Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church 7560 South Archer Road, Justice, Illinois 60458 (708) 594-2040, fax (708) 594-8362 www.holycrossil.org office@holycrossil.org Rev. Fr. Demetrios Kounavis Parish Priest Sunday, January 8, 2017 Sunday after Theophany Gregory of Nyssa - January 10 Saint Gregory, the younger brother of Basil the Great, illustrious in speech and a zealot for the Orthodox Faith, was born in 331. His brother Basil was encouraged by their elder sister Macrina to prefer the service of God to a secular career (see July 19); Saint Gregory was moved in a similar way by his godly mother Emily, who, when Gregory was still a young man, implored him to attend a service in honor of the holy Forty Martyrs at her retreat at Annesi on the River Iris. Saint Gregory came at his mother's bidding, but being wearied with the journey, and feeling little zeal, he fell asleep during the service. The Forty Martyrs then appeared to him in a dream, threatening him and reproaching him for his slothfulness. After this he repented and became very diligent in the service of God. Gregory became bishop in 372, and because of his Orthodoxy he was exiled in 374 by Valens, who was of one mind with the Arians. After the death of Valens in 378, Gregory was recalled to his throne by the Emperor Gratian. He attended the Local Council of Antioch, which sent him to visit the churches of Arabia and Palestine, which had been defiled and ravaged by Arianism. He attended the Second Ecumenical Council, which was assembled in Constantinople in 381. Having lived some sixty years and left behind many remarkable writings, he reposed about the year 395. The acts of the Seventh Ecumenical Council call him 'Father of Fathers."
ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΗΜΕΡΑΣ EPISTLE READING FOR THE DAY ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΟΝ ΤΗΣ ΗΜΕΡΑΣ GOSPEL READING FOR THE DAY Πρὸς Ἐφεσίους 4:7-13 Ἀδελφοί, ἑνὶ ἑκάστῳ ἡμῶν ἐδόθη ἡ χάρις κατὰ τὸ μέτρον τῆς δωρεᾶς τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Διὸ λέγει, Ἀναβὰς εἰς ὕψος ᾐχμαλώτευσεν αἰχμαλωσίαν, καὶ ἔδωκεν δόματα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις. Τὸ δέ, Ἀνέβη, τί ἐστιν εἰ μὴ ὅτι καὶ κατέβη πρῶτον εἰς τὰ κατώτερα μέρη τῆς γῆς; Ὁ καταβάς, αὐτός ἐστιν καὶ ὁ ἀναβὰς ὑπεράνω πάντων τῶν οὐρανῶν, ἵνα πληρώσῃ τὰ πάντα. Καὶ αὐτὸς ἔδωκεν τοὺς μὲν ἀποστόλους, τοὺς δὲ προφήτας, τοὺς δὲ εὐαγγελιστάς, τοὺς δὲ ποιμένας καὶ διδασκάλους, πρὸς τὸν καταρτισμὸν τῶν ἁγίων, εἰς ἔργον διακονίας, εἰς οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ σώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ μέχρι καταντήσωμεν οἱ πάντες εἰς τὴν ἑνότητα τῆς πίστεως καὶ τῆς ἐπιγνώσεως τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ, εἰς ἄνδρα τέλειον, εἰς μέτρον ἡλικίας τοῦ πληρώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ. St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians 4:7-13 BRETHREN, grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore it is said, "When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men." (in saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is he who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. Κατὰ 4:12-17 Ματθαῖον Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ Ιησοῦς ὅτι Ιωάννης παρεδόθη, ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν, καὶ καταλιπὼν τὴν Ναζαρὲτ ἐλθὼν κατῴκησεν εἰς Καπερναοὺμ τὴν παραθαλασσίαν ἐν ὁρίοις Ζαβουλὼν καὶ Νεφθαλείμ, ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ Ησαΐου τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος γῆ Ζαβουλὼν καὶ γῆ Νεφθαλείμ, ὁδὸν θαλάσσης, πέραν τοῦ Ιορδάνου, Γαλιλαία τῶν ἐθνῶν, ὁ λαὸς ὁ καθήμενος ἐν σκότει εἶδε φῶς μέγα, καὶ τοῖς καθημένοις ἐν χώρᾳ καὶ σκιᾷ θανάτου φῶς ἀνέτειλεν αὐτοῖς. Απὸ τότε ἤρξατο ὁ Ιησοῦς κηρύσσειν καὶ λέγειν μετανοεῖτε ἤγγικε γὰρ ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν. The Gospel according to Matthew 4:12-17 At that time, Jesus heard that John had been arrested, He withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth He went and dwelt in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, toward the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned." From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
CHRISTIAN VALUES by St. Nikolai Velimirovich The Christian Faith is the only Faith in the world that has one determined and never changing standard of values. About how it [Christianity] measures and classifies its values, St. John Chrysostom speaks clearly. He says, "Things have a three-fold distinction: the first are good and cannot be evil, for example: wisdom, charity and the like; the second are evil and can never be good, for example: perversion, inhumanity and cruelty. The third, at times becomes this or at times becomes that, whenever, according to the disposition of those who make use of it." This divine teacher explains, "how riches and poverty, and freedom and slavery, and power and disease and even death itself fall into the neutral distinction which, are neither good nor evil by themselves, but become either this or that according to the disposition of men and according to the use which men make of them. For example, if riches were good and poverty evil, then all rich men would be good and all the poor would be evil. However, we are daily convinced that as there are good and evil rich men, so also are there good and evil poor men. The same can be applied to the healthy and the sick, to the free and the enslaved, to the satiated and the hungry, to those who are in authority and to those under subjugation. Even death is not evil, for the martyrs, through death, became more fortunate than all." HOLY LAND TRIP 2017 Έχουν ξεκινήσει προετοιμασίες για Προσκυνηματικό Ταξίδι στα Ιεροσόλυμα και στο Σινά μαζί με την ενορία του Αγ. Νικολάου και τον π. Χριστόδουλο. Θα αναχωρήσουμε αρχές Νοεμβρίου 2017. Εάν θέλετε να ταξιδέψετε σε αυτά τα άγια μέρη, να μιλήσετε με τον π. Δημήτριο. In conjunction with St. Nicholas Church and Fr. Christodoulos, we are planning a trip to the Holy Land and Mt. Sinai. We are looking at November 2017 as our departure date. Details will be coming soon. This is a once in an lifetime experience!
Η σημασία της οικογένειας για τη χριστιανική ζωή π. Ἀλέξανδρου Σμέμαν Για την ορθόδοξη αντίληψη, το σπίτι και ἡ οικογένεια αποτελούν την πρώτη και βασικότερη περιοχή τής χριστιανικής ζωής ἤ τής ε- φαρμογής των χριστιανικών ἀρχῶν στην καθημερινή ζωή. Το σπίτι, δηλαδή το στύλ και το πνεύμα τής οικογενειακής ζωής και όχι το σχολείο, ακόμα ούτε και ἡ Εκκλησία, είναι εκείνο πού σχηματίζει μέσα μας τη θεμελιακή αντίληψη για τον κόσμο πού μορφοποιεί στο εσωτερικό μας το βασικό προσανατολισμό τον ὁποιο ίσως για αρκετό διάστημα δεν τον καταλαβαίνουμε, αλλά πού τελικά θα γίνει ένας αποφασιστικός παράγοντας. Ὁ στάρετς Ζωσιμάς τού Dοstοyevsky στους Ἀδελφούς Καραμαζώφ λέει: «εκείνος πού μπορεί να έχει καλές αναμνήσεις ἀπὸ την παιδική του ηλικία είναι σωσμένος για όλη του τη ζωή». Το σημαντικό δε είναι ότι κάνει αυτή την παρατήρηση ύστερα ἀπὸ τη θύμηση τής μητέρας του πού τον είχε πάρει μαζί της στη Θεία Λειτουργία των Προηγιασμένων. Θυμάται την ὀμορφιά τής ακολουθίας, τη μοναδική μελωδία τού κατανυκτικού «κατευθυνθήτω ἡ προσευχή μου ως θυμίαμα ἐνώπιόν σου». Ἡ υπέροχη προσπάθεια για θρησκευτική αγωγή πού γίνεται σήμερα στα κατηχητικά σχολεία δε σημαίνει και πολλά πράγματα, αν δεν βασίζεται στη ζωή τής οικογένειας. ΜΙΑ ΠΡΟΣΕΥΧΗ Αλεξάντερ Σολζενίτσιν Πόσο εύκολο να ζω μαζί σου, Κύριε! Πόσο εύκολο να πιστεύω σε Σένα! Όταν ο νους μου ψάχνει απεγνωσμένα ή ατονεί μες την παραζάλη, όταν κι ο πιο έξυπνος ανάμεσά μας δεν μπορεί να δει πέρα απ αυτό το βράδυ, μη ξέροντας τι να κάνει αύριο Συ μου στέλνεις τη φώτιση να γνωρίζω ότι υπάρχεις και ότι θα φροντίσεις να μη χαθούν όλα τα μονοπάτια της αγαθότητός Σου. Απ την κορφή της κοσμικής δόξας κοιτάζω με δέος πίσω στις μέρες τις χωρίς ελπίδα σ εκείνο το μέρος, απ όπου μπορούσα να στέλνω στην ανθρωπότητα ένα καθρέφτισμα των ακτίνων Σου. Κι όσο χρόνο χρειαστώ ακόμη θα μου τον δώσεις. Κι ό,τι δεν κατορθώσω σίγουρα θα το έχεις παραχωρήσει σε άλλους. Μετάφραση: Δημήτρης Δημουλάς
Understanding Through Doing by St. Nikoali Velimirovich "Whoever chooses to do His will [God's Will] shall know whether my teaching is from God" (St. John 7:57). It benefits little to prove by human logic and words that the teaching of Christ is the teaching from God. The fastest and most reliable way to know this is truth is to do the will of God in the same way that Christ proclaimed it and testified to it. Whosoever would do this, that one will know that the teaching of Christ is the teaching from God. If you cry for the sake of God, you will know what kind of comfort He is. If you are merciful, you know the mercy of God. If you build peace, you will know how it becomes you to be called the Son of God. If you forgive men, you will know God forgives you. Never can anyone be able to know that the teaching of Christ is the teaching from God, except he who does the Will of God. For only doing the Will of God, fulfilling the commandments of God, that is the key for unlocking Paradise in which God is seen. That is the key for understanding Holy Scripture and all the mysteries of revelation. St. Basil writes: "In order to understand that which is hidden in Sacred Scripture, purity of life is needed." What else does the Lord want from us when He teaches us that through doing His will, we arrive at the understanding of the divinity of His teaching? He simply wants that we, by our deeds, become convinced of the divinity of His teaching. He does not want that we be convinced of this in an easy manner, but rather in a more difficult manner, not only by listening but by doing, because whoever is convinced in an easy manner will easily waver and change his mind and for him who is convinced in a difficult manner, it would be difficult for him to change his mind. Brethren, that is why we must endeavor to fulfill the Will of God in order that we may know God and save our soul. O Lord, All-Wise, help us by the power of Your Holy Spirit to do Your will. To You be glory and thanks always. Amen. HOLY COMMUNION While we pray and work for the reconciliation and unity of all the world s Christians, the reality remains that there is still no intercommunion between our Orthodox Churches and the Churches of the West. This means that only baptized, chrismated and observant Orthodox faithful receive communion in our churches. At the same time, we warmly welcome all non- Orthodox to join us in prayer and celebration, and humbly offer to all present the Antidoro bread of fellowship at the end of the service. We offer this important symbol instead of the Gifts, in the words of the Apostle Paul, Till we all come to the unity of the Faith (Eph. 4.13). DATES TO REMEMBER January 8: Parish Council Elections January 8: Dive for the Cross January 22: Godparent Sunday February 5: Women s Luncheon February 12: Couples Ministry February 19: Apokreatiko Glendi February 26: Makaronada Luncehon February 27: Start of Lent
WEEKLY EVENTS TODAY Parish Council Elections Parish Vasilopita 5pm - Annual Dive for the Cross at Argo High School Tuesday, January 10 7pm - Parish Council Meeting Saturday, January 14 10am - Greek School ΗΜΕΡΟΛΟΓΙΟ ΣΗΜΕΡΑ Parish Council Elections Κοπή της Βασιλόπιτας 5.00μ.μ. Κατάδυση Τ. Σταυρού στο Argo High School Τρίτη, 10 Ιανουαρίου 7μ.μ. Συνεδρίαση Δ. Συμβουλίου Σάββατο, 14 Ιανουαρίου 10π.μ. Ελληνικό Σχολείο MEMORIALS Sofronios Kosteris, 40 days, Right 1 Markos Athitakis, 6 months, Right 2 May their memory be eternal! ARTOCLASIA Today s Artoclasia is offered for the health of the Chris Alexander Family. BLESSING OF HOMES AND BUSINESSES On January 6th the Orthodox Church celebrates the Feast of Holy Theophany, which is the baptism of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We celebrate this feast by having our homes and businesses blessed. Please call the church office to schedule your blessing. FELLOWSHIP Today s coffee and luncheon fellowship is hosted in memory of Sofronios Kosteris. Everyone is invited to our community hall to enjoy fellowship. May his memory be eternal!