Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church Sunday, September 2, 2018 14th Sunday of Matthew Protocol No. 123/18 - September 1, 2018 Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ, On this Feast of the Indiction at the beginning of the ecclesiastical new year, we are led by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to observe the Day for the Protection of our Natural Environment. The relationship of this observance and our commemoration of the Feast was established in 1989 in an encyclical of Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios I, in which he urged all faithful in the world to admonish themselves and their children to respect and protect the natural environment, and all those who are entrusted with the responsibility of governing nations to act without delay in taking all necessary measures for the protection and preservation of natural creation (Protocol No. 629). Since then the Day for the Protection of our Natural Environment has been adopted by all Orthodox Churches, while many other Christian churches have also followed the lead of the Orthodox Church by adopting September 1st as the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. This proclamation and exhortation by Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios, and the many years of global leadership and pastoral ministry of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in relation to care for our natural environment, affirm the priority of this observance as we enter the new cycle of feasts and commemorations. Today, in our hymns we sing, O eternal Word and Son of God You are the Author, the Creator of the visible and invisible world. Bless the crown of the year! We proclaim, O Word of God, who exists before all time, You have created all things in wisdom, and by Your all -powerful word, You organized the whole cosmos. Thus, we encourage every parish and individual to heed this message by developing programs to assist our communities in becoming better stewards of creation. As a practical way to help in this journey, a special toolkit has been compiled a toolkit that can be found at ecumenical.goarch.org. This Feast and those that will follow in the months to come are a witness of our relationship with the created order through our relationship with Christ. We acknowledge before all of the world that our Lord created all things by bringing them into being out of nothing. We proclaim that He is our Creator, expressing our petitions and hope for peace and protection, for renewal and salvation. In our respect for all that He has made, in seeing the created order as the work of God and not merely natural resources, in affirming that each and every person bears His image and likeness, we are called to be wise and faithful stewards. Every time we gather in worship and for the Divine Liturgy we affirm this calling in the offering of the Holy Eucharist through the created elements of bread and wine. In his inaugural encyclical for this observance, Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios stated, In this way the Church continuously declares that man is destined not to exercise power over creation as if he were the owner of it, but to act as its steward, cultivating it in love and referring it in thankfulness with respect and reverence to its Creator. The celebration of the Holy Eucharist embodies our witness of caring for our natural environment. We care for the created order in reverence and love, cultivating it for our physical needs and for those of others; and we offer the elements as gifts to God in thankfulness so that He may consecrate them as a means of His grace. As we enter upon a new season, a time of beginnings as the land is cultivated and our children and youth return to school, a time of renewal as we seek to strengthen our faith and follow the ways of the Lord, may we also strengthen our relationship with the created order. May we reconnect with the beauty, diversity, sustenance and life that comes from the world that God has made. May we affirm our divine calling to protect our natural environment as His creation, and as Orthodox Christians offer our support for the leadership and ministry of His All- Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and our beloved Ecumenical Patriarchate. May this ecclesiastical year be filled with the peace, blessings and protection of Christ, our Creator and Redeemer. With paternal love in Him, +DEMETRIOS, Archbishop of America 7560 South Archer Road, Justice, Illinois 60458 (708) 594-2040, fax (708) 594-8362 Web: www.holycrossil.org; Email: office@holycrossil.org Rev. Fr. Demetrios Kounavis Parish Priest
ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΗΜΕΡΑΣ EPISTLE READING FOR THE DAY ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΟΝ ΤΗΣ ΗΜΕΡΑΣ GOSPEL READING FOR THE DAY Ἀδελφοί, ὁ βεβαιῶν ἡμᾶς σὺν ὑμῖν εἰς Χριστόν, καὶ χρίσας ἡμᾶς, θεός, ὁ καὶ σφραγισάμενος ἡμᾶς, καὶ δοὺς τὸν ἀρραβῶνα τοῦ πνεύματος ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν. Ἐγὼ δὲ μάρτυρα τὸν θεὸν ἐπικαλοῦμαι ἐπὶ τὴν ἐμὴν ψυχήν, ὅτι φειδόμενος ὑμῶν οὐκέτι ἦλθον εἰς Κόρινθον. Οὐχ ὅτι κυριεύομεν ὑμῶν τῆς πίστεως, ἀλλὰ συνεργοί ἐσμεν τῆς χαρᾶς ὑμῶν τῇ γὰρ πίστει ἑστήκατε. Ἔκρινα δὲ ἐμαυτῷ τοῦτο, τὸ μὴ πάλιν ἐν λύπῃ πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐλθεῖν. Εἰ γὰρ ἐγὼ λυπῶ ὑμᾶς, καὶ τίς ἐστιν ὁ εὐφραίνων με, εἰ μὴ ὁ λυπούμενος ἐξ ἐμοῦ; Καὶ ἔγραψα ὑμῖν τοῦτο αὐτό, ἵνα μὴ ἐλθὼν λύπην ἔχω ἀφʼ ὧν ἔδει με χαίρειν, πεποιθὼς ἐπὶ πάντας ὑμᾶς, ὅτι ἡ ἐμὴ χαρὰ πάντων ὑμῶν ἐστίν. Ἐκ γὰρ πολλῆς θλίψεως καὶ συνοχῆς καρδίας ἔγραψα ὑμῖν διὰ πολλῶν δακρύων, οὐχ ἵνα λυπηθῆτε, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἀγάπην ἵνα γνῶτε ἣν ἔχω περισσοτέρως εἰς ὑμᾶς. Brethren, it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has commissioned us; he has put his seal upon us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. But I call God to witness against me - it was to spare you that I refrained from coming to Corinth. Not that we lord it over your faith; we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith. For I made up my mind not to make you another painful visit. For if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained? And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for I felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all. For I wrote you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you. Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τὴν παραβολὴν ταύτην Ὡμοιώθη ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀνθρώπῳ βασιλεῖ, ὅστις ἐποίησε γάμους τῷ υἱῷ αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ἀπέστειλε τοὺς δούλους αὐτοῦ καλέσαι τοὺς κεκλημένους εἰς τοὺς γάμους, καὶ οὐκ ἤθελον ἐλθεῖν. Πάλιν ἀπέστειλεν ἄλλους δούλους λέγων Εἴπατε τοῖς κεκλημένοις ἰδοὺ τὸ ἄριστόν μου ἡτοίμασα, οἱ ταῦροί μου καὶ τὰ σιτιστὰ τεθυμένα, καὶ πάντα ἕτοιμα δεῦτε εἰς τοὺς γάμους. οἱ δὲ ἀμελήσαντες ἀπῆλθον, ὃς μὲν εἰς τὸν ἴδιον ἀγρόν, ὃς δὲ εἰς τὴν ἐμπορίαν αὐτοῦ οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ κρατήσαντες τοὺς δούλους αὐτοῦ ὕβρισαν καὶ ἀπέκτειναν. Ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐκεῖνος ὠργίσθη, καὶ πέμψας τὰ στρατεύματα αὐτοῦ ἀπώλεσε τοὺς φονεῖς ἐκείνους καὶ τὴν πόλιν αὐτῶν ἐνέπρησε. Τότε λέγει τοῖς δούλοις αὐτοῦ Ο μὲν γάμος ἕτοιμός ἐστιν, οἱ δὲ κεκλημένοι οὐκ ἦσαν ἄξιοι πορεύεσθε οὖν ἐπὶ τὰς διεξόδους τῶν ὁδῶν, καὶ ὅσους ἐὰν εὕρητε καλέσατε εἰς τοὺς γάμους. Καὶ ἐξελθόντες οἱ δοῦλοι ἐκεῖνοι εἰς τὰς ὁδοὺς συνήγαγον πάντας ὅσους εὗρον, πονηρούς τε καὶ ἀγαθούς καὶ ἐπλήσθη ὁ γάμος ἀνακειμένων. Εἰσελθὼν δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς θεάσασθαι τοὺς ἀνακειμένους εἶδεν ἐκεῖ ἄνθρωπον οὐκ ἐνδεδυμένον ἔνδυμα γάμου, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ Ἐταῖρε, πῶς εἰσῆλθες ὧδε μὴ ἔχων ἔνδυμα γάμου; Ο δὲ ἐφιμώθη. Τότε εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τοῖς διακόνοις Δήσαντες αὐτοῦ πόδας καὶ χεῖρας ἄρατε αὐτὸν καὶ ἐκβάλετε εἰς τὸ σκότος τὸ ἐξώτερον ἐκεῖ ἔσται ὁ κλαυθμὸς καὶ ὁ βρυγμὸς τῶν ὀδόντων. Πολλοὶ γάρ εἰσι κλητοὶ, ὀλίγοι δὲ ἐκλεκτοί. The Lord said this parable, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a marriage feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the marriage feast; but they would not come. Again he sent other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, Behold, I have made ready my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves are killed, and everything is ready; come to the marriage feast.' But they made light of it and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the thoroughfares, and invite to the marriage feast as many as you find.' And those servants went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good; so the wedding hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment; and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, 'Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.' For many are called, but few are chosen."
Οι Δέκα Εντολές Πατέρα, είπε την Κυριακή ο μικρός στον πατέρα του, έχω την άδειά σου να πάω στην Εκκλησία; -Όχι, απάντησε ο άπιστος πατέρας. Η Εκκλησία δεν είναι για σένα. Είναι για τους γέρους και τις γριές. -Μα, πατερούλη μου, είπε ο μικρός, στο σχολείο έμαθα ότι η Τετάρτη εντολή του Θεού λέει να πηγαίνουμε κάθε Κυριακή στην Εκκλησία, για να λατρεύουμε τον Θεό. -Αυτό είναι ανοησία, συνέχισε πεισματικά ο πατέρας. -Αλλά τότε, πατέρα μου, αν είναι ανοησία να εφαρμόζουμε την Τετάρτη ε- ντολή, θα είναι επίσης ανοησία να προσέχουμε την Πέμπτη εντολή που λέει να σεβώμεθα τους γονείς μας! Τα λόγια αυτά έπεσαν σαν κεραυνός στα αυτιά του πατέρα, που τελικώς α- ποδέχθηκε το μήνυμα του μικρού παιδιού του. Γιατί ο Θεός μας διδάσκει πολλές φορές όχι μόνο δια των μικρών παιδιών αλλά και δια των νηπίων. ************************************** Τα δένδρα όταν σαλεύωνται από τους ανέμους, ριζώνουν και ψηλώνουν περισσότερο. Έτσι και οι άνθρωποι που δοκιμάζονται επιστηρίζονται στην δύναμη και την πρόνοια του Θεού. -Μέγας Αντώνιος Humility Humility is constant forgetfulness of one s achievements, someone says. It is the admission that in all the world one is the least important and is also the greater sinner, another says. It is the mind s awareness that one is weak and helpless, a third says. It is to forestall one s neighbor at a contentious moment and to be the first to end a quarrel. It is the acknowledgement of divine grace and divine mercy. It is the disposition of a contrite soul and the abdication of one s own will....i collected what those learned and blessed fathers had said and went on from there to propose my own definition: Humility is a grace in the soul and with a name known only to those who have had experience of it. It is indescribable wealth, a name and a gift from God. Learn from Me, He said; that is, not from an angel, not from a man, not from a book, but from Me, that is, from My dwelling within you, from My illumination and action within you, for I am gentle and meek of heart (Matt. 11:29) in thought and in spirit, and your soul will find rest from conflicts and relief from evil thoughts. - St. John Climacus
SOPHOCLES GREEK SCHOOL Sophocles Greek School of Holy Cross is a Christ-centered school, embracing students with Greek educational philosophy, principles and Christian values. We offer a program of Greek education for children of all ages, from preschool through the high school level. This program meets on Saturday from 10:00am to 2:00pm. The Program begins on Saturday, September 8th at 10:00am with Agiasmos. Registration will begin on August 20th, Monday through Friday 9:00am to 2:00pm and Sundays after Divine Liturgy. For further information, please contact the principal of Sophocles Greek School, Maria Poulos, at 708-974-0622 or our church office at 708-594-2040. Thank you for your support! VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR OUR CHURCH S MINISTRIES! Areas that you can help in include and are not limited to: Sunday Church School, Greek School, Philoptochos, Outreach Committee, Family Night, HOPE Group, Adult Religious Education in Greek and English, St. Valentine s Couples Ministry, Church Festival, Office Work, Church Cleaning, etc. Our Church has a place for everyone! Please see Fr. Demetri ASAP so we can plan our church calendar starting in the fall!
Όλα μας διδάσκουν Το άστρο που λάμπει στον ουρανό μας φωνάζει: Να είστε φωτεινοί! Το δένδρο που μας δίνει τους γευστικούς του καρπούς μας λέει: Να είστε καρποφόροι. Η μέλισσα που πηγαινοέρχεται στην κυψέλη μας τονίζει: Να είστε εργατικοί! Το ποτάμι που τρέχει μας υπενθυμίζει: Τίποτε δεν είναι σταθερό και μόνημο στον κόσμο! Το φύλλο που πέφτει από το δένδρο, διακηρύττει: Όλα στον κόσμο αυτό είναι μάταια, όταν δεν έχουν αντίκρυσμα στον ουρανό. *************************************** Remembrance of God Learn to think of God not only when you are standing at prayer, but also at every hour and at every minute, for He is everywhere. From this peace will pour into your heart, giving strength for daily business and a regulating of affairs. Your present desire of drawing closer to God will be completely realized in this way. Just as someone standing in the sunshine is warm, so too is the person who always remembers God. -St. Theophan the Recluse 2018 STEWARDSHIP Stewardship pledge cards can be picked up at the church office; we ask that you prayerfully consider what you will offer to our beloved parish of Holy Cross in 2018. Our beloved parish requires approximately $753 per day to operate or an annual pledge average of $1375 per family. As always, we remain appreciative for all that you lovingly give. SAVE THE DATE September 11: Christianiki Philoxenia at Sts. Constantine and Helen, Palos Hills September 13: Vespers for the Elevation of the Holy Cross September 14: Elevation of the Holy Cross September 16: Sunday Church School begins with celebration September 18: Family Night Movie Night September 19: Orthodox Book Study in English begins September 20: HOPE Group and Orthodoxi Zoe in Greek begin September 22: Metropolis of Chicago Philoptochos Luncheon at Café la Cave September 23: St. Valentine Couples Ministry October 7: Women s Group Outing October 11: Christianiki Philoxenia HERE October 13: Fall Food Fest October 21: Family Fall Outing October 28: Sunday Church School Fall into the Saints
WEEKLY EVENTS Monday, September 3 Office Closed Tuesday, September 4 7pm - Philoptochos Meeting Saturday, September 8 8:30am - Nativity of the Theotokos 10am - Greek School begins with Agiasmos 11am - Church Cleaning Sunday, September 9 Altar Boy Workshop Sunday Church School Staff meeting ΗΜΕΡΟΛΟΓΙΟ Δευτέρα, 3 Σεπτεμβρίου Γραφείο κλειστό Τρίτη, 4 Σεπτεμβρίου 7μ.μ. - Συνεδρίαση Φιλοπτώχου Σάββατο, 8 Σεπτεμβρίου 8.30π.μ. - Γενέθλιον της Θεοτόκου 10π.μ. - Ελληνικό Σχολείο με Αγιασμό 11π.μ. - Καθαρισμός της Εκκλησίας Κυριακή, 9 Σεπτεμβρίου Συνεδρίαση Ιεροπαίδων Συνεδ. Δασκάλων Κατηχητικού Σχολείου MEMORIALS Paul Karounos 40 days, Left 1-4 George Kollias 40 days, Right 1-4 May their memory be eternal! Today s coffee fellowship is hosted by the Karounos and Kollias families in memory of their loved ones, Paul Karounos and George Kollias. Everyone is invited to our community hall to enjoy fellowship. May their memory be eternal.