Archangel Michael Church Η Εκκλησία του Αρχαγγέλου Μιχαήλ 100 Fairway Drive, Port Washington, NY 11050 Phone: (516) 944-3180 Web Site: www.archangelmichaelchurch.org Clergy: Fr. John Lardas, Fr. Joshua Pappas, Fr. Dennis Strouzas Jan. 22, 2017 15 th Sunday of Luke Pl. 2 nd Mode 9 th Morning Gospel Last Tuesday, we celebrated the life and memory of St Anthony the Great (+356 AD), the so-called Father of Monastics. His parents died when he was 18 years old, leaving him a considerable inheritance. All was normal thereafter until, one day, he heard the following Gospel passage during Liturgy: If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me (Matt. 19:21). St Anthony was pierced to the core; he could no longer continue living the same life after such a profound experience with divine grace. So what did he do? He sold all his possessions and entered the solitude of the Egyptian desert to find true knowledge, both of himself and of God. What ensued was nothing less than a heroic effort to seek God in the middle of overwhelming temptations. Tradition tells us that St Anthony experienced such intense temptations that his body literally suffered bruises from evil forces. What was he battling? According to St Athanasios The Life of St Anthony, he struggled primarily with boredom, laziness, and lust. But he persisted. At one point, he spent 20 years in total solitude in an abandoned Roman fortress, receiving food through a small crevice in the wall. He emerged a new man who maintained utter equilibrium, according to St Athanasios; he was neither elated nor dejected, but maintained a grounded joy and peace no matter what went on around him. Because of his immense self-control, inner stillness, and absolute devotion to Christ, he was granted extraordinary spiritual gifts and developed a larger-than-life reputation. People flocked to him for spiritual guidance and disciples joined him in the desert, leading eventually to communal monasticism as we know it today. God once revealed to St Antony the Great a shoemaker living in the bustling city of Alexandria who surpassed him in holiness. St Anthony a hermit living in total self-denial, silence, and prayer was naturally surprised. But he was also humble and keen to learn from the shoemaker, so he went to encounter this man. Whom did he discover? A married man who prayed every morning, worked hard, supported and loved his family, ate meals with a spirit of thanksgiving, and split his income evenly between the poor, the Church, and his family. The real lesson St Antony took away, however, was humility. You see, the shoemaker thought nothing of himself. He considered himself weak, sinful, in great need of God s mercy; he prayed eagerly for all to be saved at the expense of his own wretched soul.
Άγιοι και Εορτές Tοῦ Ἁγίου Ἀποστόλου Τιµοθέου, µαθητοῦ τοῦ Ἁγίου Ἀποστόλου Παύλου. Tοῦ Ἁγίου Ὁσιοµάρτυρος Ἀναστασίου τοῦ Πέρσου. Tῶν Ἁγίων Μαρτύρων Μανουήλ, Γεωργίου, Πέτρου, Λέοντος, Σιωνίου, Γαβριήλ, Ἰωάννου, Λέοντος, Παρόδου, καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν τριακοσίων ἑβδοµήκοντα ἑπτά. Α πολυτίκιον Α ναστα σιμον Ἀγγελικαὶ Δυνάµεις ἐπὶ τὸ µνῆµά σου, καὶ οἱ φυλάσσοντες ἀπενεκρώθησαν, καὶ ἵστατο Μαρία ἐν τῷ τάφῳ, ζητοῦσα τὸ ἄχραντόν σου σῶµα. Ἐσκύλευσας τὸν ᾍδην, µὴ πειρασθεὶς ὑπ' αὐτοῦ, ὑπήντησας τῇ Παρθένῳ, δωρούµενος τὴν ζωήν, ὁ ἀναστὰς ἐκ των νεκρῶν, Κύριε δόξα σοι. Τοῦ Ἁγίου (Ταχὺ προκατάλαβε) Ὁ Μάρτυς σου Κύριε, ἐν τῇ ἀθλήσει αὐτοῦ, τὸ στέφος ἐκοµίσατο τῆς ἀφθαρσίας, ἐκ σοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡµῶν ἔχων γὰρ τὴν ἰσχύν σου, τοὺς τυράννους καθεῖλεν ἔθραυσε καὶ δαιµόνων, τὰ ἀνίσχυρα θράση, αὐτοῦ ταῖς ἱκεσίαις Χριστέ, σῶσον τὰς ψυχὰς ἡµῶν 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. Κοντα κιον Ὁ µήτραν παρθενικὴν ἁγιάσας τῷ τόκῳ σου, καὶ χεῖρας τοῦ Συµεὼν εὐλογήσας ὡς ἔπρεπε, προφθάσας καὶ νῦν ἔσωσας ἡµᾶς Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός. Ἀλλ' εἰρήνευσον ἐν πολέµοις τὸ πολίτευµα, καὶ κραταίωσον Βασιλεῖς οὓς ἠγάπησας, ὁ µόνος φιλάνθρωπος. Saints and Feasts The holy Apostle Timothy, disciple of the holy Apostle Paul; the holy devout martyr Anastasios of Persia; the holy martyrs Manual, George, Peter, Leo, Sionios, Gabriel, John, Leo, Parodos, and the other three hundred seventy-seven. Resurrectional Hymn (Pl. 2 nd Mode) The Angelic Powers appeared at Your tomb; the soldiers guarding it became as dead men, and Mary stood at Your grave seeking Your most pure body. But You made hell a captive; You were untouched by its might. You came to the Virgin and granted life, O Lord who rose from the dead. Glory to You. Hymn of the Saint Your Martyr, O Lord, was worthily awarded by You * the crown of incorruption, in that he contested for You our immortal God. * Since he possessed Your power, he defeated the tyrants, * dashing the demons' powerless displays of defiance. * O Christ God, at his fervent entreaties, save our souls. Hymn of the Archangels Supreme Commanders of * the hosts of the Heavens * we, the unworthy, importune and beseech you * that by 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 heavenly hosts on high. Kontakion of the Feast (1 st Mode) You sanctified the Virgin s womb by Your birth, O Lord, and blessed the hands of Symeon fittingly, O Christ God; and even now You came and saved us. Now, give peace to our Nation in time of war, and empower our Leaders, so loved by You, the only one who loves humanity.
Today s Scripture Readings St. Paul's First Letter to Timothy 4:9-15 TIMOTHY, my son, the saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance. For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. Command and teach these things. Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Till I come, attend to the public reading of scripture, to preaching, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophetic utterance when the council of elders laid their hands upon you. Practice these duties, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress. Πρὸς Τιμόθεον α' 4:9-15 Τέκνον Τιμόθεε, πιστὸς ὁ λόγος καὶ πάσης ἀποδοχῆς ἄξιος. Εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ κοπιῶμεν καὶ ὀνειδιζόμεθα, ὅτι ἠλπίκαμεν ἐπὶ θεῷ ζῶντι, ὅς ἐστιν σωτὴρ πάντων ἀνθρώπων, μάλιστα πιστῶν. Παράγγελλε ταῦτα καὶ δίδασκε. Μηδείς σου τῆς νεότητος καταφρονείτω, ἀλλὰ τύπος γίνου τῶν πιστῶν ἐν λόγῳ, ἐν ἀναστροφῇ, ἐν ἀγάπῃ, ἐν πνεύματι, ἐν πίστει, ἐν ἁγνείᾳ. Ἕως ἔρχομαι, πρόσεχε τῇ ἀναγνώσει, τῇ παρακλήσει, τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ. Μὴ ἀμέλει τοῦ ἐν σοὶ χαρίσματος, ὃ ἐδόθη σοι διὰ προφητείας μετὰ ἐπιθέσεως τῶν χειρῶν τοῦ πρεσβυτερίου. Ταῦτα μελέτα, ἐν τούτοις ἴσθι, ἵνα σου ἡ προκοπὴ φανερὰ ᾖ ἐν πᾶσιν. The Gospel according to Luke 19:1-10 At that time, Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. And there was a man named Zacchaios; he was a chief collector, and rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not, on account of the crowd, because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaios, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today." So he made haste and came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw it they all murmured, "He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner." And Zacchaios stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost." Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 19:1-10 Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, διήρχετο τὴν Ιεριχώ καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀνὴρ ὀνόματι καλούμενος Ζακχαῖος, καὶ αὐτὸς ἦν ἀρχιτελώνης, καὶ οὗτος ἦν πλούσιος, καὶ ἐζήτει ἰδεῖν τὸν Ιησοῦν τίς ἐστι, καὶ οὐκ ἠδύνατο ἀπὸ τοῦ ὄχλου, ὅτι τῇ ἡλικίᾳ μικρὸς ἦν. καὶ προδραμὼν ἔμπροσθεν ἀνέβη ἐπὶ συκομορέαν, ἵνα ἴδῃ αὐτόν, ὅτι ἐκείνης ἤμελλε διέρχεσθαι. καὶ ὡς ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον, ἀναβλέψας ὁ Ιησοῦς εἶδεν αὐτὸν καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτόν Ζακχαῖε, σπεύσας κατάβηθι σήμερον γὰρ ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ σου δεῖ με μεῖναι. καὶ σπεύσας κατέβη, καὶ ὑπεδέξατο αὐτὸν χαίρων. καὶ ἰδόντες πάντες διεγόγγυζον λέγοντες ὅτι παρὰ ἁμαρτωλῷ ἀνδρὶ εἰσῆλθε καταλῦσαι. σταθεὶς δὲ Ζακχαῖος εἶπε πρὸς τὸν Κύριον ἰδοὺ τὰ ἡμίση τῶν ὑπαρχόντων μου, Κύριε, δίδωμι τοῖς πτωχοῖς, καὶ εἴ τινός τι ἐσυκοφάντησα, ἀποδίδωμι τετραπλοῦν. εἶπε δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ Ιησοῦς ὅτι σήμερον σωτηρία τῷ οἴκῳ τούτῳ ἐγένετο, καθότι καὶ αὐτὸς υἱὸς Αβραάμ ἐστιν. ἦλθε γὰρ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ζητῆσαι καὶ σῶσαι τὸ ἀπολωλός.
Άγιος Αναστα σιος ο Πέρσης ο Οσιομα ρτυρας Βιογραφία Ο Άγιος Αναστάσιος έζησε τον 7ο αιώνα μ.χ. στα χρόνια του βασιλιά των Περσών Χοσρόη Β' (590-628 μ.χ.) και του αυτοκράτορα Κωνσταντινούπολης Ηρακλείου και ήταν Πέρσης. Γεννήθηκε στο χωριό Ραζήχ της επαρχίας Ρασνουνί και ήταν γιος του μάγου Βαβ και αρχικά ονομαζόταν Μαγουνδάτ (κατ' άλλους Μαζοενδάτ). Όταν το 614 μ.χ. οι Πέρσες κυρίευσαν τα Ιεροσόλυμα πήραν μαζί τους τον Τίμιο Σταυρό. Λόγω των πολλών θαυμάτων που έγιναν στην Περσία από τον Τίμιο Σταυρό, πολλοί Πέρσες ενδιαφέρθηκαν να γνωρίσουν την νέα θρησκεία, μεταξύ αυτών και ο Μαγουνδάτ. Γι' αυτό πήγε στα Ιεροσόλυμα, όπου βαπτίσθηκε και έκάρη μοναχός στη Μονή του Αββά Ιουστίνου (κατ' άλλους στη Μονή του Αγίου Σάββα) και μετονομάσθηκε Αναστάσιος. Επισκέφθηκε εν συνεχεία την Καισαρεία, όπου ο διοικητής Μαρζαβανά πληροφορήθηκε ότι είναι χριστιανός και, επειδή απέτυχε να τον μεταπείσει, διέταξε τον βασανισμό του. Μετά από πολλά βασανιστήρια οι ειδωλολάτρες τον αποκεφάλισαν. Το μαρτύριό του έγινε το 628 μ.χ. με άλλους 70 Χριστιανούς Μάρτυρες. Η Σύναξη του Αγίου ετελείτο στο Μαρτύριό του, που βρισκόταν εντός του Αγίου Φιλήμονος, στο Στρατήγιο. H δε ανακομιδή των λειψάνων του Οσίου Αναστασίου, εορτάζεται στις 24 Ιανουαρίου. Σχετικά με τα Λείψανα του Αγίου Αναστασίου επικρατούν τρείς παραδόσεις. Σύμφωνα με την πρώτη, την οποία δέχεται και ο Άγγλος ιστοριογράφος Όσιος Βέδας ο Αιδέσιμος (βλέπε 27 Μαΐου), τα Λείψανα μεταφέρθηκαν στη Ρώμη κατά την βασιλεία του Ηρακλείου και κατατέθηκαν στην Ελληνική Μονή των Τριών Πηγών («Tre Fontane»). Η δεύτερη δέχεται μεταφορά των Λειψάνων στην Κωνσταντινούπολη, επίσης κατά την βασιλεία του Ηρακλείου, απ όπου η Κάρα μεταφέρθηκε στη Ρώμη επί των ημερών του Ελληνικής καταγωγής και πιθανώς Ιεροσολυμίτου Πάπα Θεοδώρου Α (642 649 μ.χ.) (βλέπε 18 Μαΐου). Η Τρίτη τέλος παράδοση (Βενετική), δέχεται ότι τα Λείψανα μετέφερε στην Κωνσταντινούπολη ο Ηράκλειος, απ όπου το 1204 μ.χ. τα αφαίρεσε ο Δόγης Ερρίκος Δάνδολος και τα κατέθεσε στο Ναό της Αγίας Τριάδος Βενετίας. Σήμερα τα φυλασσόμενα στον ρωμαιοκαθολικό Ναό του Αγίου Φραγκίσκου της Αμπέλου Λείψανα, έχουν την μορφή ακέφαλου σώματος, συναρμολογημένου μέσα σε στολή της εποχής. Ο Σοφρώνιος Ευστρατιάδης, Μητροπολίτης πρ. Λεοντοπόλεως, δέχεται ότι κάποιος Ρωμαίος Επίσκοπος μετέφερε τα Λείψανα στην Καισάρεια της Παλαιστίνης (αυτά μεταφέρθηκαν στη συνέχεια στην Κωνσταντινούπολη) και την Κάρα στη Ρώμη (όπου και σήμερα φυλάσσεται). *Οι πληροφορίες είναι από: http://www.saint.gr/index.aspx
Worship Services Wednesday, January 25, 2017 ~ The Feast of St. Gregory the Theologian ~ Chapel Orthros ~ 8:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy ~ 9:30 a.m. Monday, January 30, 2017 ~ The Feast of the Three Hierachs Orthros ~ 8:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy ~ 9:30 a.m. House Blessings Fr. John and Fr. Joshua would love to visit your home after the Feast of Theophany to offer a House Blessing. This is a reminder that the Blessing of the Waters extends in a very real and concrete way to each of us; God s Kingdom is breaking into this world, sanctifying all of creation, and we are called to further this sanctification within our personal circumstances. Please call the church office at (516) 944-3180 to schedule. Memorials Angeliki Mastoras ~ 6 months Joanna Harris ~ 1 year Everlasting be memory. Αἰωνία ἡ μνήμη. Upcoming Events Friday, January 27, 2017 ~ Greek School Glendi ~ Westbury Manor Sunday, January 29, 2017 ~ Greek Letters Celebration in honor of the Feast of the Three Hierarchs Sunday, January 29, 2017 ~ Stewardship Sunday Saturday, February 11, 2017 ~ Comedy Night at AMC Saturday, February 11th, 2017 ~ Parathosi Greek Dance Event at Queens College Friday, February 17 ~ GOYA ~ Midnight Run Sunday, February 12, 2017 ~ Godparent s Sunday
Philoptochos Please update your Stewardship for 2017 before April to help us meet our quarterly District and National Obligations. A form can be picked up in the lobby, at coffee hour or accessed on the church s website as well as through a link on the weekly blast. February is all about HEARTS! Join Philoptochos on Sunday, Feb. 5th as we GO RED FOR WOMEN'S HEART HEALTH! Here are 5 Common Myths about Women and Heart Disease: Here are 5 Common Myths about Women and Heart Disease: 1. Heart disease is for men, and cancer is the real threat for women Fact: Heart disease strikes more women than men, and is more deadly than all forms of cancer combined. While 1 in 31 American women dies from breast cancer each year, heart disease claims the lives of 1 in 3. 2. Heart disease only happens as you age. Fact: Heart disease affects women of all ages. And while the risks do increase with age, things like overeating and a sedentary lifestyle contribute to risk factors. 3. Heart disease doesn t affect women who are fit. Fact: Even if you re a yoga-loving workout fiend, your risk isn t completely eliminated. Factors like cholesterol and eating habits can counterbalance other healthy habits. You can be thin and have high cholesterol-so start getting your cholesterol checked at age 20, or earlier, if your family has a history of heart disease. And keep an eye on your blood pressure too. 4. I don t have any symptoms. Fact: 64% of women who die suddenly of coronary heart disease had no previous symptoms. Because these symptoms vary greatly between men and women, they re often misunderstood. We think of the telltale sign of a heart attack is extreme chest pain. But women have different symptoms: shortness of breath, nausea/ vomiting and back or jaw pain, and even dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting, pain in the lower chest or upper abdomen and extreme fatigue. 5. Heart disease runs in my family, so there s nothing I can do about it. Fact: Although women with a family history of heart disease are at higher risk, there s plenty you can do to dramatically reduce it. Because of healthy choices and knowing the signs, more than 670,000 of women have been saved from heart disease. What s stopping you from taking action? Join us on Sunday, Feb 12 th immediately following the Divine Liturgy for our 2nd annual Godparents Breakfast to benefit the Make A Wish Foundation. Honor your Godparents and Godchildren for the role they play in your life and grant a local terminally ill child their last wish in the process! $15 Adults / $10 Children. Please notify us at Philoptochos@ArchangelMichaelChurch.org and we will be happy to hold a table for your family. Join us on Saturday March 11 th for a trip via Coach bus to Agia Skepi Monestary in White Haven, PA! $25pp for Coach bus, max capacity 55 people. Contact Eleni Raptis at 516-455-8063 or email Philoptochos to make your reservation. On Friday, February 17th Fr. John will take our GOYAns into NYC to minister to those most in need--our brothers that are homeless. They will be giving out new packages of clean socks, undershirts and underwear directly to those men living on the streets of New York City. We are seeking donations of new, unopened packages of MEN'S UNDERSHIRTS, UNDERWEAR, AND WHITE SOCKS in sizes of Men's M, L, and XL. We need your help to make this outreach effort a success. We are asking all to purchase the above and drop them off outside the main office AMC's Community-wide Day of Service and Spring Clothing Drive--Sunday, March 19, 2017 We are calling on all in our community to participate in this first-ever Community Day of Service! Join us as a family, as a team, or as a class and help AMC give back to those in need, both close to home and far away. We ask for 2-3 hours of your time immediately following the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, March 19, 2017. Also coming in March: Sunday, March 5, 2017 ~ Sunday of Orthodoxy ~ Meeting after church Sunday, march 19, 2017 ~ Day of Service (mini-service projects at church, 2-3 hours after Liturgy)
The Archangel Michael Church Presents Καθαρά Δευτέρα/Clean Monday Why Be Orthodox? By Dr. Aristotle Papanikolaou Archbishop Demetrios Chair in Orthodox Theology and Culture at Fordham University Great Compline 7:30PM Lenten Meal Served by The Philoptochos Ladies For further information, please call and RSVP to the church office at 516-944-3180 or Email: frjohn@archangelmichaelchurch.org Please reference ~ Clean Monday Presentation