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St. John The Baptist Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2017-06-25
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St. John The Baptist Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (212) 473-0648
  • Street Address:

  • 143 East 17th Street

  • New York, NY 10003
  • Mailing Address:

  • 143 East 17th Street

  • New York, NY 10003


Past Bulletins


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Fr. Vasilios' Message

Treasure

06/23/2017

THANK YOU FOR BECOMING STEWARDS OF ST. JOHN'S. YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS WILL HELP US GROW AND STAY A BEACON OF LIGHT IN THE WORLD FOR ALL TO FOLLOW.

PLEASE JOIN US TONIGHT AND TOMORROW FOR THE NATIVITY OF OUR PATRON ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST.

 

Treasure

We have heard many times in our life the old adage that “money it the root of all evil.”  Also, “money is the great Satan.”  So if money innately possesses such negative properties why do we work and strive to gain what is seen in the eyes of the Church as evil? However, is this the really what the Lord taught about money?

In today’s Gospel we are presented with a dichotomy that affects all of us in the world. Genesis tells us that we have to till the earth for our living.  What was once given to us has now become what we strive for by our labor.   We work to acquire food, supplies, and pay for our living quarters.  This is the reality that Adam and Eve have bequeath to us by their transgression again God’s Commandment.

As a result, we work in order to have sufficient resources to live and prosper.  This does not mean that we become possessed and manipulated by the need for them.  That is why you must “seek first the Kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.”

On the other hand, we have people like Bernie Madoff who was so possessed with the love of money that he stole and manipulated people’s savings for his own gain.  Once he put his plan into effect, if took on a life of this own.  His ponzi scheme needed to be fed in order to function and devour the next investors.  As you know, people lost millions of their hard earned money so that he could become richer.  Money became his god, and as a result possessed him.

In today’s Gospel Christ says that you cannot serve two masters.  That is why you have to seek the Kingdom first in order to realize the right and correct way of thinking. God or Mamon which one will you choose?  In Syriac, Mamon is a word that means treasure or riches.  So, “where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

Moreover, the consequences are that the heart persuades the eye to search out what satisfies it. The quest for Mamon will be the only thing that gives a person meaning, but distorts the way the eye sees.  Likewise, darkness in both the eye and the heart are a result.  The worship and deification of money is a sickness that many have today because of the pressure that most are under to survive.

However, when it gets to a point that Mamon and not God are more important we become something that God did not create us to be.  We cannot serve two masters as Bernie Madoff found out, but we can live as Christians looking all the time for His blessings and guidance along the path of life.

Finally, we should “cleanse the intensions of the heart from all duplicity,” and grow in spirit to see when we are getting too attached to our possessions, because then they possess us instead of we possessing them.  So it is not money that is basically evil, but the LOVE of MONEY that is evil and corrupting. AMEN!


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Assembly of Bishops News

Atlas of American Orthodox Monasteries Electronic Edition is Now Available

06/12/2017

The electronic version of the widely popular Atlas of American Orthodox Christian Monasteries has been released by the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA and made available free of charge to everyone.
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Greek Orthodox Archdiocese News

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Ionian Village recovers from devastating tornado, to launch Summer 2017 Camping Programs

06/23/2017

Following a massive and devastating tornado that struck its’ campgrounds in Greece last fall, Ionian Village has begun its 2017 summer camping programs with the popular trip for young adults, Spiritual Odyssey.

Publication of Official List of Candidates Eligible for Election to the Office of Metropolitan or Auxiliary Bishop

06/22/2017

In accordance with Article 14 of the Charter of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and the pertinent Regulations of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (Advisory and Consultative Role in Hierarchical Elections) and in light of the vacancy in the Holy Metropolis of Chicago, the Archdiocese publishes the list of candidates eligible for election to the Office of Metropolitan or Auxiliary Bishop.

Family Ministry Conference to be held September 20-23, 2017 in Pittsburgh

06/20/2017

The Center for Family Care of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese will host its second family ministry conference, The Orthodox Family in a Changing World, in an effort to explore critical issues in the family life-cycle and practical methods to address them in the parish and the home.
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New and Events at St. John's

Friday, June 23, 2017

7:00 p.m. Vespers for the Nativity of St. John.

 

Saturday, June 24, 2017

9:00 a.m. Orthros/10:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy for the Nativity of St. John

 

Sunday, June 25, 2017

3rd Sunday of Matthew

9:15 a.m. Orthros/10:15 a.m. Divine Liturgy

 

Thursday, June 29, 2017

Apostles Peter and Paul

9:15 a.m. Orthros/10:15 a.m. Divine Liturgy

6:30 p.m. Bible Study

 

Sunday, July 2, 2017

4th Sunday of Matthew

9:15 a.m. Orthros/10:15 a.m. Divine Liturgy

 

Thursday, July 6, 2017

6:30 p.m. Bible Study

 

Sunday, July 9, 2017

5th Sunday of Matthew

9:15 a.m. Orthros/10:15 a.m. Divine Liturgy

 

Thursday, July 13, 2017

6:30 p.m. Bible Study

 

Sunday, July 16, 2017

Sunday of the Holy Fathers

9:15 a.m. Orthros/10:15 a.m. Divine Liturgy

 

Fr. Vasilios will be on vacation from July 17 -31

There will be no Bible Study until he returns.

 

Thursday, July 20, 2017

NO Bible Study

 

Sunday, July 23, 2017

7th Sunday of Matthew

9:15 a.m. Orthros/10:15 a.m. Divine Liturgy

Fr. Vasilios will celebrate Divine Liturgy.

 

Thursday, July 27, 2017

NO Bible Study

 

Sunday, July 30, 2017

8th Sunday of Matthew

9:15 a.m. Orthros/10:15 a.m. Divine Liturgy

Fr. Chrysostom will celebrate Divine Liturgy.

 

Tuesday, August 1, 2017

Dormition Fast Begins

6:30 p.m. Supplication to the Theotokos

 

Thursday, August 3, 2017

6:30 p.m. Bible Study

 

Friday, August 4, 2017

6:30 p.m. Supplication to the Theotokos

 

Sunday, August 6, 2017

Holy Transfiguration

9:15 a.m. Orthros/10:15 a.m. Divine Liturgy

 

NGTV has posted Fr. Vasilios’ weekly programs on YOUTUBE.  You may view the programs using keywords: “vasilios spiritual”  Enjoy!

If you would like to sponsor a Coffee Hour, please see the Parish Council after Liturgy.

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Third Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Mark 16:9-20

At that time, Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, and he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.

After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.

Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they sat at table; and he upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. And he said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover."

So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it. Amen.

Third Orthros Gospel
Κατὰ Μᾶρκον 16:9-20

᾿Αναστὰς δὲ πρωῒ πρώτῃ σαββάτου ἐφάνη πρῶτον Μαρίᾳ τῇ Μαγδαληνῇ, ἀφ᾿ ἧς ἐκβεβλήκει ἑπτὰ δαιμόνια. ἐκείνη πορευθεῖσα ἀπήγγειλε τοῖς μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ γενομένοις, πενθοῦσι καὶ κλαίουσι. κἀκεῖνοι ἀκούσαντες ὅτι ζῇ καὶ ἐθεάθη ὑπ᾿ αὐτῆς, ἠπίστησαν. Μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα δυσὶν ἐξ αὐτῶν περιπατοῦσιν ἐφανερώθη ἐν ἑτέρᾳ μορφῇ, πορευομένοις εἰς ἀγρόν. κἀκεῖνοι ἀπελθόντες ἀπήγγειλαν τοῖς λοιποῖς· οὐδὲ ἐκείνοις ἐπίστευσαν. ῞Υστερον ἀνακειμένοις αὐτοῖς τοῖς ἕνδεκα ἐφανερώθη, καὶ ὠνείδισε τὴν ἀπιστίαν αὐτῶν καὶ σκληροκαρδίαν, ὅτι τοῖς θεασαμένοις αὐτὸν ἐγηγερμένον οὐκ ἐπίστευσαν. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· πορευθέντες εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἅπαντα κηρύξατε τὸ εὐαγγέλιον πάσῃ τῇ κτίσει. ὁ πιστεύσας καὶ βαπτισθεὶς σωθήσεται, ὁ δὲ ἀπιστήσας κατακριθήσεται. σημεῖα δὲ τοῖς πιστεύσασι ταῦτα παρακολουθήσει· ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί μου δαιμόνια ἐκβαλοῦσι· γλώσσαις λαλήσουσι καιναῖς· ὄφεις ἀροῦσι· κἂν θανάσιμόν τι πίωσιν, οὐ μὴ αὐτοὺς βλάψει· ἐπὶ ἀρρώστους χεῖρας ἐπιθήσουσι, καὶ καλῶς ἕξουσιν. ῾Ο μὲν οὖν Κύριος μετὰ τὸ λαλῆσαι αὐτοῖς ἀνελήφθη εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἐκ δεξιῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ. ἐκεῖνοι δὲ ἐξελθόντες ἐκήρυξαν πανταχοῦ, τοῦ Κυρίου συνεργοῦντος καὶ τὸν λόγον βεβαιοῦντος διὰ τῶν ἐπακολουθούντων σημείων. ἀμήν.


Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Second Mode. Psalm 117.14,18.
The Lord is my strength and my song.
Verse: The Lord has chastened me sorely.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans 5:1-10.

BRETHREN, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us. While we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Why, one will hardly die for a righteous man -- though perhaps for a good man one will dare even to die. But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we are now justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

Προκείμενον. Second Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 117.14,18.
Ἰσχύς μου καὶ ὕμνησίς μου ὁ Κύριος.
Στίχ. Παιδεύων ἐπαίδευσέ με ὁ Κύριος.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς ῾Ρωμαίους 5:1-10.

Ἀδελφοί, δικαιωθέντες οὖν ἐκ πίστεως, εἰρήνην ἔχομεν πρὸς τὸν θεὸν διὰ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, διʼ οὗ καὶ τὴν προσαγωγὴν ἐσχήκαμεν τῇ πίστει εἰς τὴν χάριν ταύτην ἐν ᾗ ἑστήκαμεν, καὶ καυχώμεθα ἐπʼ ἐλπίδι τῆς δόξης τοῦ θεοῦ. Οὐ μόνον δέ, ἀλλὰ καὶ καυχώμεθα ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσιν, εἰδότες ὅτι ἡ θλῖψις ὑπομονὴν κατεργάζεται, ἡ δὲ ὑπομονὴ δοκιμήν, ἡ δὲ δοκιμὴ ἐλπίδα· ἡ δὲ ἐλπὶς οὐ καταισχύνει, ὅτι ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ θεοῦ ἐκκέχυται ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν διὰ πνεύματος ἁγίου τοῦ δοθέντος ἡμῖν. Ἔτι γὰρ Χριστός, ὄντων ἡμῶν ἀσθενῶν, κατὰ καιρὸν ὑπὲρ ἀσεβῶν ἀπέθανεν. Μόλις γὰρ ὑπὲρ δικαίου τις ἀποθανεῖται· ὑπὲρ γὰρ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ τάχα τις καὶ τολμᾷ ἀποθανεῖν. Συνίστησιν δὲ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἀγάπην εἰς ἡμᾶς ὁ θεός, ὅτι ἔτι ἁμαρτωλῶν ὄντων ἡμῶν Χριστὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἀπέθανεν. Πολλῷ οὖν μᾶλλον, δικαιωθέντες νῦν ἐν τῷ αἵματι αὐτοῦ, σωθησόμεθα διʼ αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῆς ὀργῆς. Εἰ γὰρ ἐχθροὶ ὄντες κατηλλάγημεν τῷ θεῷ διὰ τοῦ θανάτου τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ, πολλῷ μᾶλλον καταλλαγέντες σωθησόμεθα ἐν τῇ ζωῇ αὐτοῦ.


Gospel Reading

3rd Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 6:22-33

The Lord said, "The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light; but if your eye is not sound, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear? For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well."

3rd Sunday of Matthew
Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 6:22-33

Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος· ῾Ο λύχνος τοῦ σώματός ἐστιν ὁ ὀφθαλμός· ἐὰν οὖν ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου ἁπλοῦς ᾖ, ὅλον τὸ σῶμά σου φωτεινόν ἔσται· ἐὰν δὲ ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου πονηρὸς ᾖ, ὅλον τὸ σῶμά σου σκοτεινὸν ἔσται. εἰ οὖν τὸ φῶς τὸ ἐν σοὶ σκότος ἐστί, τὸ σκότος πόσον; Οὐδεὶς δύναται δυσὶ κυρίοις δουλεύειν· ἢ γὰρ τὸν ἕνα μισήσει καὶ τὸν ἕτερον ἀγαπήσει, ἢ ἑνὸς ἀνθέξεται καὶ τοῦ ἑτέρου καταφρονήσει. οὐ δύνασθε Θεῷ δουλεύειν καὶ μαμωνᾷ. Διὰ τοῦτο λέγω ὑμῖν, μὴ μεριμνᾶτε τῇ ψυχῇ ὑμῶν τί φάγητε καὶ τί πίητε, μηδὲ τῷ σώματι ὑμῶν τί ἐνδύσησθε· οὐχὶ ἡ ψυχὴ πλεῖόν ἐστι τῆς τροφῆς καὶ τὸ σῶμα τοῦ ἐνδύματος; ἐμβλέψατε εἰς τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ὅτι οὐ σπείρουσιν οὐδὲ θερίζουσιν οὐδὲ συνάγουσιν εἰς ἀποθήκας, καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος τρέφει αὐτά· οὐχ ὑμεῖς μᾶλλον διαφέρετε αὐτῶν; τίς δὲ ἐξ ὑμῶν μεριμνῶν δύναται προσθεῖναι ἐπὶ τὴν ἡλικίαν αὐτοῦ πῆχυν ἕνα; καὶ περὶ ἐνδύματος τί μεριμνᾶτε; καταμάθετε τὰ κρίνα τοῦ ἀγροῦ πῶς αὐξάνει· οὐ κοπιᾷ οὐδὲ νήθει· λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐδὲ Σολομὼν ἐν πάσῃ τῇ δόξῃ αὐτοῦ περιεβάλετο ὡς ἓν τούτων. Εἰ δὲ τὸν χόρτον τοῦ ἀγροῦ, σήμερον ὄντα καὶ αὔριον εἰς κλίβανον βαλλόμενον, ὁ Θεὸς οὕτως ἀμφιέννυσιν, οὐ πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὑμᾶς, ὀλιγόπιστοι; μὴ οὖν μεριμνήσητε λέγοντες, τί φάγωμεν ἢ τί πίωμεν ἢ τί περιβαλώμεθα; πάντα γὰρ ταῦτα τὰ ἔθνη ἐπιζητεῖ· οἶδε γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος ὅτι χρῄζετε τούτων ἁπάντων. ζητεῖτε δὲ πρῶτον τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην αὐτοῦ, καὶ ταῦτα πάντα προστεθήσεται ὑμῖν.


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Saints and Feasts

Allsaint
June 25

3rd Sunday of Matthew


Allsaint
June 25

Prokopios the New Martyr


Febronia
June 25

The Righteous Martyr Febronia

This Martyr practiced the ascetic discipline in Nisibis of Mesopotamia; she was of such great beauty that the report of her came to the persecutor Selenus, and every attempt was made to make her deny Christ. After many horrible tortures, she was cruelly dismembered by the executioners, then beheaded, in the year 310 (or, according to some, in 302, during the reign of Diocletian).


Nativity_baptist
June 25

Leavetaking of the Nativity of the Forerunner John the Baptist


Allsaint
June 25

Dionysius & Dometios the Righteous of Mount Athos


Allsaint
June 25

Methodius of Nevritos


Allsaint
June 25

Orentios, Pharmakios, Eros, Phirmos, Phirminos, Kyriakos, and Longinos the Martyrs and Brothers


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Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Second Mode

When Thou didst descend unto death, O Life Immortal, then didst Thou slay Hades with the lightning of Thy Divinity. And when Thou didst also raise the dead out of the nethermost depths, all the powers in the Heavens cried out: O Life-giver, Christ our God, glory be to Thee.
Ὅτε κατῆλθες πρὸς τὸν θάνατον, ἡ Ζωὴ ἡ ἀθάνατος, τότε τὸν ᾅδην ἐνέκρωσας τῇ ἀστραπῇ τῆς Θεότητος, ὅτε δὲ καὶ τοὺς τεθνεῶτας ἐκ τῶν καταχθονίων ἀνέστησας, πᾶσαι αἱ Δυνάμεις τῶν ἐπουρανίων ἐκραύγαζον·Ζωοδότα Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν δόξα σοι.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Second Mode

O Protection of Christians that cannot be put to shame, mediation unto the creator most constant: O despise not the voices of those who have sinned; but be quick, O good one, to come unto our aid, who in faith cry unto thee: Hasten to intercession and speed thou to make supplication, O thou who dost ever protect, O Theotokos, them that honor thee.
Προστασία τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἀκαταίσχυντε, μεσιτεία πρὸς τὸν Ποιητὴν ἀμετάθετε. Μὴ παρίδῃς ἁμαρτωλῶν δεήσεων φωνάς, ἀλλὰ πρόφθασον, ὡς ἀγαθή, εἰς τὴν βοήθειαν ἡμῶν, τῶν πιστῶς κραυγαζόντων σοι· Τάχυνον εἰς πρεσβείαν, καὶ σπεῦσον εἰς ἱκεσίαν, ἡ προστατεύουσα ἀεί, Θεοτόκε, τῶν τιμώντων σε.
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Wisdom of the Fathers

And let me beg you to consider how he everywhere sets down these two points;His part, and our part. On His part, however, there be things varied and numerous and diverse. For He died for us, and farther reconciled us, and brought us to Himself, and gave us grace unspeakable. But we brought faith only as our contribution. And so he says," "by faith, unto this grace"What grace is this? tell me. It is the being counted worthy of the knowledge of God, the being forced from error, the coming to a knowledge of the Truth, the obtaining of all the blessings that come through Baptism. For the end of His bringing us near was that we might receive these gifts. For it was not only that we might have simple remission of sins, that we were reconciled; but that we might receive also countless benefits...A person has acquired rule and glory and authority, yet he does not stand therein continuously, but is speedily cast out of it. Or if man take it not from him, death comes, and is sure to take it from him. But God's gifts are not of this kind; for neither man, nor occasion, nor crisis of affairs, nor even the Devil, nor death, can come and cast us. out of them. But when we are dead we then more strictly speaking have possession of them, and keep going on enjoying more and more.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 9 on Romans 4, 4th Century

Unless the grace of God comes to the help of our frailty, to protect and defend it, no man can withstand the insidious onslaughts of the enemy nor can he damp down or hold in check the fevers which burn in our flesh with nature's fire.
St. John Cassian
Conferences, Conference Two: On Discernment, Paulist Press pg. 74, 5th century

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