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 April 7, 2019 ~ Sunday of St. John Klimakos 4 th Mode ~ 1 st Morning Gospel Fourth Sunday of Lent: St. John Klimakos The memory of St. John of the Ladder is celebrated March 30th. However, he is also celebrated today because his chief work, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, is a sure guide to the ascetic life, written by a great man of prayer experienced in all forms of the monastic polity. It teaches the seeker after salvation how to lay a sound foundation for his struggles, how to detect and war against each of the passions, how to avoid the snares laid by the demons, and how to rise from the rudimental virtues to the heights of Godlike love and humility. It is held in such high esteem that it is universally read in its entirety in monasteries during the Great Fast. (Adapted from: Various excerpts from St. John Klimakos The Ladder of Divine Ascent: Fight to escape from your own cleverness. If you do, then you will find salvation and uprightness through Jesus Christ our Lord. In all your undertakings, whether you are living accountable to others or completely on your own, whether in outward or in spiritual matters, let it be your rule and practice to ask yourself continually: Am I really doing this in accordance with God's will? Let your prayer be simple. Both the Publican and the Prodigal Son were reconciled to God by a single phrase. Humility is an unchanging character of the soul which continues untouched either by a bad or good report, in disgrace or in honor. Repentance is a cheerful renunciation of every creature comfort. The self-controlled man strives with all his might amidst the trials, the snares, and the noise of the world, to be like someone who rises above them. Δ Κυριακή των Νηστειών - Ιωάννου της Κλίμακος Ο Άγιος Ιωάννης της Κλίμακας πιθανότατα το 523 μ.χ. στη Συρία. Σε νεαρή ηλικία, παρακολούθησε ανώτερο κύκλο μορφώσεως, ώστε να διακρίνεται ανάμεσα στους συνομήλικούς του. Εκείνος όμως, ενδιαφερόταν περισσότερο για την προσευχή, τις θεολογικές μελέτες, την συγγραφική εργασία και την άσκηση. Πήγε στο Όρος Σινά, κοντά στον φημισμένο αναχωρητή Μαρτύριο, ο οποίος καθοδήγησε πνευματικά τον νεαρό Ιωάννη. Μετά από τέσσερα χρόνια άσκησης, εκάρη μοναχός ενώ η φήμη των αρετών και της σοφίας του είχε ευρύτερα διαδοθεί. Η νοσταλγία, όμως, της ερημικής ζωής, έκανε τον Ιωάννη να αποσυρθεί πάλι στην έρημο και να αφοσιωθεί πάλι στις μελέτες του. Εκοιμήθη εν ειρήνη περί το 606 μ.χ. και άφησε δύο σπουδαιότατα συγγράμματα. Η «Κλίμακα» περιλαμβάνει τριάντα λόγους περί αρετής, όπου ο καθένας λόγος περιλαμβάνει και μια αρετή, ξεκινώντας από τις πιο πρακτικές και ανεβαίνοντας σαν σκαλοπάτια κατέληξε στις θεωρητικά υψηλές. Στη πνευματική ζωή έχουμε βαθμίδες χαμηλές και υψηλές, καταστάσεις κατώτερες και ανώτερες. Από την αρχή της Μεγάλης Τεσσαρακοστής το σύγγραμμά του διαβάζεται σε όλα τα ορθόδοξα μοναστήρια. Επειδή είναι παγκόσμιο κειμήλιο αναλύσεως όλων των παθών και των αρετών, η Εκκλησία τιμά ιδιαίτερα σε αυτή τη πνευματική περίοδο τον συγγραφέα άγιο Ιωάννη της Κλίμακας και το προτείνει για ανάγνωσμα. Η μνήμη του εορτάζεται στις 30 Μαρτίου και την Δ Κυριακή των Νηστειών της Μεγάλης Τεσσαρακοστής. (Οι πληροφορίες είναι από:

2 Άγιοι και Εορτές Τῇ αὐτῇ ἡµέρᾳ, Κυριακῇ τετάρτῃ τῶν Νηστειῶν, µνήµην ποιοῦµεν τοῦ Ὁσίου Πατρὸς ἡµῶν Ἰωάννου, τοῦ Συγγραφέως τῆς Κλίµακος. Tοῦ Ἁγίου Μάρτυρος Καλλιοπίου. Tοῦ Γεωργίου, Ἐπισκόπου Μυτιλήνης. Saints and Feasts On this day, the fourth Sunday of Lent, we commemorate St. John Klimakos, author of The Ladder of Divine Ascent; the holy martyr Kalliopios; St. George, Bishop of Mytilene. Ἀπολυτίκιον Ἀναστάσιµον Τὸ φαιδρὸν τῆς Ἀναστάσεως κήρυγµα, ἐκ τοῦ Ἀγγέλου µαθοῦσαι αἱ τοῦ Κυρίου Μαθήτριαι, καὶ τὴν προγονικὴν ἀπόφασιν ἀπορρίψασαι, τοῖς Ἀποστόλοις καυχώµεναι ἔλεγον Ἐσκύλευται ὁ θάνατος, ἠγέρθη Χριστὸς ὁ Θεός, δωρούµενος τῷ κόσµῳ τὸ µέγα ἔλεος. Ἀπολυτίκιον Τοῦ Ὁσίου Ταῖς τῶν δακρύων σου ῥοαῖς, τῆς ἐρήµου τὸ ἄγονον ἐγεώργησας, καὶ τοῖς ἐκ βάθους στεναγµοῖς, εἰς ἑκατὸν τοὺς πόνους ἐκαρποφόρησας, καὶ γέγονας φωστὴρ τῇ οἰκουµένῃ, λάµπων τοῖς θαύµασιν Ἰωάννη Πατὴρ ἡµῶν ὅσιε, πρέσβευε Χριστῷ τῷ Θεῷ, σωθῆναι τὰς ψυχὰς ἠµῶν. 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 Τῇ ὑπερµάχῳ στρατηγῷ τὰ νικητήρια, Ὡς λυτρωθεῖσα τῶν δεινῶν εὐχαριστήρια, Ἀναγράφω σοι ἡ Πόλις σου Θεοτόκε. Ἀλλ' ὡς ἔχουσα τὸ κράτος ἀπροσµάχητον, Ἐκ παντοίων µε κινδύνων ἐλευθέρωσον, Ἵνα κράζω σοι Χαῖρε νύµφη ἀνύµφευτε. Ὕµνος εἰς τὴν Θεοτόκον Ἐπὶ σοὶ χαίρει, Κεχαριτωµένη, πᾶσα ἡ κτίσις, ἀγγέλων τὸ σύστηµα, καὶ ἀνθρώπων τὸ γένος, ἡγιασµένε ναέ, καὶ Παράδεισε λογικέ, παρθενικὸν καύχηµα ἐξ ἧς Θεὸς ἐσαρκώθη, καὶ παιδίον γέγονεν, ὁ πρὸ αἰώνων ὑπάρχων Θεὸς ἡµῶν τὴν γὰρ σὴν µήτραν θρόνον ἐποίησε, καὶ τὴν σὴν γαστέρα, πλατυτέραν οὐρανῶν ἀπειργάσατο. Ἐπὶ σοὶ χαίρει, Κεχαριτωµένη, πᾶσα ἡ κτίσις δόξα σοι. Hymn of the Resurrection (4 th Mode) When the women Disciples of the Lord had learned from the Angel the joyful message of the Resurrection and rejected the ancestral decision, they cried aloud to the Apostles triumphantly: Death has been despoiled, Christ God has risen, granting His great mercy to the world. Hymn of the Saint (Pl. 4 th Mode) With the rivers of your tears you made the barren desert bloom; and with your sighs from deep within, you made your labors bear their fruits a hundredfold; and you became a star, illuminating the world by your miracles, O John, our devout father. Intercede with Christ our God, for the salvation of our souls. Hymn of the Archangels (4 th Mode) Supreme Commanders of * the armies of Heaven, * we, the unworthy ones, entreat you in earnest, * that with 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 hosts on high. Kontakion (Pl. 4 th Mode) O Champion General, * I your City now inscribe to you * triumphant anthems, as the tokens of my gratitude, * being rescued from the terrors, O Theotokos. * Inasmuch as you have power unassailable, * from all perils free me, so that unto you * I may cry aloud: * Rejoice, O unwedded Bride. Hymn to the Theotokos In you, O Lady full of grace, rejoices all creation, the orders of Angels and the human race together. O hallowed temple and rational Garden of Paradise, the pride of virgins, from you did God become incarnate, and our God who existed before the ages became a child. For He made your womb a throne for himself, and your body He made wider than the heavens. In you, O Lady full of grace, rejoices all creation. Glory to you.

3 St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 6:13-20 Brethren, when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore to himself, saying, "Surely I will bless you and multiply you." And thus Abraham, having patiently endured, obtained the promise. Men indeed swear by a greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he interposed with an oath, so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible that God should prove false, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. Πρὸς Ἑβραίους Ἐπιστολῆς Παύλου 6:13-20 Ἀδελφοί, τῷ Ἀβραὰµ ἐπαγγειλάµενος ὁ Θεός, ἐπεὶ κατ' οὐδενὸς εἶχε µείζονος ὀµόσαι, ὤµοσε καθ' ἑαυτοῦ, λέγων ἦ µὴν εὐλογῶν εὐλογήσω σε καὶ πληθύνων πληθυνῶ σε καὶ οὕτω µακροθυµήσας ἐπέτυχε τῆς ἐπαγγελίας. Ἄνθρωποι µὲν γὰρ κατὰ τοῦ µείζονος ὀµνύουσι, καὶ πάσης αὐτοῖς ἀντιλογίας πέρας εἰς βεβαίωσιν ὁ ὅρκος ἐν ᾧ περισσότερον βουλόµενος ὁ Θεὸς ἐπιδεῖξαι τοῖς κληρονόµοις τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τὸ ἀµετάθετον τῆς βουλῆς αὐτοῦ, ἐµεσίτευσεν ὅρκῳ, ἵνα διὰ δύο πραγµάτων ἀµεταθέτων, ἐν οἷς ἀδύνατον ψεύσασθαι Θεόν, ἰσχυρὰν παράκλησιν ἔχωµεν οἱ καταφυγόντες κρατῆσαι τῆς προκειµένης ἐλπίδος ἣν ὡς ἄγκυραν ἔχοµεν τῆς ψυχῆς ἀσφαλῆ τε καὶ βεβαίαν καὶ εἰσερχοµένην εἰς τὸ ἐσώτερον τοῦ καταπετάσµατος, ὅπου πρόδροµος ὑπὲρ ἡµῶν εἰσῆλθεν Ἰησοῦς, κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδὲκ, Ἀρχιερεὺς γενόµενος εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. Mark 9:17-31 At that time, a man came to Jesus kneeling and saying: "Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a dumb spirit; and wherever it seizes him it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able." And he answered them, "O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me." And they brought the boy to him; and when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, "How long has he had this?" And he said, "From childhood. And it has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us." And Jesus said to him, "If you can! All things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!" And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You dumb and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again." And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse; so that most of them said, "He is dead." But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" And he said to them, "This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting." They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he would not have any one know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he will rise." Kατὰ Μᾶρκον 9:17-31 Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἄνθρωπός τις προσῆλθε τῷ Ἰησοῦ γονυπετῶν αὐτῷ καὶ λέγων Διδάσκαλε, ἤνεγκα τὸν υἱόν µου πρὸς σέ, ἔχοντα πνεῦµα ἄλαλον. καὶ ὅπου ἂν αὐτὸν καταλάβῃ, ῥήσσει αὐτόν, καὶ ἀφρίζει καὶ τρίζει τοὺς ὀδόντας αὐτοῦ, καὶ ξηραίνεται καὶ εἶπον τοῖς µαθηταῖς σου ἵνα αὐτὸ ἐκβάλωσι, καὶ οὐκ ἴσχυσαν. ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς αὐτῷ λέγει Ὦ γενεὰ ἄπιστος, ἕως πότε πρὸς ὑµᾶς ἔσοµαι; ἕως πότε ἀνέξοµαι ὑµῶν; φέρετε αὐτὸν πρός µε. καὶ ἤνεγκαν αὐτὸν πρὸς αὐτόν. καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν εὐθέως τὸ πνεῦµα ἐσπάραξεν αὐτόν, καὶ πεσὼν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἐκυλίετο ἀφρίζων. καὶ ἐπηρώτησε τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ Πόσος χρόνος ἐστὶν ὡς τοῦτο γέγονεν αὐτῷ; ὁ δὲ εἶπε Παιδιόθεν. καὶ πολλάκις αὐτὸν καὶ εἰς πῦρ ἔβαλε καὶ εἰς ὕδατα, ἵνα ἀπολέσῃ αὐτόν ἀλλ' εἴ τι δύνασαι, βοήθησον ἡµῖν σπλαγχνισθεὶς ἐφ' ἡµᾶς. ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτῷ Τὸ εἰ δύνασαι πιστεῦσαι, πάντα δυνατὰ τῷ πιστεύοντι. καὶ εὐθέως κράξας ὁ πατὴρ τοῦ παιδίου µετὰ δακρύων ἔλεγε Πιστεύω, Κύριε βοήθει µου τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ. ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς ὅτι ἐπισυντρέχει ὄχλος ἐπετίµησε τῷ πνεύµατι τῷ ἀκαθάρτῳ λέγων αὐτῷ Τὸ πνεῦµα τὸ ἄλαλον καὶ κωφὸν, ἐγὼ σοι ἐπιτάσσω, ἔξελθε ἐξ αὐτοῦ καὶ µηκέτι εἰσέλθῃς εἰς αὐτόν. καὶ κράξαν καὶ πολλὰ σπαράξαν αὐτόν ἐξῆλθε, καὶ ἐγένετο ὡσεὶ νεκρός, ὥστε πολλοὺς λέγειν ὅτι ἀπέθανεν. ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς κρατήσας αὐτὸν τῆς χειρὸς ἤγειρεν αὐτόν, καὶ ἀνέστη. Καὶ εἰσελθόντα αὐτὸν εἰς οἶκον οἱ µαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ἐπηρώτων αὐτόν κατ' ἰδίαν, ὅτι ἡµεῖς οὐκ ἠδυνήθηµεν ἐκβαλεῖν αὐτό. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Τοῦτο τὸ γένος ἐν οὐδενὶ δύναται ἐξελθεῖν εἰ µὴ ἐν προσευχῇ καὶ νηστείᾳ. Καὶ ἐκεῖθεν ἐξελθόντες παρεπορεύοντο διὰ τῆς Γαλιλαίας, καὶ οὐκ ἤθελεν ἵνα τις γνῷ ἐδίδασκε γὰρ τοὺς µαθητὰς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς ὅτι Ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδίδοται εἰς χεῖρας ἀνθρώπων, καὶ ἀποκτενοῦσιν αὐτόν, καὶ ἀποκτανθεὶς τῇ τρίτῃ ἡµέρᾳ ἀναστήσεται.

4 The Archangel Michael Church is sponsoring a CPR/AED class on Saturday, April 6th from 9am-12pm. We are fortunate to have in our Church complex, 5 AED s which are located in the Office, Gym, Church narthex, Fellowship Hall, and School hallway. To register for this hands-on training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the user-friendly Automated External Defibrillator (AED) please contact the Church office at or us at info@archangelmichaelchurch.org and provide your name, address and phone number.

5 AMC BOOKSTORE For Great Lent, our featured book this week is Miracle of the Red Egg by Elizabeth Crispina Johnson, which tells the story of how the tradition of dyeing and blessing red eggs, started with St. Mary Magdalene and a miracle that dazzled an emperor. Come take a look during the Fellowship Hour at our book cart that contains more of our favorites.

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7 *Our Church is in need of ongoing Prosphora. Anything you can offer is much appreciated. Memorials: Alexandra Moutafis ~ 40 days ~ The coffee hour is being sponsored by the Giakoumis family in her memory. Worship Schedule: Mon., Tues., Thurs. Wed., Apr. 10 Fri., Apr. 12 ~ Great Compline: 4:00 pm ~ Pre-Sanctified Liturgy: 9:30 am (followed by Bible Study) ~ Pre-Sanctified Liturgy: 6:30 pm (followed by Bible Study) ~ Pre-Sanctified Liturgy: 9:30 am ~ Akathistos to the Theotokos: 7:00 pm (presided by His Grace, Bishop Apostolos) Sunday School: The 2nd, 3rd and 4th grades will attend Chapel service beginning at 9:30 AM Upcoming Events: Wed., Apr. 10 Sun., April 14 May May Thurs., June 6 June 7-9 ~ Bible Study (11:00 am & 7:45 pm) ~ Greek Independence Day Parade (1:45 pm on Fifth Avenue, NYC) ~ GOYA Trip to Philadelphia ~ Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan District Olympics (Memorial Day Weekend) ( Olympics@archangelmichaelchurch.org for more info) ~ AMC Annual Golf Outing ~ St. John Chrysostom National Oratorical Festival hosted here at AMC Philoptochos News: Contact us at philoptochos@archangelmichaelchurch.org Become a member of PHILOPTOCHOS: A Legacy of Hope, Faith, Charity and Love. We invite all women of our church to experience the beauty found in a life of service to others. Please fill out our membership form that has been mailed, or us at Philoptochos@archangelmichaelchurch.org. The tradition continues, become a member today! Welcome new members to Philoptochos: Elena Vases and Elizabeth Zuvekas Special Tray For Holy Cross Seminary: Last Sunday, on the Sunday of the Veneration of the Holy Cross, Philoptochos passed a special tray for the Holy Cross Seminary, a graduate school of theology that educates and forms Orthodox Christian men and women for service to the Church and society. Thanks to your generosity, $650 was collected. Philoptochos added another $350 making our donation to Holy Cross Seminary a total of $1000. Thank you!! ELECTIONS for the new Philoptochos Board of Directors term - We invite all interested members in good standing of the parish and this Philoptochos chapter (for a period of at least one full year prior to the date of election to the Chapter Board) to consider joining our Board of Directors for the upcoming term. To qualify, one needs to also be an active member of our chapter through volunteering efforts and with some history of attendance at our General Meetings and/or outreach events. We welcome all interested parties to join our upcoming meetings to express your interest in becoming a candidate: 5/6 (Mon) Meeting 7:30pm. In April we will provide written notice of the election meeting to all members of the chapter. Elections shall be conducted in the month of May. More detailed information will be forthcoming as we get closer to the elections. WOMEN'S HEALTH INITIATIVE: Join us as ZUMBA begins a new session 9:30-10:30 am in the AMC gym. Bring a mat, a water bottle, and your kefi! Call Marina Vlahos ( ), for more info. Walk-ins welcome! COOKING CLUB - Join us on Sat., April 13th at 9 am for a lesson in preparing ( FLAOUNES ) with guest chef Christine Michelen. Flaouna is a cheese-filled bread from the island of Cyprus, scented with mahlab, mastic and mint and may include raisins for a sweet/savory flavor. Reserve your spot with Vicky at vgiouroukakis@molloy.edu Donation $20. Philoptochos will be selling Tsourekia from Agia Skepi Monastery on Palm Sunday after the first and second Liturgies as well as on Holy Wednesday at the Holy Unction service at 3pm and 7:30pm. To place an order for tsoureki(a) please call Sofia Gaitanis at or Eleni Raptis at ($15 for the small size; $20 for the larger size.)

8 Please join us on Friday, April 12th - 7:00 pm when His Grace, Bishop Apostolos of Medeia will be presiding over the Akathistos to the Theotokos