Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral of New Orleans presents the

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1 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral New Orleans, Louisiana MARCH 20, 2016 SUNDAY OF ORTHODOXY Sunday, March 20 ~ 9:00 am Orthros, 10:00 am Divine Liturgy Parish Council on Duty Paul Andersson, Nick Bouzon, Barbara Wolf, and Ginny Zissis Sunday Church School Group Class Session in Coffee Room after Holy Communion ARTOCLASIA OFFERED FOR THE HEALTH OF THE PETROS BILALIS FAMILY Students Procession of Icons in Cathedral DOXOLOGY FOR GREEK INDEPENDENCE 12:00 pm ~ Greek School Greek Independence Day Program in Gymnasium 12:30 pm ~ Holy Trinity PTA Greek Independence Day Luncheon in Gymnasium 1:30 pm ~ Hellenic Dancers Practice in Gymnasium 6:00 pm ~ Sunday of Orthodoxy Vespers Hosting St. Basil Church Congregation Potluck Reception for Parishioners and Guests in Coffee Room following Vespers Monday, March 21 ~ 6:00 pm Great Compline Service Tuesday, March 22 ~ 9:30 am Greek Festival Pastry Workshop 6:30 pm ~ Evening Greek Festival Pastry Workshop 7:00 pm ~ Adult Beginner Greek School in Room 210 Wednesday, March 23 ~ 9:30 am Greek Festival Pastry Workshop 6:00 pm ~ Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts 7:00 pm ~ Adult Intermediate (Low Level) Greek School in Room 210 7:30 pm ~ Lenten Potluck Dinner in Gymnasium Thursday, March 24 ~ 9:00 am Book Club Meeting in Coffee Room 10:00 am ~ Archives Committee Meeting in Boardroom 6:30 pm ~ Hellenic Dancers Practice in Gymnasium Friday, March 25 ~ 9:00 am Orthros, 10:00 am Divine Liturgy ANNUNCIATION 5:30 pm ~ HTC Youth Soccer Practice and Dinner 6:00 pm ~ GOYA Potluck Dinner in Coffee Room 7:00 pm ~ Second Salutations to the Theotokos GOYA Aspile Readers Saturday, March 26 ~ 10:00 am Youth Beginner Greek School in Room :30 am ~ Adult Catechism and Inquirers Class with Father George in Boardroom 11:00 am ~ Youth Greek Dance Class in Upstairs Common Area 11:30 am ~ Youth Elementary Greek School in Room 210 2:00 pm ~ ALATZAS BAPTISM 2:00 pm ~ Philoptochos Ozanam Inn Sunday, March 27 WESTERN EASTER Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral of New Orleans presents the 2016 Family Lenten Retreat Family Retreat - Including Lunch Saturday, April 2, AM 2 PM No cost for Family Retreat Participants Our Retreat Main Speaker is His Grace Bishop Gregory of Nyssa, Primate of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of the U.S.A. Sponsored by Education, Culture & Youth Ministries Free Childcare available for preschool age children RSVP by TOMORROW, March 21, 2016 to priest@holytrinitycathedral.org For more information, go to our Facebook page or call YOUTH HYMNOLOGY PROGRAM EXPANDS The Hymnology staff is pleased to announce that the program is advancing to a new level. Working with Choir Director Alex Tiliakos, the adult choir will welcome any child in 4th grade and older to join them during Sunday Divine Liturgies. Students, who wish to participate, should be in the Cathedral choir loft by 10:00 am. They will be assigned a mentor. After Holy Communion, they will proceed to Sunday Church School but during the summer may remain throughout the service. As always, the Youth Hymnology staff truly appreciates the tremendous support and encouragement from parents, grandparents, Parish Council, ECYM, choir members, and parishioners in this important youth ministry. For further information, please contact Viki Moustoukas (vmoustouka@aol.com).

2 PARKWAY PROMENADE XXV Jefferson Beautification, Inc. will celebrate Parkway Promenade XXV on Sunday, April 3, 2016, from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Chateau Golf and Country Club in Kenner. The theme is "Cruising the Mediterranean," and the Hellenic Dancers of Holy Trinity will perform. Profits from this 25th anniversary event will help purchase Greek muses bronze sculptures for the gardens of the new Jefferson Performing Arts Center. PHILOPTOCHOS SENIOR CITIZENS LUNCHEON Seniors enjoyed the festive gathering on Thursday. Sincere appreciation is extended to Maria and Kosta Anastasiou, who sponsored the luncheon in memory of their parents, and to Maria Mellis, who sponsored the luncheon in memory of her husband Nick Mellis. Everyone enjoyed the delicious food and exciting bingo prizes and greatly appreciated the efforts of Maria Anastasiou and Cornelia Koniditsiotis, who coordinated the event. GARAGE SALE Chairperson Elaine Nugent is grateful to all, who brought in garage sale items. Everything was priced, and Dimitri Vatakis placed them in storage. However, with the busy schedules of Pascha and Greek Festival approaching, please do not bring garage sale items to the church after Sunday, April 10. Drop offs can resume three weeks after Greek Festival. PHILOPTOCHOS STEWARDSHIP DRIVE Thank you to all, who renewed their Philoptochos membership for the coming year. The Chapter is pleased to have eleven new members and encourages others to please consider joining. Even if you are unable to attend meetings, your stewardship supports many worthwhile projects. FOOD DRIVE Thank you to everyone, who brought food items for the food drive. Nonperishable food is still needed. Please bring food items to the Coffee Room and place them in the basket. SUNDAY CHURCH SCHOOL SCHEDULE TODAY All Sunday Church School students will gather today in the Coffee Room after Holy Communion for a group lesson before reentering the Cathedral for the Procession of Icons. SUNDAY OF ORTHODOXY VESPERS The Holy Trinity Cathedral family is hosting the parishioners of St. Basil Antiochian Orthodox Church tonight, March 20, at 6:00 pm for the Sunday of Orthodoxy Vespers. Father Peter Nugent will be in attendance with Father George. After the service everyone is invited to the Coffee Room for refreshments and fellowship. Make plans to attend and consider bringing a Lenten potluck item for the reception. Sunday, March 27 Continued 9:00 am Orthros, 10:00 am Divine Liturgy SUNDAY OF ST. GREGORY PALAMAS Parish Council on Duty M. Anastasiou, P. Andersson, B. Wolf, and G. Zissis Youth Hymnology and Sunday Church School after Holy Communion 12:00 pm ~ Kids' Café in Upstairs Common Area 1:00 pm ~ Hellenic Dancers Practice in Gymnasium Message from Father George ORTHODOX TEACHING ON ICONS AS APPROPRIATE Over 1,100 years ago, our Holy Orthodox Church expressed and defended the need for Holy Images (Icons) in our Churches. During the 8th Century, there was a battle over the veneration of Icons. As the early Christians were influenced by certain Moslem and pagan notions, there was a movement to rid our Churches of idols and idol worshippers. This was known as the Iconoclasm Controversy. Emperors of the Holy Roman Empire, Patriarchs of our Church, and numerous Fathers of the Church felt that icons were being worshipped as idols. Many holy people were persecuted, killed, or excommunicated from the Church due to this false teaching. In the year 843, the Empress Theodora, her son Michael the Emperor, and the Patriarch Methodios stood up for the correct teaching on the use of Icons in our Church and inspired the Seventh Ecumenical Council, which formulated doctrine on the Icons. We decide in all correctness, and after a thorough examination, that, just as the holy and vivifying Cross, similarly the holy and precious icons painted with colors, made with little stones, or with any other matter serving this purpose, should be placed in the Holy Churches of God, on vases and sacred vestments, on walls and boards, in houses and on roads, whether these are icons of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ, or our spotless Sovereign Lady, the Holy Mother of God, or the holy angels and holy and venerable men. For each time that we see their representation in an image, each time while gazing upon them, we are made to remember the prototypes, we grow to love them more, and we are even more induced to worship them by kissing them and by witnessing our veneration (προσκύνησις), not the true adoration (λατρεία), which according to our faith is proper only to the one divine nature, but in the same way as we venerate the image of the precious and vivifying cross, the Holy Gospel, and other sacred objects, which we honor with incense and candles according to the pious custom of our forefathers. Today's Feast Day commemorates the Triumph of Orthodoxy. The first celebration of this event took place on the 11th of March in the year 843, when in a great procession the icons were returned to their rightful places.

3 The Stewardship Committee thanks everyone for the tremendous support received so far in the annual Holy Trinity Cathedral Stewardship Campaign. If you have not returned your pledge yet, you may submit it to the Cathedral office or at any service. Also, there are still a number of days available for a $1,000 pledge/sponsorship. Again, thanks for your support. BOOK CLUB Everyone is welcome to the book club gathering on Thursday, March 24, at 9:00 am. The group is reading The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis; it is available at the public library. FLORAL DONATIONS FOR THE SALUTATION SERVICES The floral decorations that adorned the Panagia icon during the first Salutations to the Theotokos this past Friday were generously donated by Eleni and George Kampitsis. The Cathedral family sincerely thanks them for their consideration, as well as all of the families that pledged donations for the remaining Friday night services. Other items required for Great Lent services and throughout the year are needed. You may contact the Cathedral office at to make your donation. GREEK FESTIVAL PASTRY WORKSHOPS The Greek Festival Pastry Committee gathers each Tuesday and Wednesday from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm to prepare pastries, and everyone is asked to assist them with the preparations. Join the volunteer group as they meet twice each week, except during Holy Week. SPECIAL EVENING WORKSHOP Please consider attending a special evening Greek Festival Pastry Workshop this Tuesday, March 22, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. HELLENIC DANCERS Dance practice for the Greek Festival is each Sunday at 1:00 pm and each Thursday at 6:30 pm during Great Lent. Dancers at least fourteen (14) years old may contact Mathoula Bilalis (mathoula11@gmail.com) if interested in joining the troupe. MARCH COFFEE HOUR SPONSOR Koula Spetsiotis and family are sponsoring the desserts in March during the Coffee Hour after church services. The refreshments are offered in memory of her husband Dimitri Spetsiotis and her daughter Pagona D. Spetsiotis. The community is most grateful to the Spetsiotis family for their generosity and hospitality. If you wish to sponsor a month that remains available, call Maria Anastasiou at OCMC MISSION APPEAL UPDATE The Holy Trinity Cathedral family continues to respond to the recent appeal from Christine and Manoli Ioannidis, who seek financial assistance with their Orthodox Christian Missions Center trip to Guatemala this April. If you wish to contribute by check, please make it payable to OCMC, place the Ioannidis' name in the memo line, and mail it to the following: Presbytera Renee Ritsi Mason Manatee Way - Saint Augustine, FL You may also use the link to make your donation. D e a r P a r e n t s, G r a n d p a r e n t s, a n d G o d p a r e n t s, You are encouraged to pick up a CHURCH QUIET BAG, available in the small room on the right side of the Narthex, for your youngest Holy Trinity parishioners. The bags include religious books and quiet activities that can help your children learn about the Orthodox faith, with your guidance, during Divine Liturgy. You are also encouraged to work with the young ones during the Liturgy by having them stand up for the processions, Epistle and Gospel readings, the Nicene Creed, and the Lord's Prayer, as well as kneel at the appropriate time. Engage them in looking at the icons and quietly remind them of what they see in Church. Please return the bags in their original condition to the room in the Narthex prior to Sunday Church School so that others can enjoy them the following Sunday. The CHURCH QUIET BAGS were lovingly donated by the Moustoukas and Peterson families and sponsored by the ECYM Committee.

4 KYRA SARAKOSTI LADY LENT Kyra Sarakosti represents an old Greek tradition associated with Great Lent. She has no mouth, a sign that she is fasting, and no ears, as she refuses to listen to gossip. She wears a cross and has her arms folded reverently in prayer to evoke one's spiritual journey during the forty days. Her seven feet help track the Sundays of Lent before Pascha. She is often depicted as a nun, suggesting the kind of behavior worthy of imitating; but, there also are versions of her as a modest, pious woman. In Celebration of Greek Independence March 25, 1821 HTC PTA cordially invites you to the GREEK INDEPENDENCE DAY PROGRAM Sunday, March 20, 2016 following Divine Liturgy Hellenic Cultural Center Lenten Appetizers and Lunch, Drink, and Dessert will be served. Tickets will be sold today in the Coffee Room. Adults - $10.00 Children 12 and under - $6.00 The children have worked very hard to prepare for this event and would like to share it with everyone. COMMUNITY WIDE POTLUCK LUNCHEON IN APRIL All HTC parishioners are invited to attend the Family Day Community Wide Fasting Potluck Luncheon and "Earth Day Celebration" on Sunday, April 17, after church services for prayer, fellowship, and information about Mother Earth. All HOPE and JOY and GOYA members are encouraged to participate in an Earth Day craft, which will be provided. Contact Vicki Mantikos McCallef at vmccallef@yahoo.com or text her at with what fasting food item or drink you would like to contribute and share with everyone. VACATION CHURCH SCHOOL STAFF NEEDED Presvytera Harriet is seeking staff members for the 2016 Vacation Church School that will take place June Teachers, an arts and crafts instructor, a music instructor, and a recreation instructor, as well high school student assistants interested in obtaining community service hours, are needed. Please speak to her, if you are interested in participating in one of these capacities. It is important to start planning now! The Vacation Church School is a fun, exciting ministry for children ages 3 through middle school. SAVE THE DATE GREEK NIGHT Saturday, October 22, 2016 Sponsored by the Order of St. Markella of Chios PORTION OF PROFITS WILL BENEFIT ST. JUDE HOSPITAL SUNDAY, MARCH 13 ATTENDANCE 190 ~ CANDLE AND TRAY COLLECTIONS $933

5 APPEAL FROM THE ARCHIVES COMMITTEE Once again, an insert listing WWI and WWII veterans from the Holy Trinity Cathedral family is enclosed. The Archives Committee seeks your help in completing the list. Take time to review it and contact Maggie Maag at with your updates. Holy Trinity Cathedral Greek Orthodox Community of New Orleans 1200 ROBERT E. LEE BOULEVARD NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA Reverend Father George Wilson, Dean PHONE: (504) FAX: (504)

6 20η ΜΑΡΤΙΟΣ 2016 ΚΥΡΙΑΚΗ ΤΗΣ ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΙΑΣ ΤΩΝ ΑΓΙΩΝ ΑΒΒΑΔΩΝ ΤΩΝ ΑΝΑΙΡΕΘΕΝΤΩΝ ΕΝ ΤΗ ΜΟΝΗ ΤΟΥ ΑΓΙΟΥ ΣΑΒΒΑ Α ΚΥΡΙΑΚΗ ΤΩΝ ΝΗΣΤΕΙΩΝ Ἑωθινόν Θ 20 TH MARCH 2016 SUNDAY OF ORTHODOXY RIGHTEOUS FATHERS SLAIN AT THE MONASTERY OF ST. SAVAS FIRST SUNDAY OF THE FAST Eothion 9 Ἀπουτίκιον τῆς Ἀνάστασης Ἦχος 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 σοί, Ζωοδότα Δόξα τῇ Ἀναστάσει σου, Χριστέ, δόξα τῇ βασιλείᾳ σου, δόξα τῇ οἰκονομίᾳ σου, μόνε φιλάνθρωπε. Ἀπολυτίκιον τῆς Ἐορτής Ἦχος β Τὴν ἄχραντον Εἰκόνα σου προσκυνοῦμεν Ἀγαθέ, αἰτούμενοι συγχώρησιν τῶν πταισμάτων ἡμῶν, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, βουλήσει γὰρ ηὐδόκησας σαρκὶ ἀνελθεῖν ἐν τῷ Σταυρῶ, ἵνα ῥύσῃ οὓς ἔπλασας ἐκ τῆς δουλείας τοῦ ἐχθροῦ, ὅθεν εὐχαρίστως βοώμέν σοί, Χαρὰς ἐπλήρωσας τὰ πάντα, ὁ Σωτὴρ ἡμῶν, παραγενόμενος εἰς τὸ σῶσαι τὸν Κόσμον. Ἀπολυτίκιον τῆς Ἁγίας Τριάδας Ἦχος πλ δ Εὐλογητὸς εἶ, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, ὁ πανσόφους τοὺς ἁλιεῖς ἀναδείξας, καταπέμψας αὐτοῖς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, καὶ δι' αὐτῶν τὴν οἰκουμένην σαγηνεύσας, φιλάνθρωπε, δόξα σοί. Κοντάκιον Ἦχος πλ δ Τὴ ὑπερμάχω στρατηγῶ τὰ νικητήρια, ὡς λυτρωθεῖσα τῶν δεινῶν, εὐχαριστήρια, ἀναγράφω σοὶ ἡ Πόλις σου, Θεοτόκε, ἀλλ' ὦς ἔχουσα τὸ κράτος ἀπροσμάχητον, ἐκ παντοίων μὲ κινδύνων ἐλευθέρωσον ἵνα κράζω σοί, Χαῖρε, Νύμφη ἀνύμφευτε. Resurrection Apolytikion Tone 1 The stone had been sealed by the Jews, and soldiers were guarding your pure Body; but on the third day, Savior, you arose and gave life to the world. Wherefore the heavenly Powers cried out to you, Giver of life: Glory to your resurrection, Christ, glory to your kingdom, glory to your divine plan, you who alone love human kind. Apolytikion of the Feast Tone 2 We worship Your immaculate Image, O Good One, and ask forgiveness of our sins, O Christ God; for of Your own will You were pleased to go up on the Cross in the flesh, to deliver from slavery to the enemy those whom You have created. Therefore we thankfully cry to You: With joy You have filled all things, O our Saviour, by coming to save the world. Apolytikion of the Holy Trinity Plagal Tone 4 Blessed are You, O Christ our God, who made fishermen all-wise, sending upon them the Holy Spirit and, through them, netting the world. O Loving One, glory to You. Kontakion Plagal Tone 4 To you, the Champion Leader, we your servants dedicate hymns of victory and thanksgiving as ones rescued out of sufferings, O Theotokos. Since you are invincible in power, deliver us from all dangers, so that we may cry to you: Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride.

7 ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΟΣ Ἑβραίους ια 24-26, Ἀδελφοί, πίστει Μωϋσῆς μέγας γενόμενος ἠρνήσατο λέγεσθαι υἱὸς θυγατρὸς Φαραώ, μᾶλλον ἑλόμενος συγκακουχεῖσθαι τῷ λαῷ τοῦ θεοῦ ἢ πρόσκαιρον ἔχειν ἁμαρτίας ἀπόλαυσιν μείζονα πλοῦτον ἡγησάμενος τῶν Αἰγύπτου θησαυρῶν τὸν ὀνειδισμὸν τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἀπέβλεπεν γὰρ εἰς τὴν μισθαποδοσίαν. Καὶ τί ἔτι λέγω; Ἐπιλείψει γὰρ με διηγούμενον ὁ χρόνος περὶ Γεδεών, Βαράκ τε καὶ Σαμψών καὶ Ἰεφθάε, Δαυίδ τε καὶ Σαμουὴλ καὶ τῶν προφητῶν οἳ διὰ πίστεως κατηγωνίσαντο βασιλείας, εἰργάσαντο δικαιοσύνην, ἐπέτυχον ἐπαγγελιῶν, ἔφραξαν στόματα λεόντων, ἔσβεσαν δύναμιν πυρός, ἔφυγον στόματα μαχαίρας, ἐνεδυναμώθησαν ἀπὸ ἀσθενείας, ἐγενήθησαν ἰσχυροὶ ἐν πολέμῳ, παρεμβολὰς ἔκλιναν ἀλλοτρίων. Ἔλαβον γυναῖκες ἐξ ἀναστάσεως τοὺς νεκροὺς αὐτῶν ἄλλοι δὲ ἐτυμπανίσθησαν, οὐ προσδεξάμενοι τὴν ἀπολύτρωσιν, ἵνα κρείττονος ἀναστάσεως τύχωσιν ἕτεροι δὲ ἐμπαιγμῶν καὶ μαστίγων πεῖραν ἔλαβον, ἔτι δὲ δεσμῶν καὶ φυλακῆς ἐλιθάσθησαν, ἐπρίσθησαν, ἐπειράσθησαν, ἐν φόνῳ μαχαίρας ἀπέθανον περιῆλθον ἐν μηλωταῖς, ἐν αἰγείοις δέρμασιν, ὑστερούμενοι, θλιβόμενοι, κακουχούμενοι - ὧν οὐκ ἦν ἄξιος ὁ κόσμος - ἐν ἐρημίαις πλανώμενοι καὶ ὄρεσιν καὶ σπηλαίοις καὶ ταῖς ὀπαῖς τῆς γῆς. Καὶ οὗτοι πάντες, μαρτυρηθέντες διὰ τῆς πίστεως, οὐκ ἐκομίσαντο τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν, τοῦ θεοῦ περὶ ἡμῶν κρεῖττόν τι προβλεψαμένου, ἵνα μὴ χωρὶς ἡμῶν τελειωθῶσιν. ΤΟ ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΟΝ Ἰωάννην α Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἠθέλησεν ὁ Ιησοῦς ἐξελθεῖν εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν καὶ εὑρίσκει Φίλιππον καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ἀκολούθει μοι ἦν δὲ ὁ Φίλιππος ἀπὸ Βηθσαϊδά, ἐκ τῆς πόλεως Ανδρέου καὶ Πέτρου.εὑρίσκει Φίλιππος τὸν Ναθαναὴλ καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὃν ἔγραψε Μωϋσῆς ἐν τῷ νόμῳ καὶ οἱ προφῆται, εὑρήκαμεν, Ιησοῦν τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ Ιωσὴφ τὸν ἀπὸ Ναζαρέτ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ναθαναήλ ἐκ Ναζαρὲτ δύναταί τι ἀγαθὸν εἶναι; λέγει αὐτῷ Φίλιππος ἔρχου καὶ ἴδε εἶδεν ὁ Ιησοῦς τὸν Ναθαναὴλ ἐρχόμενον πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ λέγει περὶ αὐτοῦ ἴδε ἀληθῶς Ισραηλίτης, ἐν ᾧ δόλος οὐκ ἔστι. λέγει αὐτῷ Ναθαναήλ πόθεν με γινώσκεις; ἀπεκρίθη Ιησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ πρὸ τοῦ σε Φίλιππον φωνῆσαι, ὄντα ὑπὸ τὴν συκῆν εἶδόν σε ἀπεκρίθη Ναθαναὴλ καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ῥαββί, σὺ εἶ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, σὺ εἶ ὁ βασιλεὺς τοῦ Ισραήλ ἀπεκρίθη Ιησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὅτι εἶπόν σοι, εἶδόν σε ὑποκάτω τῆς συκῆς, πιστεύεις; μείζω τούτων ὄψει καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἀπ ἄρτι ὄψεσθε τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀνεῳγότα, καὶ τοὺς ἀγγέλους τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀναβαίνοντας καὶ καταβαίνοντας ἐπὶ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου. THE EPISTLE St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 11:24-26, Brethren, by faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to share ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets -- who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign enemies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and scourging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, illtreated -- of whom the world was not worthy -- wandering over deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though well attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had foreseen something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. THE GOSPEL John 1:43-52 At that time, Jesus decided to go to Galilee. And he found Philip and said to him, "Follow me." Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael, and he said to him, "We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!" Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Jesus answered him, "Because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You shall see greater things than these." And he said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man."