Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church Sunday, December 16, th Sunday of Luke

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1 Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church Sunday, December 16, th Sunday of Luke SAINTS OF THE WEEK St. Dionysios of Zakynthos: December 17 The holy hierarch, Saint Dionysius, who was born and reared on Zakynthos, was the son of pious and wealthy parents, Mocius and Paulina by name. In his youth he entered the ancient monastery of the Strophada Islands, which lie south of Zakynthos, and there he donned the monastic habit. Later, he was appointed Archbishop of Aegina, and adorned its throne for a considerable time. Thereafter he returned to his homeland. One incident in his life especially reveals to what virtue he attained. A man came to him in desperation, witnessing that he had committed a murder, and was being pursued by the slain man's family. He asked Saint Dionysius to give him refuge. The Saint agreed to this, upon learning that it was his own brother whom the man had slain, he said nothing, but concealing the agony of his grief, hid him. When the Saint's kinsmen arrived at the monastery, he told them that the Murderer had gone by such and such a way. When they had departed, he admonished the man concerning the gravity of his sin, instructed him in repentance, and sent him off in peace having forgiven him his brother's murder. According to local tradition, this man later returned and became a monk at this same monastery. Saint Dionysius reposed in peace in 1621, leaving behind his sacred and incorrupt relics as a treasure for his fellow citizens. St. Anastasia the Great Martyr: Dec. 22 This Saint, who was from Rome, was a most comely, wealthy, and virtuous maiden, the daughter of Praepextatus and Fausta. It was her mother who instructed her in the Faith of Christ. The Saint was joined to a man named Publius Patricius, who was prodigal in life and impious in disposition, but she was widowed after a short time. Henceforth, she went about secretly to the dwellings of the poor and the prisons where the Martyrs of Christ were, and brought them whatever was needed for their daily subsistence. She washed their wounds and loosed them from their fetters, and consoled them in their anguish. Also, because the Saint, through her intercessions, has healed many from the ill effects of spells, potions, poisons, and other harmful substances, she has received the name "Deliverer from Potions." Since the fame of her deeds had spread about, she was arrested by Diocletian's minions, and after enduring many torments she was put to death by fire in the year 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, ὅταν ὁ Χριστὸς φανερωθῇ, ἡ ζωὴ ἡμῶν, τότε καὶ ὑμεῖς σὺν αὐτῷ φανερωθήσεσθε ἐν δόξῃ. Νεκρώσατε οὖν τὰ μέλη ὑμῶν τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, πορνείαν, ἀκαθαρσίαν, πάθος, ἐπιθυμίαν κακήν, καὶ τὴν πλεονεξίαν, ἥτις ἐστὶν εἰδωλολατρεία, διʼ ἃ ἔρχεται ἡ ὀργὴ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῆς ἀπειθείας Ἐν οἷς καὶ ὑμεῖς περιεπατήσατέ ποτε, ὅτε ἐζῆτε ἐν αὐτοῖς. Νυνὶ δὲ ἀπόθεσθε καὶ ὑμεῖς τὰ πάντα, ὀργήν, θυμόν, κακίαν, βλασφημίαν, αἰσχρολογίαν ἐκ τοῦ στόματος ὑμῶν μὴ ψεύδεσθε εἰς ἀλλήλους, ἀπεκδυσάμενοι τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον σὺν ταῖς πράξεσιν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐνδυσάμενοι τὸν νέον, τὸν ἀνακαινούμενον εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν κατʼ εἰκόνα τοῦ κτίσαντος αὐτόν ὅπου οὐκ ἔνι Ἕλλην καὶ Ἰουδαῖος, περιτομὴ καὶ ἀκροβυστία, βάρβαρος, Σκύθης, δοῦλος, ἐλεύθερος ἀλλὰ τὰ πάντα καὶ ἐν πᾶσιν Χριστός. Brethren, when Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience. In these you once walked, when you lived in them. But now put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and foul talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old nature with its practices and have put on the new nature, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free man, but Christ is all, and in all. Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τήν παραβολὴν ταύτην Ἄνθρωπός τις ἐποίησε δεῖπνον μέγα καὶ ἐκάλεσε πολλούς καὶ ἀπέστειλε τὸν δοῦλον αὐτοῦ τῇ ὥρᾳ τοῦ δείπνου εἰπεῖν τοῖς κεκλημένοις ἔρχεσθε, ὅτι ἤδη ἕτοιμά ἐστι πάντα. καὶ ἤρξαντο ἀπὸ μιᾶς παραιτεῖσθαι πάντες. ὁ πρῶτος εἶπεν αὐτῷ ἀγρὸν ἠγόρασα, καὶ ἔχω ἀνάγκην ἐξελθεῖν καὶ ἰδεῖν αὐτόν ἐρωτῶ σε, ἔχε με παρῃτημένον. καὶ ἕτερος εἶπε ζεύγη βοῶν ἠγόρασα πέντε, καὶ πορεύομαι δοκιμάσαι αὐτά ἐρωτῶ σε, ἔχε με παρῃτημένον. καὶ ἕτερος εἶπε γυναῖκα ἔγημα, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο οὐ δύναμαι ἐλθεῖν. καὶ παραγενόμενος ὁ δοῦλος ἐκεῖνος ἀπήγγειλε τῷ κυρίῳ αὐτοῦ ταῦτα. τότε ὀργισθεὶς ὁ οἰκοδεσπότης εἶπε τῷ δούλῳ αὐτοῦ ἔξελθε ταχέως εἰς τὰς πλατείας καὶ ῥύμας τῆς πόλεως, καὶ τοὺς πτωχοὺς καὶ ἀναπήρους καὶ χωλοὺς καὶ τυφλοὺς εἰσάγαγε ὧδε. καὶ εἶπεν ὁ δοῦλος κύριε, γέγονεν ὡς ἐπέταξας, καὶ ἔτι τόπος ἐστί. καὶ εἶπεν ὁ κύριος πρὸς τὸν δοῦλον ἔξελθε εἰς τὰς ὁδοὺς καὶ φραγμοὺς καὶ ἀνάγκασον εἰσελθεῖν, ἵνα γεμισθῇ ὁ οἶκος μου. λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐδεὶς τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἐκείνων τῶν κεκλημένων γεύσεταί μου τοῦ δείπνου. Πολλοί γὰρ εἰσιν κλητοί, ὀλίγοι δέ ἐκλεκτοί. The Lord said this parable: "A man once gave a great banquet, and invited many; and at the time of the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, 'Come; for all is now ready.' But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a field, and I go out and see it; I pray you, have me excused.' And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I must go to examine them; I pray you, have me excused.' And another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.' So the servant came and reported this to his master. Then the householder in anger said to his servant, 'Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and maimed and blind and lame.' And the servant said, 'Sir, what you commanded has been done, and there is still room.' And the master said to the servant, 'Go out to the highways and hedges, and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet. For many are called, but few are chosen.'"

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4 Αγάπη Η αγάπη, λέγει ο Απόστολος Πέτρος, καλύψει πλήθος αμαρτιών (Α Πέτρ. 4:8). Πότε θα συμβεί αυτό; Όταν εσείς γίνετε η παρηγοριά των θλιμμένων, η αναψυχή των δυστυχισμένων, ο προστάτης των φτωχών, ο κηδεμόνας των ορφανών, η ανακούφιση των ασθενών. Ο χειραγωγός των πλανεμένων, ο πρόθυμος βοηθός κάθε χριστιανού. Γι αυτή σας την αγάπη προς τους ελάχιστους αδελφούς του Χριστού, προς τα δικά Του τίμια μέλη, ο Κύριος θα εξαλείψει τις αμαρτίες σας και θα σας αξιώσει να Τον βλέπετε «πρόσωπον προς πρόσωπον» (Α Κορινθ. 13:12) στην αιώνια βασιλεία Του. **************************** Να ζείτε μέσα στην αγάπη του Θεού - αυτή να είναι οδηγός σας, αυτή αναπνοή σας. «Ο Θεός αγάπη εστί, και ο μένων εν τη αγάπη εν τω Θεώ μένει και ο Θεός εν αυτώ» (Α Ιωαν. 4:16). Με την αγάπη του Θεού η πικρή ζωή γίνεται γλυκειά και όμορφη. ΕΛΕΗΜΟΣΥΝΗ Δεν υπάρχει αμφιβολία ότι με το πολύ χρήμα θα αγόραζες ασφαλώς ένα ολόκληρο παλάτι. Μάθε όμως ότι ποτέ δεν θα μπορούσες να μπάσεις μέσα σ αυτό την συζυγική σου ευτυχία και αγάπη. Θα εξασφάλιζες βέβαια στα παιδιά σου την πολλή μόρφωση, όχι όμως την αρετή και το ήθος. Θα αγόραζες ωραία ρούχα και φορέματα, όχι όμως και την ευγένεια της ψυχής σου. Θα έφερνες ασφαλώς πολλούς γιατρούς όταν αρρώσταινες, ποτέ όμως δεν θα αγόραζες με τα χρήματα την υγεία σου. Η ευτυχία δεν αγοράζεται με χρήμα. Χρειάζεται κάποιο άλλο νόμισμα γιατί πουλιέται σε κάποια άλλη Τράπεζα. Στην Τράπεζα της Πίστεως. Στην Τράπεζα του Ουρανού. Στην Τράπεζα της Ε- λεημοσύνης. A thought from St. John the Ladder Prayer is the mother and daughter of tears. It is an expiation of sin, a bridge across temptation, a bulwark against affliction. It wipes out conflict, is the work of angels, and is the nourishment of all bodiless beings. Prayer is future gladness, action without end, wellspring of virtues, source of grace, hidden progress, food of the soul, enlightenment of the mind, an axe against despair, hope demonstrated, sorrow done away with. It is a mirror of progress, a demonstration of success, evidence of one s condition, the future revealed, a sign of glory. For the man or woman who really prays, it is the court, the judgment hall, the tribunal of the Lord - and this prior to the Judgment that is to come.

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7 Today s coffee fellowship is hosted by the Kallas Family in memory of their loved ones. Everyone is invited to our community hall to enjoy fellowship. May their memory be eternal! MEMORIALS Demetrios Kalantzis, 3 years Ioannis Kalantzis, 2 years Right 2-3 May their memory be eternal! SAVE THE DATE December 27: Philoptochos Christmas Party December 31: New Year s Eve Celebration January 6: Parish Vasilopita after Church and Youth Dive for the Cross at Argo High School, Summit January 13: Godparent Sunday January 13: Metropolis of Chicago Philoptochos Vasilopita, Sts. Constantine & Helen, Palos Hills January 20: Stewardship Sunday and Parish Council Elections January 23: Orthodox Life in English 2nd Session begins January 27: St. Valentine s Couples Ministry February 8-9: Parish women s retreat February 16: Winter Food Fest February 19: Family Night

8 WEEKLY EVENTS TODAY Youth Christmas Pageant after Church Philoptochos Christmas Bake Sale 4:00pm - 8:00pm - Metropolis of Chicago Christmas Open House at St. Demetrios Church, Chicago Monday, December 17 Tuesday, December 18 Wednesday, December 19 6:00pm - Holy Unction Thursday, December 20 10:00am - H.O.P.E. Group 11:00am - Orthodoxi Zoe Friday, December 21 Saturday, December 22 Ten Ways to Love 1. Listen without interrupting. (Proverbs 18) 2. Speak without accusing. (James 1:19) 3. Give without sparing. (Proverbs 21:26) 4. Pray without ceasing. (Colossians 1:9) 5. Answer without arguing. (Proverbs 17:1) ΗΜΕΡΟΛΟΓΙΟ ΣΗΜΕΡΑ Χριστουγεννιάτικο Πρόγραμμα Philoptochos Christmas Bake Sale 4.00μ.μ. 8.00μ.μ. - Open House της Ι. Μητροπόλεως Σικάγου στον Ι.Ν. Αγ. Δημητρίου, Σικάγου Δευτέρα, 17 Δεκεμβρίου Τρίτη, 18 Δεκεμβρίου Τετάρτη, 19 Δεκεμβρίου 6.00μ.μ. - Άγιο Ευχέλαιο Πέμπτη, 20 Δεκεμβρίου 10.00π.μ. - Συνεδρίαση Η.Ο.P.E π.μ. - Ορθόδοξη Ζωή Παρασκευή, 21 Δεκεμβρίου Σάββατο, 22 Δεκεμβρίου 6. Share without pretending. (Eph. 4:15) 7. Enjoy without complaint. (Phil. 2:14) 8. Trust without wavering. (Corinthians 13:7) 9. Forgive without punishing. (Col. 3:13) 10. Promise without forgetting. (Proverbs 13:12)