7) and filled all his kinsmen, and those that lived round about, with gladness and wonder. But even more wondrous was that which followed on the eighth day when he was circumcised, that is, the day on which a male child receives his name. Those present called him Zacharias, the name of his father. But the mother said, "Not so, but he shall be called John." Since the child's father was unable to speak, he was asked, by means of a sign, to indicate the child's name. He then asked for a tablet and wrote, "His name is John." And immediately Zacharias' mouth was opened, his tongue was loosed from its silence of nine months, and filled with the Holy Spirit, he blessed the God of Israel, Who had fulfilled the promises made to their fathers, and had visited them that were sitting in darkness and the shadow of death, and had sent to them the light of salvation. Zacharias prophesied concerning the child also, saying that he would be a Prophet of the Most High and Forerunner of Jesus Christ. And the child John, who was filled with grace, grew and waxed strong in the Spirit; and he was in the wilderness until the day of his showing to Israel (Luke 1:57-80). His name is a variation of the Hebrew "Johanan," which means "Yah is gracious." Προσευχή μετά την Θεία Κοινωνία Ὦ Πανάγιε Σωτήρα μου, λογιάζω μέσα μου, τί λόγια να εύρω διά να σέ χαιρετίσω, και ποιον χάρισμα, να σέ κάμω διά να σοί ευχαριστήσω, καθώς πρέπει ἀμὴ τίποτε δεν ευρίσκω, όπου να είναι αξιον διά σέ τον Θεόν και Πλάστην μου μόνον γίνομαι ἐξεστηκώς, πώς ἐδόθη τούτο το μέγα Μυστήριον εις ἐμὲ τον ανάξιον. Ὦ μεγαλοδύναμε Θεέ, καi Πλάστη μου, καi Πατέρα μου αιώνιε, ευχαριστώ σοι, όπου με ἠξίωσες νa χορτάσω πολλάκις, ως και την σήμερον την Σάρκα και το Αίμα Σου. Χριστέ μου πολυέλεε, παρακαλώ σε να μη τιμωρηθώ ως ανάξιος, αλλά να συγχωρηθώ ὡσὰν μωρὸς και ανόητος. Κάμε, Δέσποτά μου, να μη λείψει ἡ χάρις Σου ποτέ ἀπὸ ἐμέ δός μοι ταύτας τας θεϊκὰς ἀρετὰς να τας έχω, πίστη, ελπίδα, αγάπην, φρόνησιν, ὑπομονήν, παρθενίαν, ταπείνωσιν, καθαρότητα, και το περισσότερον, φώτισιν, διά να γνωρίζω τα θελήματά Σου, θέλησιν, διά να τα κάμνω, δύναμιν, διά να ἀντιστέκωμαι εις όλα τα κακά, όπου με πολεμοῦσι, και να στερεώνομαι εις όλα τα καλά, ὁποῦ μοὶ πρέπουσι, και σέ ἀρέσκουσιν. Ὦ Θεέ μου, λυπήσου με, και μη με ἀφήσῃς να ξεπέσω πλέον εις τα πρώτά μου πταίσματα. Διότι εγώ σέ τάσσω, πώς είναι όλη μου ἡ γνώμη και ἡ θέλησις εις την ἐξουσίαν Σου, και δεν θέλω εὔγῃ πλέον ποτέ, με την βοήθειάν Σου, ἀπὸ την ὐπακοήν Σου. Αμήν.

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5 1 donated 1 donated 10 donated 2 donated Flour and Butter Donated

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7 Greek Festival 2018 Program Book Business Cards $50 Name Listings $25 Inside Cover $200 Back Inside Cover $200 Back Cover $ STEWARDSHIP Stewardship pledge cards can be picked up at the church office; we ask that you prayerfully consider what you will offer to our beloved parish of Holy Cross in Our beloved parish requires approximately $753 per day to operate or an annual pledge average of $1375 per family. As always, we remain appreciative for all that you lovingly give. SAVE THE DATE June 22-24: GREEK FEST 2018 August 11: 11:30am - Feed My Starving Children, Schaumburg Outing August 18: 9:30am Church School Teacher workshop at St. Haralambos September 9: Altar Boy Workshop September 16: Sunday Church School begins September 18: Family Night VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!!!! PLEASE HELP MAKE OUR FESTIVAL A SUCCESS! Please consider volunteering for our Summer Greek Festival The dates this year are Friday, June 22 through Sunday, June 24th. Any time will be greatly appreciated. Even just an hour! Please see the booth set up in the community center to sign up. THANK YOU!

8 Wednesday, June 20 Festival Set-up Thursday, June 21 Festival Set-up Friday, June 22 5:00pm-11:00pm - Greek Fest 2018 Saturday, June 23 5:00pm-11:00pm - Greek Fest 2018 Sunday, June 24 12:00pm-11:00pm - Greek Fest 2018 Monday, June 25 Festival Clean-up WEEKLY EVENTS Wednesday, June 27 7pm - Festival follow-up meeting Friday, June 29 8:30am - Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul Saturday, June 30 8:30am - Feast of the Holy Apostles at Holy Apostles Church in Westchester 6:00pm - Southside YAL Kick-off at St. Nicholas Church, Oak Lawn ΗΜΕΡΟΛΟΓΙΟ Τετάρτη, 20 Ιουνίου Προετοιμασίες για το Φεστιβάλ Πέμπτη, 21 Ιουνίου Προετοιμασίες για το Φεστιβάλ Παρασκευή, 22 Ιουνίου μ.μ. - Φεστιβάλ Σάββατο, 23 Ιουνίου μ.μ. - Φεστιβάλ Κυριακή, 24 Ιουνίου μ.μ. - Φεστιβάλ Δευτέρα, 25 Ιουνίου Καθάρισμα μετά το Φεστιβάλ Τετάρτη, 27 Ιουνίου 7.00μ.μ. - Συνεδρίαση για το Φεστιβάλ Παρασκευή, 29 Ιουνίου 8.30π.μ. - Απ. Πέτρου και Παύλου Σάββατο, 30 Ιουνίου 8.30π.μ. - Αγ. Αποστόλων στον Ι.Ν. Αγ. Α- ποστόλων, Westchester 6.00μ.μ. - Συνεδ. YAL στον Ι.Ν. Αγ. Νικολάου, Oak Lawn Today s coffee fellowship is hosted by our Philoptochos Society. Everyone is invited to our community hall to enjoy fellowship.