THUNDER BAY BULLETIN MAY CONSTANTINE 21 ΜΑΪΟΥ ΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΙΝΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΕΛΕΝΗΣ

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1 THUNDER BAY BULLETIN HOLY TRINITY GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH ÅËËÇÍÉÊÇ ÏÑÈÏÄÏÎÏÓ ÊÏÉÍÏÔÇÔÁ ÁÃÉÁÓ ÔÑÉÁÄÏÓ 651 Beverly Street, Thunder Bay, ON, P7B 6N2 Telephone/Fax: (807) May 2009 Volume 5 Issue 5 MAY 21: SAINTS CONSTANTINE & HELEN 21 ΜΑΪΟΥ ΑΪΟΥ: ΤΩΝ ΑΓΙΩΝ ΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΙΝΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΕΛΕΝΗΣ 21 1

2 THUNDER BAY BULLETIN Published monthly. Editor(s): Rev. Nikolaos Tambakis PARISH PRIEST: Rev. Fr. Nikolaos Tambakis 106 Essex Court, Thunder Bay, Ontario, P7A 7N6 # (807) cellular # (807) office/fax ntambakis@hotmail.com website: Office hours: by appointment HELLENIC COMMUNITY PRESIDENT: Harry Tsekouras 305 James Street N., Thunder Bay, Ontario, P7C 4T1 #(807) home VICE PRESIDENT: SECRETARY: CO-TREASURER: CO-TREASURER: Nick Milionis 146 Albany Street, Thunder Bay, Ontario, P7A 6Z5 # (807) home Harry Glymitsas 220 Angus Street, Thunder Bay, Ontario, P7A 2Y4 # (807) home Tom Marinis 358 Lark Street, Thunder Bay, Ontario, P7B 1P5 # (807) home Peter Koukos 416 Shuniah Street, Thunder Bay, Ontario, P7A 3A8 # (807) home BOARD MEMBERS: NICK KOUKOS, LOUIS PORT, TIMOLEON KAROUTAS, ACHILLEAS STATHOPOULOS, ANDY KARANASOS, MARIA MORAKIS. RELIGIOUS AND LEGAL AUTHORITIES HIS ALL HOLINESS ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW I # ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE Fax: RUM PATRIKHANESI, FENER HALIC ISTANBUL, TURKIYE HIS EMINENCE METROPOLITAN SOTIRIOS #(416) GREEK ORTHODOX METROPOLIS IF TORONTO (CANADA) Fax: (416) PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW WAY (86 OVERLEA BOULEVARD) greekomt@on.aibn.com TORONTO, ONTARIO M4H 1C6 EMBASSY OF GREECE #(613) MACLAREN STREET Fax: (613) OTTAWA, ONTARIO K2P 0K6 CONSULATE GENERAL OF GREECE #(416) BLOOR STREET E, SUITE 1800 Fax: (416) TORONTO, ONTARIO M4W 3L4 GREEK TOURIST OFFICE (TORONTO) #(416) BAY STREET Fax: (416) TORONTO, ONTARIO M5R 3K8 grnto.tor@sympatico.ca 2

3 PENTECOSTARION 2009 The 50 days of Pentecost are from (Pascha) April 19 th to (Sunday of Pentecost) June 7 th. April 26 May 3 May 10 May 17 May 24 May 28 (Thursday) May 31 June 7 Sunday of Thomas Sunday of the Myrrhbearers Sunday of the Paralytic Sunday of the Samaritan Woman Sunday of the Blind Man The Ascension of Our Lord Sunday of the Holy Fathers Sunday of Pentecost NO fasting from Sunday of Pentecost until the Sunday of All Saints. June 14 Sunday of All Saints Apostles Fast begins on June 15 th for 14 days. ΠΕΝΤΗΚΟΣΤΑΡΙΟΝ 2009 Οι 50 ηµέρες της Πεντηκοστής είναι από το Πάσχα (19 Απριλίου) έως τη Κυριακή της Πεντηκοστής (7 Ιουνίου). 26 Απριλίου Κυριακή του Θωµά 3 Μαϊου Κυριακή των Μυροφόρων 10 Μαϊου Κυριακή του Παραλυτικού 17 Μαϊου Κυριακή της Σαµαρείτιδος 24 Μαϊου Κυριακή του Τυφλού 28 Μαϊου (Πέµπτη) Η Ανάληψις του Κυρίου 31 Μαϊου Κυριακή των Αγίων Πατέρων 7 Ιουνίου Κυριακή της Πεντηκοστής Από την Κυριακή της Πεντηκοστής έως τη Κυριακή των Αγίων Πάντων, δεν νηστεύουµε. 14 Ιουνίου Κυριακή των Αγίων Πάντων Η νηστεία των Αγίων Αποστόλων αρχίζει εφέτος 15 Ιουνίου και τελειώνει 28 Ιουνίου (14 ηµέρες). ΟRTHODOX STUDY SERIES The Orthodox Study Series is a program that Fr. Nikolaos is currently designing for us to better understand the Word of God in Orthodoxy and incorporate it into our daily lives, so we can come closer to Him. Every second Tuesday in the Church (unless otherwise indicated) 6:30pm 7:30pm Tuesday, May 5 Tuesday, May 26 PRAYER IS CONVERSE WITH GOD, CONTEMPLATION OF THE INVISIBLE, THE ANGELIC MODE OF LIFE, A STIMULUS TOWARDS THE DIVINE, THE ASSURANCE OF THINGS HOPED FOR, MAKING REAL THE THINGS FOR WHICH WE HOPE. - ST. THEODOROS THE GREAT ASCETIC 3

4 MAY 21: STS TS. CONSTANTINE & HELEN 21: This great and renowned sovereign of the Christians was the son of Constantius Chlorus (the ruler of the westernmost parts of the Roman empire), and of the blessed Helen. He was born in 272, in (according to some authorities) Naissus of Dardania, a city on the Hellespont. In 306, when his father died, he was proclaimed successor to his throne. In 312, on learning that Maxentius and Maximinus had joined forces against him, he marched into Italy, where, while at the head of his troops, he saw in the sky after midday, beneath the sun, a radiant pillar in the form of a cross with the words: "By this shalt thou conquer." The following night, our Lord Jesus Christ appeared to him in a dream and declared to him the power of the Cross and its significance. When he arose in the morning, he immediately ordered that a labarum be made (which is a banner or standard of victory over the enemy) in the form of a cross, and he inscribed on it the Name of Jesus Christ. On the 28th Of October, he attacked and mightily conquered Maxentius, who drowned in the Tiber River while fleeing. The following day, Constantine entered Rome in triumph and was proclaimed Emperor of the West by the Senate, while Licinius, his brother-in-law, ruled in the East. But out of malice, Licinius later persecuted the Christians. Constantine fought him once and again, and utterly destroyed him in 324, and in this manner he became monarch over the West and the East. Under him and because of him all the persecutions against the Church ceased. Christianity triumphed and idolatry was overthrown. In 325 he gathered the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea, which he himself personally addressed. In 324, in the ancient city of Byzantium, he laid the foundations of the new capital of his realm, and solemnly inaugurated it on May 11, 330, naming it after himself, Constantinople. Since the throne of the imperial rule was transferred thither from Rome, it was named New Rome, the inhabitants of its domain were called Romans, and it was considered the continuation of the Roman Empire. Falling ill near Nicomedia, he requested to receive divine Baptism, according to Eusebius (The Life of Constantine. Book IV, 61-62), and also according to Socrates and Sozomen; and when he had been deemed worthy of the Holy Mysteries, he reposed in 337, on May 21 or 22, the day of Pentecost, having lived sixty-five years, of which he ruled for thirty-one years. His remains were transferred to Constantinople and were deposed in the Church of the Holy Apostles, which had been built by him (see Homily XXVI on Second Corinthians by Saint John Chrysostom). As for his holy mother Helen, after her son had made the Faith of Christ triumphant throughout the Roman Empire, she undertook a journey to Jerusalem and found the Holy Cross on which our Lord was crucified (see Sept. 13 and 14). After this, Saint Helen, in her zeal to glorify Christ, erected churches in Jerusalem at the sites of the Crucifixion and Resurrection, in Bethlehem at the cave where our Saviour was born, another on the Mount of Olives whence He ascended into Heaven, and many others throughout the Holy Land, Cyprus, and elsewhere. She was proclaimed Augusta, her image was stamped upon golden coins, and two cities were named Helenopolis after her in Bithynia and in Palestine. Having been thus glorified for her piety, she departed to the Lord being about eighty years of age, according to some in the year 330, according to others, in

5 21 21 ΜΑΪΟΥ ΑΪΟΥ: ΤΩΝ ΑΓΙΩΝ ΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΙΝΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΕΛΕΝΗΣ Την Τετάρτη µετά την Κυριακή του Παραλύτου πανηγυρίζει η Εκκλησία µία µεγάλη δεσποτική εορτή, την εορτή της Μεσοπεντηκοστής. Και όµως κάποτε η εορτή της Μεσοπεντηκοστής ήταν η µεγάλη εορτή της Μεγάλης Εκκλησίας της Κωνσταντινουπόλεως και συνέτρεχαν κατ αυτή στον µεγάλο ναό πλήθη λαού. εν έχει κανείς παρά να ανοίξη την Έκθεσι της Βασιλείου Τάξεως (Κεφ. 26) του Κωνσταντίνου Πορφυρογεννήτου για να ιδή το επίσηµο τυπικό του εορτασµού, όπως ετελείτο µέχρι την Μεσοπεντηκοστή του έτους 903 στον ναό του αγίου Μωκίου στην Κωνσταντινούπολι, µέχρι δηλαδή την ηµέρα που έγινε η απόπειρα κατά της ζωής του αυτοκράτορος Λέοντος ΣΤ του Σοφού (11 Μαΐου 903). Εκεί υπάρχει µία λεπτοµερής περιγραφή του λαµπρού πανηγυρισµού, που καταλαµβάνει ολόκληρες σελίδες και καθορίζει µε την γνωστή παράξενη βυζαντινή ορολογία, πως ο αυτοκράτωρ το πρωϊ της εορτής µε τα επίσηµα βασιλικά του ενδύµατα και την συνοδεία του ξεκινούσε από το ιερό παλάτιο για να µεταβή στον ναό του αγίου Μωκίου, όπου θα ετελείτο η θεία λειτουργία. Σε λίγο έφθανε η λιτανεία µε επί κεφαλής τον πατριάρχη, και βασιλεύς και πατριάρχης εισήρχοντο επισήµως στον ναό. Η θεία λειτουργία ετελείτο µε την συνήθη στις µεγάλες εορτές βυζαντινή µεγαλοπρέπεια. Μετά από αυτήν ο αυτοκράτωρ παρέθετε πρόγευµα, στο οποίο παρεκάθητο και ο πατριάρχης. Και πάλι ο βασιλεύς υπό τις επευφηµίες του πλήθους «Εις πολλούς και αγαθούς χρόνους ο Θεός αγάγει την βασιλείαν υµών» και µε πολλούς ενδιαµέσους σταθµούς επέστρεφε στο ιερό παλάτιο. Αλλά και στα σηµερινά µας λειτουργικά βιβλία, στο Πεντηκοστάριο, βλέπει κανείς τα ίχνη της παλαιάς της λαµπρότητος. Παρουσιάζεται σαν µία µεγάλη δεσποτική εορτή, µε τα εκλεκτά της τροπάρια και τους διπλούς της κανόνες, έργα των µεγάλων υµνογράφων, του Θεοφάνους και του Ανδρέου Κρήτης, µε τα αναγνώσµατά της και την επίδρασί της στις προ και µετά από αυτήν Κυριακές και µε την παράτασι του εορτασµού της επί οκτώ ηµέρες κατά τον τύπο των µεγάλων εορτών του εκκλησιαστικού έτους. Ποιό όµως είναι το θέµα της ιδιορρύθµου αυτής εορτής; Όχι πάντως κανένα γεγονός της ευαγγελικής ιστορίας. Το θέµα της είναι καθαρά εορτολογικό και θεωρητικό. Η Τετάρτη της Μεσοπεντηκοστής είναι η 25η από του Πάσχα και η 25η προ της Πεντηκοστής ηµέρα. Σηµειώνει το µέσον της περιόδου των 50 µετά το Πάσχα εορτασίµων ηµερών. Είναι δηλαδή ένας σταθµός, µία τοµή. Ωραία το τοποθετεί το πρώτο τροπάριο του εσπερινού της εορτής: «Πάρεστιν η µεσότης ηµερών, των εκ σωτηρίου αρχοµένων εγέρσεως Πεντηκοστή δε τη θεία σφραγιζοµένων, και λάµπει τας λαµπρότητας αµφοτέρωθεν έχουσα και ενούσα τας δύο και παρείναι την δόξαν προφαίνουσα της δεσποτικής αναλήψεως σεµνύνεται». Χωρίς δηλαδή να έχη δικό της θέµα η ηµέρα αυτή συνδυάζει τα θέµατα, του Πάσχα αφ ενός και της επιφοιτήσεως του Αγίου Πνεύµατος αφ ετέρου, και «προφαίνει» την δόξαν της αναλήψεως του Κυρίου, που θα εορτασθή µετά από 15 ηµέρες. Ακριβώς δε αυτό το µέσον των δύο µεγάλων εορτών έφερνε στο νου και ένα εβραϊκό επίθετο του Κυρίου, το «Μεσσίας». Μεσσίας στα ελληνικά µεταφράζεται Χριστός. Αλλά ηχητικά θυµίζει το µέσον. Έτσι και στα τροπάρια και στο συναξάριο της ηµέρας η παρετυµολογία αυτή γίνεται αφορµή να παρουσιασθή ο Χριστός σαν Μεσσίας µεσίτης Θεού και ανθρώπων, «µεσίτης και διαλλάκτης ηµών και του αιωνίου αυτού Πατρός». «ια ταύτην την αιτίαν την παρούσαν εορτήν εορτάζοντες και Μεσοπεντηκοστήν ονοµάζοντες τον Μεσσίαν τε ανυµνούµεν Χριστόν», σηµειώνει ο Νικηφόρος Ξανθόπουλος στο συναξάριο. Σ αυτό βοήθησε και η ευαγγελική περικοπή, που εξελέγη για την ηµέρα αυτή (Ιω. 7, 14-30). Μεσούσης της εορτής του Ιουδαϊκού Πάσχα ο Χριστός ανεβαίνει στο ιερό και διδάσκει. Η διδασκαλία Του προκαλεί τον θαυµασµό, αλλά και ζωηρά αντιδικία µεταξύ αυτού και του λαού και των διδασκάλων. Είναι Μεσσίας ο Ιησούς η δεν είναι; Είναι η διδασκαλία του Ιησού εκ Θεού η δεν είναι; Νέο λοιπόν θέµα προστίθεται: ο Χριστός είναι διδάσκαλος. Αυτός που ενώ δεν έµαθε γράµµατα κατέχει το πλήρωµα της σοφίας, γιατί είναι η Σοφία του Θεού η κατασκευάσασα τον κόσµον. Ακριβώς από αυτόν τον διάλογο εµπνέεται µεγάλο µέρος της υµνογραφίας της εορτής. Εκείνος που διδάσκει στον ναό, στο µέσον των διδασκάλων του Ιουδαϊκού λαού, στο µέσον της εορτής, είναι ο Μεσσίας, ο Χριστός, ο Λόγος του Θεού. Αυτός που αποδοκιµάζεται από τους δήθεν σοφούς του λαού Του είναι η του Θεού Σοφία. 5

6 Love, Sex & Mammon Hard Times, Hard Truths & the Economics of the Christian Family We are not, we pray, on the verge of another Great Depression. Still, we see signs of economic failure all around us. Stores in the strip malls we drive past every day advertise going out of business sales. Those of us who are pastors know church members who have lost jobs, and we weekly see the faces of others who fear that the next pink slip belongs to them. Some Christians, on the Left and on the Right, would tell us that economic matters are of paramount concern right now. They would assert that we ve no time for the luxury of culture war discussions about abstinence or divorce or gender roles or other such matters. Instead, they tell us, we should concentrate on tax cuts or economic stimulus projects or Wall Street bailouts or home ownership. They re wrong. They re wrong not only because the family is, ultimately, more important than the marketplace, but also because the two are interconnected. They re wrong also because, as Marxists and hyper-capitalists both correctly grasp (though wrongly apply), man as an economic being cannot be abstracted from other aspects of life. A time of economic crisis is, therefore, a time for the Church to reconsider and re-imagine her priorities. The first step is to recognize that one of the roots of the family crisis all around us in the pews we sit in or preach to every week is the wallet in our own back pocket. Consuming Ourselves to Death It is no accident, after all, that our Ancient Foe first appears in Holy Scripture as a snake imagery that follows the devil all through the canon to the closing vision of the Revelation to St. John. As philosopher Leon Kass puts it, For the serpent is a mobile digestive tract that swallows its prey whole; in this sense the serpent stands for pure appetite. Indeed he does and the whole of Scripture and of Christian tradition warns the Church against the way of the appetites, the way of consuming oneself to death. We are commanded away from the path of Esau, who sells his inheritance for a pile of red stew (Heb. 12:16 17). We re directed away from the god of the belly (Phil. 3:19). From the Tree in the garden to the wilderness beyond the Jordan to the present hour, the people of God are tempted to turn their digestive or reproductive tracts away from the mystery of Christ and toward the self as god. This is true in any era, but there is a special danger, it seems, for those of us living in an era of unparalleled affluence. We have become the people Jesus warned us about. Whether Irish Catholics or Appalachian Baptists or Armenian Orthodox, too many of us want desperately to distance ourselves from our blue-collar, economically impoverished roots, and more and more wish to be seen as affluent, upwardly mobile, and politically influential. But this has come with a cost. Too many of our churches, too many of us, have made peace with the sexual revolution and the familial chaos left in its wake precisely because we made peace, long before, with the love of money. We wish to live with the same standard of living as the culture around us (there is no sin in that), but we are willing to get there by any means necessary. Why does the seemingly godly church member in one of our congregations or parishes drive his pregnant teenage daughter to the nearest city under cover of darkness to obtain an abortion? Because, no matter how much he votes his values, when crisis hits, he wants his daughter to have a normal life. He is pro-life, with, as one feminist leader put it, three exceptions: rape, incest, and my situation. Why do Christian parents, contra St. Paul s clear admonition in 1 Corinthians 7, encourage their young adult children to delay marriage, sometimes for years past the time it would take to discern whether this union would be of the Lord? Why do we smilingly tell them to wait until they can afford it? It is because, to our shame, we deem fornication a less awful reality than financial hardship. 6

7 Why do our pastors and church leaders speak bluntly about homosexuality but not about divorce? Because, in many cases, they know the faces of the divorced people in the pews before them and they fear losing the membership statistics or the revenue those faces represent. Why do we speak endlessly about marital communication and love languages but never address the question of whether institutionalized day care is good for children, or for their parents? It s because pastors know that couples would reply that they could never afford to live on the provision of the husband alone. And they re almost always right if living means living in the neighborhoods in which they now live with the technologies they now have. Why do we never ask whether it might be better to live in a onebedroom apartment or a trailer park than to outsource the rearing of one s children? It s because the American way of life seems so normal to us that such things do not even seem to be options at all. More Than Acquisition Perhaps it s time to ask whether Ralph Nader (yes, that Ralph Nader) is right that television advertising is a threat to the family order, since corporations have decided that kids under twelve are a lucrative market, and they sell directly to them, subverting parental authority. Could it be that Ronald McDonald and digitalized talking Christian vegetable cartoons are as erosive of the family as the cultural rot we are accustomed to denouncing? Could it be that the consumer culture we mimic in our own churches and denominational programs is, in reality, just as hedonistic as a truck-stop peep show? Perhaps the economic crisis is momentary. Perhaps jobs will return more quickly than we assume, foreclosures will stall, investment portfolios will bounce back. We hope so. A time of economic shaking, however, offers the Church the opportunity to call us away from captivity to the appetites, to reconsider some of our hidden assumptions. Maybe it will teach us to teach our people to live within their means, to stand by their words, to love their families, and to be content with lives of godliness and dignity. As extended families come together, as churches band together to care for those reduced in force from their jobs, perhaps we ll be forced to abandon the illusions of ourselves as self-contained units of production and consumption. Perhaps we ll see that life is about more than acquisition acquisition of possessions or orgasms or acclaim. Perhaps these times will cause us, like our Lord Jesus in his wilderness temptations, to turn away from momentary satisfaction whether of our consumer or sexual needs and toward the more permanent things. Russell D. Moore, for the editors community news ATTENTION STUDENTS! The Ladies Philoptochos Society is offering a $200 bursary for 2009 highschool graduates who are planning to attend post-secondary studies in the fall. Students pick up a bursary application form from your school and a marks transcript up to your first semester of Grade 12. Submit your application and transcript to Philoptochos President Jennie Hartviksen, Deadline for submission: May 15, The bursary will be awarded based on your total GPA. ATTENTION STUDENTS AGAIN! Our Church, in conjunction with the Service Canada Summer Jobs program is offering two positions for the months of July and August (35 hours/week) to assist with summer event planning and organization of our community archives. These positions are reserved for students who are returning to school the following September. Please hand in your resumes at the Church to the attention of the Board of Directors. For more information on the job description, speak to Fr. Nikolaos ( ). Deadline for resume submission: May 15 th, CHRIST OFTEN COMES AND KNOCKS AT YOUR DOOR AND YOU INVITE HIM TO SIT IN THE LIVING ROOM OF YOUR SOUL. THEN, ABSORBED IN YOUR OWN BUSINESS YOU FORGET THE GREAT VISITOR. HE WAITS FOR YOU TO APPEAR AND WHEN YOU ARE TOO LONG IN RETURNING, HE GETS UP AND LEAVES. AT OTHER TIMES, YOU ARE SO BUSY THAT YOU ANSWER HIM FROM THE WINDOW. YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TIME TO OPEN THE DOOR. ELDER AMPHILOCHIOS 7

8 Επιστήμη Τεχνολογία και Ορθόδοξη Θεολογία του Σεβασμιωτάτου Μητροπολίτου Νικοπόλεως Μελετίου Ἀξιοπρόσεκτη εἶναι ἡ ἀκόλουθη διασάφηση τοῦ Ἱεροῦ Χρυσοστόμου. Ἡ ἁγία Γραφή λέγει, ὅτι ὁ Θεός «ἔθετο», ἔβαλε τόν Ἀδάμ στόν Παράδεισο. Ὅμως ὁ Παράδεισος δέν εἶχε οὔτε φυσικό ὑλικό φράχτη, οὔτε κἄν πνευματικό. Οὔτε εἶχε καμμιά διαφορά ἀπό τήν ὑπόλοιπη γῆ. Τό «ἔθετο» ἔχει τήν ἔννοια: τοῦ ἔδωσε ἐντολή νά διάγει ἐκεῖ νά κάμει κέντρο τῆς ζωῆς του τά δύο δένδρα, πού εὑρίσκοντο στό μέσο τοῦ Παραδείσου. Ὅμως, γιά ποιό λόγο; Γιά νά τό συνειδητοποιεῖ ὅλο καί πιό πολύ, ὅτι πρώτη του ἐπιλογή ἔπρεπε λογικά νά εἶναι ἡ διαβίωσή του κοντά στά δύο αὐτά δένδρα πού λογικά καί κανονικά ἡ θέα τους ἔπρεπε νά τοῦ θυμίζουν, ὅλο καί πιό πολύ: τό μέν ξύλο τῆς ζωῆς, ὅτι ἡ πρώτη του προτεραιότητα πρέπει νά εἶναι ἡ ζωή καί ἡ ποιότητα ζωῆς τό δέ ξύλο τοῦ γινώσκειν καλόν καί πονηρόν, ὅτι χρειάζεται νά ἐνεργεῖ, ὄχι ἀνάλογα μέ ἐντυπώσεις καί συναισθήματα, ἀλλά μέ βάση τά σταθερά κριτήρια πού τοῦ ἔθεσε ὁ Θεός. Καί συμπεραίνει ὁ ἅγιος Ἰωάννης ἐπιγραμματικά: «Ζήτημα μέγιστον ἡμῖν ἐντεῦθεν τίκτεται» (P.G. 53,109). Δηλαδή. Νά θέμα, στό ὁποῖο ἀξίζει νά ἀφιερώσει κανείς λίγη φαιά οὐσία! Γιά νά ἰδεῖ τί; Νά καταλάβει τί; 1. Ἡ ἐπιστήμη δέν εἶναι προμηθεϊσμός! Δέν εἶναι ἀντίθεη οὔτε ἄθεη. Εἶναι εὐλογία. Σέ ὅλη της τήν ἔκταση. Καί δέν πρέπει νά τήν ἀφήνωμε ἐμεῖς νά ἐκφυλίζεται σέ προμηθεϊσμό. 2. Ἡ ἐπιστήμη σάν ἐπιστήμη εἶναι εὐλογία. Καί οἱ ἀνακαλύψεις καί οἱ ἐφαρμογές τους εἶναι εὐλογία. Ἡ ἐπιστήμη δέν εἶναι οὔτε ancilla theologiae, οὔτε domina omnium (Δέσποινα καί κυρία τῶν πάντων)! Ἡ ἀντιπαλότητα ἀνάμεσα σέ πίστη καί ἐπιστήμη ὀφείλεται σέ λάθος θεώρηση θέσης, ἀποστολῆς, ἁρμοδιοτήτων, ὁρίων. Π.χ. Τό 1633 δικαστήριο τῆς Ἱερᾶς Ἐξέτασης δικάζει τόν Γαλιλαῖο. 3. Ἐπιδίωξη τῆς ἐπιστήμης καί τῆς ἐφαρμογῆς της εἶναι ἡ ζωή καί μάλιστα μιά ποιότητα ζωῆς. Ἡ ἀπόγευση τοῦ ξύλου τοῦ εἰδέναι γνωστόν καλοῦ καί πονηροῦ δέν ἔχει καμμιά σχέση, οὔτε μέ τήν γνώση, οὔτε μέ τήν ἐπιστήμη. Εἶναι ἀποκλειστικά καί μόνο ἠθικῆς διάστασης βουλητική ἐνέργεια, ἀλλά ποτέ προσέγγισης τῆς ἀλήθειας. Ἔτσι ταυτισμένοι μέ τό κακό μποροῦν νά βρεθοῦν ἐξ ἴσου καί ἐπιστήμονες καί ἁπλοῖ ἄνθρωποι. Οἱ ἐπιστήμονες, σάν ἐπιστήμονες, δέν εἶναι οὔτε πιστοί, οὔτε ἄθεοι. Πότε θά μάθωμε «μή ὑπερφρονεῖν παρ' ὅ δεῖ φρονεῖν, ἀλλά φρονεῖν εἰς τό σωφρονεῖν, ἑκάστῳ ὡς ὁ Θεός ἐμέρισεν»; (Ρωμ. 12,3) καί «ἵνα μή εἷς ὑπέρ τοῦ ἑνός φυσιοῦται κατά τοῦ ἑτέρου» (Α Κορ. 4,6); 4. Πρέπει λοιπόν νά κάνωμε τίς ἐπιλογές μας, μέ βάση τά κριτήρια πού μᾶς ἔδωκε ὁ Θεός. Καί ἐπεξηγοῦμε: Στόν Παράδεισο ὑπῆρχαν δύο ξύλα ἤ δένδρα. Τό ξύλον τοῦ «εἰδέναι» τῆς γνώσης καί τό ξύλον τῆς ζωῆς. Γιά τό ξύλο τῆς ζωῆς δέν μᾶς ἐδόθη καμμία ἐντολή. Μᾶς ἐδόθη μόνο ἡ ὁδηγία, ὅτι πρέπει νά ἀποτελεῖ τό κέντρο τῆς ζωῆς μας ὅτι πρέπει ζωή μας, νοῦς μας, αἴσθησή μας νά στρέφωνται ὅλο καί πιό πολύ γύρω ἀπό αὐτό. Αὐτό τό μυστικό νόημα τοῦ ξύλου τῆς ζωῆς ταυτίζεται μέ τόν πόθο τῆς ἐπιστήμης νά δημιουργεῖ προϋποθέσεις γιά ποιότητα ζωῆς! Τί ὅμως εἶναι τό ξύλο αὐτό, τό ξύλο τῆς ζωῆς; Ἡ Ὀρθόδοξη Θεολογία ἀπαντᾶ: Χριστός ἐστί τό ξύλον τῆς ζωῆς. (Παρακλητική, ἦχος βαρύς, μακαρισμοί τρ.α ). Καί μαζί του ὅλα ὅσα εἶναι τοῦ Χριστοῦ: Σταυρός, Χάρις, Ἔλεος, Σῶμα Του, Αἷμα Του, κ.ο.κ.. Γιατί μέ ὅλα αὐτά καί ἀπό ὅλα αὐτά προχέεται ζωή. «Η ΠΡΟΣΕΥΧΗ ΧΩΡΙΣ ΤΗΝ ΑΓΑΠΗ ΕΙΝΑΙ ΣΑΝ ΤΟ ΠΟΥΛΙ ΠΟΥ ΤΟ ΒΛΕΠΕΙΣ ΚΑΛΟ ΚΑΙ ΟΜΟΡΦΟ, ΑΛΛΑ ΔΕΝ ΕΧΕΙ ΦΤΕΡΑ ΚΑΙ ΔΕΝ ΜΠΟΡΕΙ ΝΑ ΠΕΤΑΞΕΙ». - ΓΕΡΟΝΤΑΣ ΑΜΦΙΛΟΧΙΟΣ 8

9 SCHEDULE OF DIVINE SERVICES - MAY 2009 SUNDAY 3 +SUNDAY OF THE MYRRHBEARERS. STS. TIMOTHY AND MAVRA. ORTHROS 9:15A.M., DIVINE LITURGY 10:30 A.M. SUNDAY SUNDAY 10 +SUNDAY OF THE PARALYTIC. MOTHER S DAY. ST. SIMON THE ZEALOT. ORTHROS 9:15A.M., DIVINE LITURGY 10:30 A.M. 17 NO DIVINE LITURGY SCHEDULED. - Fr. Nikolaos will be on holidays from May 12 th 18 th. In case of emergency, call President Harry Tsekouras (information on page 2). - Divine Liturgy on this day will be celebrated at 10:00am St. Volodymyr s Ukrainian Orthodox Church, 1502 Mountdale Avenue. THURSDAY SUNDAY THURSDAY SUNDAY 21 +SAINTS CONSTANTINE AND HELEN, EQUAL TO THE APOSTLES. ORTHROS 9:15A.M., DIVINE LITURGY 10:15 A.M. 24 +SUNDAY OF THE BLIND MAN. ST. SYMEON THE STYLITE. ORTHROS 9:15A.M., DIVINE LITURGY 10:30 A.M. 28 +ASCENSION DAY. ST. ANDREW THE FOOL-FOR-CHRIST. ORTHROS 9:15A.M., DIVINE LITURGY 10:15 A.M SUNDAY OF THE HOLY FATHERS OF THE FIRST ECUMENICAL SYNOD. ORTHROS 9:15A.M., DIVINE LITURGY 10:30 A.M. WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE WHO MADE HOLY WEEK AND PASCHA 2009 SUCH A SUCCESS! GOD BLESS YOU! 9

10 ΠΡΟΓΡΑΜΜΑ ΙΕΡΩΝ ΑΚΟΛΟΥΘΙΩΝ - ΜΑΪΟΥ 2009 ΚΥΡΙΑΚΗ 3 +ΚΥΡΙΑΚΗ ΤΟΥ ΘΩΜΑ. ΑΓΙΩΝ ΤΙΜΟΘΕΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΜΑΥΡΑΣ. ΟΡΘΡΟΣ 9.15 ΠΜ, ΘΕΙΑ ΛΕΙΤΟΥΡΓΙΑ 10.30ΠΜ. ΚΥΡΙΑΚΗ ΚΥΡΙΑΚΗ ΠΕΜΠΤΗ ΚΥΡΙΑΚΗ ΠΕΜΠΤΗ ΚΥΡΙΑΚΗ 10 +ΚΥΡΙΑΚΗ ΤΟΥ ΠΑΡΑΛΥΤΟΥ. MOTHER S DAY. ΑΓ. ΣΙΜΩΝΟΣ ΤΟΥ ΖΗΛΩΤΟΥ. ΟΡΘΡΟΣ 9:15ΠΜ, ΘΕΙΑ ΛΕΙΤΟΥΡΓΙΑ 10:30ΠΜ. 17 ΔΕΝ ΕΧΕΙ ΘΕΙΑ ΛΕΙΤΟΥΡΓΙΑ. Ο Π. ΝΙΚΟΛΑΟΣ ΘΑ ΛΕΙΠΕΙ ΑΠΟ ΤΗΣ ΜΑΪΟΥ. ΣΕ ΠΕΡΙΠΤΩΣΗ ΑΝΑΓΚΗΣ ΝΑ ΠΑΡΕΤΕ ΤΗΕΛΦΩΝΟ ΤΟ ΠΡΟΕΔΡΟ Χ. ΤΣΕΚΟΥΡΑ. ΤΗ ΑΥΤΗ ΗΜΕΡΑ ΘΑ ΕΧΕΙ ΘΕΙΑ ΛΕΙΤΟΘΡΓΙΑ ΣΤΙΣ 10:00ΠΜ ΣΤΟ Ι.Ν. ΑΓΙΟΥ ΒΟΛΟΔΗΜΗΡ, 1502 Mountdale Avenue. 21 +ΤΩΝ ΑΓΙΩΝ ΙΣΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΩΝ ΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΙΝΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΕΛΕΝΗΣ. ΟΡΘΡΟΣ 9:15ΠΜ, ΘΕΙΑ ΛΕΙΤΟΥΡΓΙΑ 10:15ΠΜ. 24 +ΚΥΡΙΑΚΗ ΤΟΥ ΤΥΦΛΟΥ. ΟΡΘΡΟΣ 9:15ΠΜ, ΘΕΙΑ ΛΕΙΤΟΥΡΓΙΑ 10:30ΠΜ. 28 +ΤΗΣ ΑΝΑΛΥΨΕΩΣ. ΑΓΙΟΥ ΑΝΔΡΕΟΥ ΔΙΑ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΝ ΣΑΛΟΥ. ΟΡΘΡΟΣ 9:15ΠΜ, ΘΕΙΑ ΛΕΙΤΟΥΡΓΙΑ 10:15ΠΜ. 31 +ΚΥΡΙΑΚΗ ΤΩΝ ΑΓΙΩΝ ΠΑΤΕΡΩΝ ΤΗΣ Α ΟΙΚΟΥΜΕΝΙΚΗΣ ΣΥΝΟΔΟΥ. ΟΡΘΡΟΣ 9:15ΠΜ, ΘΕΙΑ ΛΕΙΤΟΥΡΓΙΑ 10:30ΠΜ. ΕΥΧΑΡΙΣΤΟΥΜΕ ΓΙΑ ΤIΣ ΠΡΟΣΦΟΡΕΣ ΑΠ ΟΛΟΥΣ ΓΙΑ ΕΝΑ ΠΟΛΥ ΠΕΤΥΧΗΜΕΝΟ ΠΑΣΧΑ 2009! 10

11 OUR MEMBERS So far only 45 people have submitted their membership dues for We ask and encourage everyone to so as soon as possible. Each member is indispensable for the well being and functioning of our parish. We thank all who have taken the time to submit their membership dues already as of April 26, 2009: 1. Mr. Nick Balina 2. Mr. Anthony Biniaris 3. Mr. George Biniaris 4. Mrs. Toni Biniaris 5. Mrs. Irene Biniaris 6. Mrs. Katerina Biniaris 7. Mr. Michael Boote *** 8. Mr. George Callianteris 9. Mrs. Reena Callianteris 10. Mr. Gus Chimbakis 11. Mrs. Helen Chimbakis 12. Mr. George Comminos 13. Mr. Andre Comminos 14. Mrs. Nitsa Comminos 15. Mr. Bill Comminos 16. Mrs. Tarja Comminos 17. Mr. Paul Dowhos* 18. Mrs. Vicki Dowhos 19. Mrs. Bayba Frattolin 20. Mrs. Tara Giardetti 21. Mr. Peter Giardetti 22. Mrs. Sheila Glymitsas 23. Mr. Harry Glymitsas 24. Mrs. Toula Glymitsas 25. Mr. Demetris Hatzis 26. Miss Debbie Hatzis 27. Mr. Jamie Hatzis 28. Mr. Paul Imperius ** 29. Mrs. Christine Imperius ** 30. Mr. Andy Karanasos 31. Mrs. Lori Karanasos 32. Mr. Ray Leino 33. Mrs. Virginia Leino 34. Mr. Christopher Lent 35. Mrs. Joanne Lent 36. Mr. Jack Lotsios 37. Mrs. Effie Lotsios 38. Ms. Dolores Maki 39. Ms. Maria Morakis 40. Mr. Emmanuel Mousataos 41. Mr. Nick Koukos 42. Mrs. Joyce Koukos 43. Mr. Tom Marinis ** 44. Mrs. Helen Machairas 45. Mrs. Matina Mellas 46. Mr. Tom Mellas 47. Mrs. Smaragde Mellas 48. Ms. Georgina Mellas 49. Mrs. Bessie Melville 50. Mrs. Athina Morakis * Associate Membership ** Enhanced Membership *** Student Membership 51. Ms. Maria Morakis 52. Mr. John Pantoulias 53. Mr. Peter Pantoulias 54. Mrs. Helen Pantoulias 55. Mrs. Maria Pantoulias 56. Mrs. Nikki Pantoulias 57. Mr. John Pavlou 58. Mrs. Maria Pavlou 59. Mr. Tom Pavlou 60. Mrs. Rosa Pavlou 61. Mr. Costa Pazianos 62. Mrs. Virginia Pazianos 63. Mr. Jim Pazianos ** 64. Mr. Steve Scollie * 65. Mr. Andrew Sheare 66. Mrs. Cathy Sheare 67. Mrs. Rose Sourtzis 68. Mr. Emilios Stefanidis 69. Mr. Andrew Todd *** 70. Ms. Elaine Tsekouras 71. Mr. Harry Tsekouras 72. Mrs. Lily Tsekouras 73. Mrs. Ploumi Vlotaros 74. Mrs. Athina Vlotaros 11

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14 VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! EVERYONE WELCOME! Thursday, May 14 th, 2009 ALL BINGOS ARE AT THE C.L.E. LOCATION at 5:45 PM 14

15 Thank you to our sponsors: YOUR AD HERE. SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY. 15

16 ORTHODOXY AROUND THE WORLD ROMANIA CHILDREN CELEBRATE PASCHA