Saint Basil Greek Orthodox Church

Transcript

1 733 South Ashland Ave Chicago, Illinois Rev. Fr. Dimitri Tobias, Proistamenos Saint Basil Greek Orthodox Church Saints and Feasts: 10th Sunday of Matthew Forefeast of the Transfiguration of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Sunday, August, Telephone: (312) Office Fax: Fax (312) Parish Council President: Ms. Jayme Schenk Eusignius the Martyr of Antioch Our Righteous Father Eugene of Aitola Yet if his unbelief was the cause... why does He blame the disciples? Signifying, that even without persons to bring the sick in faith, they might in many instances work a cure. For as the faith of the person presenting oftentimes availed for receiving the cure, even from inferior ministers; so the power of the doers oftentimes sufficed, even without belief in those who came to work the miracle. St. John Chrysostom Homily 57 on Matthew 17, 4th Century Narthex Duty: Welcoming Ministry: Orthros Reader: Coffee Hour: Memorial: Kalliope Dimitrakopoulos & Arthur Harris Melita Green Marina Arvanitis Philoptochos: Melanie Hillock & Melita Green George Kouros - 3 years May His memory be Eternal We welcome His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago Before The Creed When the Priest says: The Congregation responds: Christ is in our midst. He is and always will be, now and ever and to the ages of ages. Communion Guidelines: As a reminder, only Baptized and Chrismated Orthodox Christians who are in good standing may receive Holy Communion. Follow the Ushers row by row and please exit towards the outside aisles.

2 Transfiguration of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Our Lord had spoken to His disciples many times not only concerning His Passion, Cross, and Death, but also concerning the coming persecutions and afflictions that they themselves would endure. Since all these evils were near at hand, but the enjoyment of good things which they hoped to receive in their stead was yet to come, our Savior desired to give them full assurance, evidently and openly, concerning that glory which is prepared for those who endure to the end. Therefore, fulfilling that which He had promised shortly before, that "there be some standing here which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in His Kingdom" (Matt. 16:28), He took His three foremost disciples and ascended Mount Tabor, where He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as the light. Suddenly, together with this dread and marvelous effulgence of light, there appeared those pinnacles of the Prophets, Moses and Elias, who spoke with the Lord Jesus concerning His saving Passion which was about to take place. Standing before Him as reverent servants, they showed that He is the Lord of both the living and the dead, for Moses came forth from Hades, having died many centuries before, and Elias, as it were from heaven, whither he had been taken up while yet alive. After a little while a radiant cloud overshadowed them and out of the cloud they heard that same voice which had been heard at the Jordan at the Baptism of Christ, testifying to the Divinity of Jesus and saying: "This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well-pleased; hear ye Him" (Matt. 17: 5). Such are the marvels, truly worthy of God, celebrated in this present feast, which is an image and prefiguring of the future state of the righteous, whose splendor the Lord spoke of, saying: "Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun" (Matt. 13:43). It is because of this that the Kontakion of this Feast is said daily (when there is not a great feast) in the Service of the Typica in perpetual commemoration of the glory that will be the lot of the Saints. According to tradition, the Lord's Transfiguration came to pass forty days before His Crucifixion; this is why the Transfiguration is celebrated forty days before the Exaltation of the Cross. Download the APP DIGITAL CHANT STAND by AGES Initiatives To follow along during Orthros, Liturgy, Vespers, and Holy Week Services right on your smart device

3 Hymns of the Day After the Small Entrance Resurrectional Apolytikion 1 st Tone Although Your tomb was sealed with a stone by the Judeans and Your most sacred body, O Savior, was guarded by soldiers, You rose on the third day, O Christ, and gave life to all the world. Wherefore all the heavenly Powers proclaimed that You are the Giver of Life. Glory to Your Resurrection, O Christ. Glory to Your Kingdom. Glory to Your Dispensation, O You, who alone love mankind. Apolytikion for Forefeast of the Transfiguration 4 th Tone Come, let us all welcome the Transfiguration of Christ, and joyously celebrate the bright prefestival, O ye faithful, and let us cry: Nigh at hand now is the day of God-given gladness, as the Sovereign Master goeth up on Mount Tabor to flash forth with the beautiful light of His Divinity. Apolytikion for the Church 1 st Tone Your proclamation went forth into all the earth, for it accepted your word, through which you taught the dogmas befitting God, you expounded on the nature of all that is, and you arranged the morals of society. A royal priesthood! Devout father Basil, intercede with Christ our God, to grant us His great mercy. Kontakion 4 th Tone All of mortal nature now divinely shineth on this day with the divine Transfiguration ere the time; and in great gladness, she crieth out: Christ is transfigured, and saveth the race of man. Ἀπολυτίκιον Ἀναστάσιμον Ήχος α Τοῦ λίθου σφραγισθέντος ὑπὸ τῶν Ἰουδαίων, καὶ στρατιωτῶν φυλασσόντων τὸ ἄχραντόν σου Σῶμα, ἀνέστης τριήμερος Σωτήρ, δωρούμενος τῷ κόσμῳ τὴν ζωήν διὰ τοῦτο αἱ Δυνάμεις τῶν οὐρανῶν ἐβόων σοι ζωοδότα Δόξα τῇ Ἀναστάσει σου Χριστέ, δόξα τῇ βασιλείᾳ σου, δόξα τῇ οἰκονομίᾳ σου, μόνε φιλάνθρωπε. Απολυτίκιον Ήχος δ' Χριστού τήν Μεταμόρφωσιν προϋπαντήσωμεν, φαιδρώς πανηγυρίζοντες τά προεόρτια, πιστοί καί βοήσωμεν, Ήγγικεν η ημέρα τής ενθέου ευφροσύνης, άνεισιν εις τό όρος τό Θαβώρ ο Δεσπότης, τής θεότητος αυτού απαστράψαι τήν ωραιότητα. Απολυτίκιον τοῦ Ναοῦ Ήχος α' Εἰς πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν ἐξῆλθεν ὁ φθόγγος σου, ὡς δεξαμένην τὸν λόγον σου, δι' οὗ θεοπρεπῶς ἐδογμάτισας, τὴν φύσιν τῶν ὄντων ἐτράνωσας, τὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἤθη κατεκόσμησας, Βασίλειον Ἱεράτευμα, Πάτερ Ὅσιε, Χριστὸν τὸν Θεὸν ἱκέτευε, δωρήσασθαι ἡμῖν τὸ μέγα ἔλεος. Κοντάκιον 4 th Tone Εν τή θεία σήμερον Μεταμορφώσει, η βροτεία άπασα, φύσις προλάμπει θεϊκώς, εν ευφροσύνη κραυγάζουσα, Μεταμορφούται Χριστός, σώζων άπαντας.

4 THE EPISTLE / Ο ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΟΣ Prokeimenon. Mode 1. Psalm 32.22,1 Let your mercy, O Lord, be upon us. Verse: Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous. The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 4:9-16 Brethren, God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are ill-clad and buffeted and homeless, and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become, and are now, as the refuse of the world, the off-scouring of all things. I do not write this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. I urge you, then, be imitators of me. Προκείμενον. Ήχος α'. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 32.22,1 Γένοιτο, Κύριε, τὸ ἔλεός σου ἐφ' ἡμᾶς. Στίχ. Ἀγαλλιᾶσθε δίκαιοι ἐν Κυρίῳ Πρὸς Κορινθίους α' 4:9-16 τὸ ἀνάγνωσμα είναι απο Ἀδελφοί, ὁ θεὸς ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἀποστόλους ἐσχάτους ἀπέδειξεν ὡς ἐπιθανατίους ὅτι θέατρον ἐγενήθημεν τῷ κόσμῳ, καὶ ἀγγέλοις, καὶ ἀνθρώποις. Ἡμεῖς μωροὶ διὰ Χριστόν, ὑμεῖς δὲ φρόνιμοι ἐν Χριστῷ ἡμεῖς ἀσθενεῖς, ὑμεῖς δὲ ἰσχυροί ὑμεῖς ἔνδοξοι, ἡμεῖς δὲ ἄτιμοι. Ἄχρι τῆς ἄρτι ὥρας καὶ πεινῶμεν, καὶ διψῶμεν, καὶ γυμνητεύομεν, καὶ κολαφιζόμεθα, καὶ ἀστατοῦμεν, καὶ κοπιῶμεν ἐργαζόμενοι ταῖς ἰδίαις χερσίν λοιδορούμενοι εὐλογοῦμεν διωκόμενοι ἀνεχόμεθα βλασφημούμενοι παρακαλοῦμεν ὡς περικαθάρματα τοῦ κόσμου ἐγενήθημεν, πάντων περίψημα ἕως ἄρτι. Οὐκ ἐντρέπων ὑμᾶς γράφω ταῦτα, ἀλλʼ ὡς τέκνα μου ἀγαπητὰ νουθετῶ. Ἐὰν γὰρ μυρίους παιδαγωγοὺς ἔχητε ἐν Χριστῷ, ἀλλʼ οὐ πολλοὺς πατέρας ἐν γὰρ Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ διὰ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου ἐγὼ ὑμᾶς ἐγέννησα. Παρακαλῶ οὖν ὑμᾶς, μιμηταί μου γίνεσθε.

5 THE HOLY GOSPEL / ΤΟ ΘΕΙΟΝ ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΟΝ The Gospel According to Matthew 17:14-23 At that time, a man came up to Jesus and kneeling before him said, "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly; for often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him." And Jesus answered, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me." And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured instantly. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" He said to them, "Because of your little faith. For truly I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move hence to yonder place,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. But this kind never comes out except by prayer and fasting." As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day." Ἐκ τοῦ Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 17:14-23 Εὐαγγελίου τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἐλθόντων αὐτῶν πρὸς τὸν ὄχλον προσῆλθεν αὐτῷ ἄνθρωπος γονυπετῶν αὐτὸν καὶ λέγων Κύριε, ἐλέησόν μου τὸν υἱόν, ὅτι σεληνιάζεται καὶ κακῶς πάσχει πολλάκις γὰρ πίπτει εἰς τὸ πῦρ καὶ πολλάκις εἰς τὸ ὕδωρ. καὶ προσήνεγκα αὐτὸν τοῖς μαθηταῖς σου, καὶ οὐκ ἠδυνήθησαν αὐτὸν θεραπεῦσαι. ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ιησοῦς εἶπεν ὦ γενεὰ ἄπιστος καὶ διεστραμμένη! ἕως πότε ἔσομαι μεθ ὑμῶν; ἕως πότε ἀνέξομαι ὑμῶν; φέρετέ μοι αὐτὸν ὧδε. καὶ ἐπετίμησεν αὐτῷ ὁ Ιησοῦς, καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἀπ αὐτοῦ τὸ δαιμόνιον καὶ ἐθεραπεύθη ὁ παῖς ἀπὸ τῆς ὥρας ἐκείνης. Τότε προσελθόντες οἱ μαθηταὶ τῷ Ιησοῦ κατ ἰδίαν εἶπον διατί ἡμεῖς οὐκ ἠδυνήθημεν ἐκβαλεῖν αὐτό; ὁ δὲ Ιησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς διὰ τὴν ἀπιστίαν ὑμῶν. ἀμὴν γὰρ λέγω ὑμῖν, ἐὰν ἔχητε πίστιν ὡς κόκκον σινάπεως, ἐρεῖτε τῷ ὄρει τούτῳ, μετάβηθι ἐντεῦθεν ἐκεῖ, καὶ μεταβήσεται, καὶ οὐδὲν ἀδυνατήσει ὑμῖν. τοῦτο δὲ τὸ γένος οὐκ ἐκπορεύεται εἰ μὴ ἐν προσευχῇ καὶ νηστείᾳ. Αναστρεφομένων δὲ αὐτῶν εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ιησοῦς μέλλει ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδίδοσθαι εἰς χεῖρας ἀνθρώπων καὶ ἀποκτενοῦσιν αὐτόν, καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἐγερθήσεται. καὶ ἐλυπήθησαν σφόδρα.

6

7 His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael (Symeonides) of Chicago is of Pontic and Asia-Minor ancestry, and was born in Thessaloniki, Greece (1978). He is the third child of Irene and Vasilios Symeonides. He received his early education from the Greek American Institute of the Zoodochos Peghe Parish of the Bronx, NY. He later graduated from Hellenic College (BA, 2000) and from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (MDiv, 2003). He earned an STM (2003) in Christian Ethics and a ThD (2007) in Bioethics from Boston University. Fr. Nathanael has also studied the History and Ethics of Public Health at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. He has served as a guest professor of Orthodox Christian Ethics and Bioethics at Fordham University, Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, and Saint Vladimir Theological School. He has authored numerous articles in theology and bioethics. He has delivered a series of presentations to clergy of the Archdiocese and to regional pan-orthodox clergy associations. Metropolitan Nathanael is a brother of the historic monastery of St. George Epanosifis in Crete, Greece. He was ordained a deacon (2003) and a presbyter (2010) by His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America. Prior to his ordination to the episcopacy, His Eminence served as the Deacon to Metropolitan Methodios ( ); Deacon to the Archbishop ( ); presiding priest of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, NYC ( ), and interim-pastor of the Holy Resurrection Church of Brookville, NY and the Saints Constantine and Helen Cathedral of Brooklyn, NY. As a parish priest in Manhattan, Metropolitan Nathanael developed a unique urban ministry, Orthodox Professionals in Action (OPA), which provided over 400 young professionals the opportunity to minister to the most vulnerable in society. From September 2013-March 2018, His Eminence served as the Director of the Office of Inter- Orthodox, Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. In this capacity, he managed and cultivated relationships between the Archdiocese and numerous religious organizations, think tanks, non-governmental organizations, and Permanent Missions to the United Nations. He also served as Director of the Archdiocesan Committee on Science and Technology (AACST). His Eminence coordinated the Archdiocesan commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the March on Selma (2015), and represented the Archdiocese on the National Council of Churches (NCC) Special Task Force to End Racism in America. He serves as a member of a special non-partisan and interreligious working group in Washington, D.C., which seeks to advance religious freedom and pluralism in the Middle East. He is also a member of Tanenbaum s Communications Committee. During his tenure at the Archdiocese, Metropolitan Nathanael also served as the Executive Assistant to the Chairman of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA and on the Assembly s Secretariat. His Eminence also established a Graduate Fellowship Program that provided graduate and post-graduate students the opportunity to serve the Church at the United Nations. In 2016, Metropolitan Nathanael attended the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church and assisted the press office of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. On February 7, 2018, the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate unanimously elected him Metropolitan of Chicago, succeeding His Eminence Metropolitan Iakovos of blessed-memory. He was ordained a Bishop on March 17th in the Holy Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, New York, and was enthroned on March 24th in the Holy Cathedral of the Annunciation, Chicago

8

9

10 Calendar for the Week Ahead - Sunday, August 5, 7:00pm - Great Vespers for Transfiguration of our Lord Monastery (Harvard, IL monastery) - Monday, August 6, 8:30am - Orthros and Divine Liturgy for Transfiguration of our Lord - Monday, August 6, 7:00pm - Parish Council Meeting - Tuesday, August 7, 6:00pm - Paraklesis - Wednesday, August 8, 6:00pm - Paraklesis - Thursday, August 9, 6:00pm - Paraklesis - Friday, August 10, 6:00pm - Paraklesis - Sunday, August 12, 8:15am - Orthros and Divine Liturgy We need your help - You Might be Missing Out We have started a new weekly St. Basil E-Bulletin - which goes out early each week - and, for some of you, this is going into "spam" or "trash". Please take a look at your spam and trash files and if you see it there, with most servers there's a button you can push to stop it's going into trash/spam. Or, enter stbasilchicago@comcast.net into your contacts list. Thanks! Parish News and Events Stewardship - Have You Become A Steward For 2018? If not, know that everything we have is God's and we are just managers during this brief life. Become a steward today. "He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your resources and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way for great generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God" (2 Cor. 9:10-11). Byzantine Music Classes with John Lambros - Starting May 24, 2018 at 7:30 PM. Parking in back or in front of building on Cicero ave. Future dates and times to follow. TaxBloom 7300 N Cicero #106 Lincolnwood, IL Books for Prisoners Many inmates with whom we correspond through the prison ministry request books to read. Topics include selfhelp, vocational training, orthodoxy, history, and fiction. If you can make a small donation to defray the cost of purchasing and sending books, please see Vicky in the church office. Any size donation is appreciated. Coffee Hour Today Is Hosted by: Melanie Hillock, Melita Green & Vivien Kouros Thank you for your tasty treats. The new St. John the Almsgiver Ministry Has assembled over 30 Survival Packs, which our parish is providing to our neighbors in need. Each pack includes the following items: 1 Jewel gift card ($10), 1 CTA single-transit ticket, 1 white t-shirt, 1 pair of white tube socks, 1 toothbrush, 1 travel-sized toothpaste, 1 comb, 6 Band-aids, 3 Wet Ones pocket-size singles hand wipes, 1 granola bar, and 1 bottle of water. We have distributed 30 packs to date. Please ask Fr. Dimitri, Nick Katsoulis, and Pat and Steve Cole about the rewarding experiences they ve had distributing the packs! If you would like to contribute to these efforts by distributing packs, please see Vicky Crosby in the church office. She will show you where to sign out packs. If you would like to contribute money or items to create more packs, please speak to Vicky Crosby or Marina Arvanitis. Ronald McDonald House - For five years, Ladies Philoptochos has been supporting families staying at Ronald McDonald House while their children receive treatment at one of the local hospitals. Among our 40 guests for breakfast last Saturday were families from destitute and war torn countries where treatment for their children's birth defects and developmental disabilities is unavailable. We thank you for supporting our bake sales and other fundraisers for making the day possible. And we hope YOU will join us next time.

11 St. Basil Greek Orthodox Church August 2018 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Coffee Hour: Melita Green & Claudette Hillock 8:15 am Orthros and Divine Liturgy 7:00 pm "Great Vespers for Transfiguration of our Lord Monastery (at Harvard, IL monastery)" 12 8:15 am Orthros and Divine Liturgy 11:30 am Philoptochos writing notes to Lincoln Park Community Shelter 12:30 pm Teacher meeting :30 am "Orthros and Divine Liturgy for Transfiguration of our Lord" 7:00 pm Parish Council Meeting :00 pm "Great Vespers for Assumption of Virgin Mary (at Chicago-area parishes)" Greek Festivals 18 Greek Festivals 8:30 am "Orthros and Divine Liturgy for Dormition of the Virgin Mary" 19 Coffee Hour: Angela Greek Festivals 25 Greek Festivals Panousakis & Christina Gountanis Panagiri for St. Basil Greek Festivals 8:15 am Orthros and Divine Liturgy 26 Ministry Fair Sunday School Registration Greek Festivals 8:15 am Orthros and Divine Liturgy 11:30 am Philoptochos making sack lunches for Lincoln Park Community Shelter. 8:30 am "Orthros and Divine Liturgy for Beheading of St. John the Baptist" Greek Festivals

12 Matthew 25: The Last Judgment For I was hungry, and you gave me food, I was thirsty, and you gave me drink: Please donate food for the needy. I was a stranger, and you took me in: Please welcome our Catechumens and Guests Naked, and you clothed me: Please consider donating clothes to the local shelter. I was sick, and you visited me: Please pray for the speedy recovery of: Nicholas, Anthony, Aphrodite I was in prison, and you came unto me: Please pray for: Robert, Choice, Centrell, Maurice, Tyree, Clarence, Pierre, Anthony, Bryant, Angelo, Pierre, Timothy, Arthur, Kerwin, Willie, Bryant, Darron, Pablo, Lee, Derrick, Eugene, Clarence, Demetrius, Rashee, Joseph, Damien, Terrell, Lamar, Clarence, Antwon, James, John, Donald, Eddie, James Please pray for and consider visiting our shut-ins. Please also see Pat Cole to see about writing Letters to those Incarcerated through our prison ministry. It means the world to them to receive love. VISITATION POLICY If you would like Fr. Dimitri to visit you in the hospital, please call him or have a family member call. Fr. Dimitri will not go unless he is asked by the family. This is in compliance with both HIPAA and patient privacy. Reflection If You are not receiving the Observer, please contact the Church Office. This is how Valerian begins the biography of his companion, St. Pontius: "Who can believe, if God does not grant it? Who can lead a life of asceticism, if the Lord does not help? Who can receive the wreath of martyrdom, if Christ does not give it?" God can do all and God wills all that is for the salvation of men, if only men pray to Him. By prayer, St. Nonna converted her husband Gregory and her son, Gregory the Theologian, to Christianity. By prayer, Monica brought Augustine back from a wayward life to the path of good works and faith. By prayer, St. Basil converted his teacher Evulios. By prayer, King Hezekiah prolonged his life for fifteen years. By prayer, St. Simeon the Stylite turned back the Persians and Scythians that they not attack the land of Greece with an army already prepared. Furthermore, all the stars in the heavens will be more readily counted then all the miracles worked on earth by prayer.