I HOPE AND PRAY THAT ALL OF YOU WILL HAVE A BLESSED LABOR DAY WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS!
IF YOU HAVE NOT AS OF YET SENT IN YOUR STEWARDSHIP PLEASE DO SO TODAY, THANK YOU!
MARK YOU CALENDARS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2017 IS THE DATE OF OUR YEARLY FESTIVAL. WE ARE STILL WAITING APPROVAL FROM THE PERMIT OFFICE OF CITY HALL. PLEASE CHECK WEBSITE FOR WEEKLY UPDATES.
TOMORROW I HAVE THE GRACE OF JOINING FR. EUGENE PAPPAS ON HIS RADIO PROGRAM FOR 2 WEEKS ON COSMOS FM 91.5 AT 1:15 UNTIL 2:00 P.M. PLEASE TUNE IN!
Dreams!
The fear of the future and the unknown is a very powerful and frightening thing. So to compensate for it many have resorted to visiting palm readers, tea, and coffee cup readers, along with many other things, that the Church calls demonic, in order to gain some foreknowledge and insight into the future. The above-mentioned tricks of the devil are designed to entice you away from God. In 2nd Chronicles 33:6 we read that; “Also he caused his sons to pass through the fire in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom; he practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft and sorcery, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger.” This is how much God despises those who practice these kinds of demonic interactions and charms.
However, the devil has many other tricks up his sleeve to gain control over our mind and soul in order to enslave us. One such trick or device is something that the unprepared individual cannot control, since it is a natural product of sleep. According to the fathers of the Church, dreams come from three different places. First of all, it is a product of our own imagination, along with events of our daily experience. Secondly, they come from God, who will enlighten you about something while you are asleep. Thirdly, they come from the devil.
Sleep is a wonderful thing, and it can refresh both the body and soul of a person. Have you ever thought about what happens when you sleep, besides the physical? I mean the inability to control your thoughts. During sleep we can go to places where we would usually never go, or have the means to do so. Also, we can do things that are not within the bounds of our human earthly existence, flying (without a plane) for instance. How many of you have flown in a dream? So what happens is that our guard is lowered and we give away our free will and control while we dream. Many times God uses this lack of control on our part to help us see our own faults and deficiencies.
Today, many people have prospered interpreting, and analyzing dreams. It has become part and parcel of our culture. Their justification comes from the Bible itself, and they say, besides they must mean something if we all have them. Dreams are a way for God to communicate with His beloved humanity, or so they say. For example in the Old Testament we read about Joseph who interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh and gained great favor with him while saving his kingdom from famine and death. St. Joseph (the earthly father of Jesus) was told in a dream that he should leave Israel for Egypt in order to evade the death of his son Jesus. In Acts 2:17, we read, “And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams.” The Magi were warned also in a dream, “Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.”
Furthermore, as you can see dreams were warnings of a future incident that the recipients followed. But what about when you have a dream that the plane you are taking tomorrow will crash, do you go anyway? This is very troubling, what to do? As you can see your ability to think clearly and your free will is given away to what could be a fantasy. I myself have experienced this kind of dream, but I went anyway and as you know I am still here. So how can you tell one dream from another?
The well-known St. John Climacus of St. Katherine’s Monastery in Sinai, Egypt, says that, “if you wake up from sleep peaceful this shows that we have been comforted by the angels unaware. If, on the other hand, we wake up troubled, ‘we are suffering as a result of evil dreams and visions.’ A dream’s origin is indicated by whether it disturbs us or brings peace. This is not, however, absolute proof, as there is a sort of joy mingled with pride which comes from the devil” As a result, “he says that, demonic dreams usually show torment, judgments, and separations, and make us frightened and miserable.” God on the other hand can use these dreams to move us to repent and/or test us spiritually. Dreams can inspire us to pray more and/or to see that our actions and path in life is not God centered, God has permitted us to dream them in order for us to change.
S. Diadochos of Photiki says that, “dreams that originate from the devil do not keep the same shape, but change from one form to another, alarm the senses, resound with laughter or suddenly become threatening.”
Moreover, St. Basil the Great says that, “Where do shameful nocturnal fantasies originate? They result from alien movements of the soul during the day.” As you can see from the texts above the Church has a different view of dreams than the secular world. The Church does not take dreams as is without any discernment at all. This is the major problem with the secular world. They believe that demons and the devil do not exist. Even more so today, they say that God does not exist and if you are having dreams or visions at night you are either delusional or hallucinating.
Finally, my first stay at St. Katherine’s, in Egypt, I was put under the tutelage of Fr. Adrianos who was the hermit of the mountain. He said that dreams and visions are so hard for the novice and young monks to discern, that they should be all ignored. This I took to heart and practice even today. Why? Because as he always said, God does not have to speak to us only in dreams, but wherever and whenever He chooses to reveal something important to us. God is not restricted by anything, and He can communicate to us at will. That is why we should always seek the Creator and not within the creation for God’s revelations about one iota of our life. Demons and the devil do exist and they have tried very hard throughout the ages to hide that fact by operating through many demonic trappings. Dreams, fortune telling, tea reading, astrology, palm reading, and a myriad of other demonic devices that evil uses in order to gain control over us. The gift of free will comes from God Almighty. So do not give it away freely and easily by believing that any of the above demonic devices knows better than your Father who loves you more than you can imagine. Amen.
Sunday, September 3, 2017
13th Sunday of Matthew
9:15 a.m. Orthros/10:15 a.m. Divine Liturgy
Monday, September 4, 2017
Labor Day - Church Closed
Thursday, September 7, 2017
6:30 p.m. Bible Study
Friday, September 8, 2017
Nativity of the Theotokos
9:15 a.m. Orthros/10:15 a.m. Divine Liturgy
Sunday, September 10, 2017
Sunday Before Holy Cross
9:15 a.m. Orthros/10:15 a.m. Divine Liturgy
Thursday, September 14, 2017
Exaltation of the Holy Cross
9:15 a.m. Orthros/10:15 a.m. Divine Liturgy
6:30 p.m. Bible Study
Sunday, September 17, 2017
Sunday After Holy Cross
9:15 a.m. Orthros/10:15 a.m. Divine Liturgy
Thursday, September 21, 2017
6:30 p.m. Bible Study
Sunday, September 24, 2017
1st Sunday of Luke
9:15 a.m. Orthros/10:15 a.m. Divine Liturgy
Wednesday, September 26, 2017
Falling Asleep of St. John the Theologian
9:15 a.m. Orthros/10:15 a.m. Divine Liturgy
Thursday, September 28, 2017
6:30 p.m. Bible Study
MARK YOU CALENDARS
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2017
IS THE DATE OF OUR YEARLY FESTIVAL.
WE ARE STILL WAITING APPROVAL FROM THE PERMIT OFFICE OF CITY HALL.
PLEASE CHECK WEBSITE FOR WEEKLY UPDATES.
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.
Second Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Mark 16:1-8
When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might go and anoint Jesus. And very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?" And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back, for it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed. And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here; see the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you." And they went out and fled from the tomb; for trembling and astonishment had come upon them; and they said nothing to any one, for they were afraid.
Second Orthros Gospel
Κατὰ Μᾶρκον 16:1-8
Καὶ διαγενομένου τοῦ σαββάτου Μαρία ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ καὶ Μαρία ἡ τοῦ ᾿Ιακώβου καὶ Σαλώμη ἠγόρασαν ἀρώματα ἵνα ἐλθοῦσαι ἀλείψωσιν αὐτόν. καὶ λίαν πρωῒ τῆς μιᾶς σαββάτων ἔρχονται ἐπὶ τὸ μνημεῖον, ἀνατείλαντος τοῦ ἡλίου. καὶ ἔλεγον πρὸς ἑαυτάς· τίς ἀποκυλίσει ἡμῖν τὸν λίθον ἐκ τῆς θύρας τοῦ μνημείου; καὶ ἀναβλέψασαι θεωροῦσιν ὅτι ἀποκεκύλισται ὁ λίθος· ἦν γὰρ μέγας σφόδρα. καὶ εἰσελθοῦσαι εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον εἶδον νεανίσκον καθήμενον ἐν τοῖς δεξιοῖς, περιβεβλημένον στολὴν λευκήν, καὶ ἐξεθαμβήθησαν. ὁ δὲ λέγει αὐταῖς· μὴ ἐκθαμβεῖσθε· ᾿Ιησοῦν ζητεῖτε τὸν Ναζαρηνὸν τὸν ἐσταυρωμένον· ἠγέρθη, οὐκ ἔστιν ὧδε· ἴδε ὁ τόπος ὅπου ἔθηκαν αὐτόν. ἀλλ᾿ ὑπάγετε εἴπατε τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ καὶ τῷ Πέτρῳ ὅτι προάγει ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν· ἐκεῖ αὐτὸν ὄψεσθε, καθὼς εἶπεν ὑμῖν. καὶ ἐξελθοῦσαι ἔφυγον ἀπὸ τοῦ μνημείου· εἶχε δὲ αὐτὰς τρόμος καὶ ἔκστασις, καὶ οὐδενὶ οὐδὲν εἶπον· ἐφοβοῦντο γάρ.
Prokeimenon. Fourth Mode. Psalm 103.24,1.
O Lord, how manifold are your works. You have made all things in wisdom.
Verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul.
The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 16:13-24.
Brethren, be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. Now, brethren, you know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints; I urge you to be subject to such men and to every fellow worker and laborer. I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicos, because they have made up for your absence; for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to such men. The churches of Asia send greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord. All the brethren send greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss. I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. If any one has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Προκείμενον. Fourth Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 103.24,1.
Ὡς ἐμεγαλύνθη τὰ ἔργα σου Κύριε, πάντα ἐν σοφίᾳ ἐποίησας.
Στίχ. Εὐλόγει ἡ ψυχή μου τὸν Κύριον.
τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Κορινθίους α' 16:13-24.
Ἀδελφοί, γρηγορεῖτε, στήκετε ἐν τῇ πίστει, ἀνδρίζεσθε, κραταιοῦσθε. Πάντα ὑμῶν ἐν ἀγάπῃ γινέσθω. Παρακαλῶ δὲ ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοί - οἴδατε τὴν οἰκίαν Στεφανᾶ, ὅτι ἐστὶν ἀπαρχὴ τῆς Ἀχαΐας, καὶ εἰς διακονίαν τοῖς ἁγίοις ἔταξαν ἑαυτούς - ἵνα καὶ ὑμεῖς ὑποτάσσησθε τοῖς τοιούτοις, καὶ παντὶ τῷ συνεργοῦντι καὶ κοπιῶντι. Χαίρω δὲ ἐπὶ τῇ παρουσίᾳ Στεφανᾶ καὶ Φουρτουνάτου καὶ Ἀχαϊκοῦ, ὅτι τὸ ὑμῶν ὑστέρημα οὗτοι ἀνεπλήρωσαν. Ἀνέπαυσαν γὰρ τὸ ἐμὸν πνεῦμα καὶ τὸ ὑμῶν· ἐπιγινώσκετε οὖν τοὺς τοιούτους. Ἀσπάζονται ὑμᾶς αἱ ἐκκλησίαι τῆς Ἀσίας· ἀσπάζονται ὑμᾶς ἐν κυρίῳ πολλὰ Ἀκύλας καὶ Πρίσκιλλα, σὺν τῇ κατʼ οἶκον αὐτῶν ἐκκλησίᾳ. Ἀσπάζονται ὑμᾶς οἱ ἀδελφοὶ πάντες. Ἀσπάσασθε ἀλλήλους ἐν φιλήματι ἁγίῳ. Ὁ ἀσπασμὸς τῇ ἐμῇ χειρὶ Παύλου. Εἴ τις οὐ φιλεῖ τὸν κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν, ἤτω ἀνάθεμα. Μαρὰν ἀθά. Ἡ χάρις τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μεθʼ ὑμῶν. Ἡ ἀγάπη μου μετὰ πάντων ὑμῶν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. Ἀμήν.
13th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 21:33-42
The Lord said this parable, "There was a householder who planted a vineyard, and set a hedge around it, and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and let it out to tenants, and went into another country. When the season of fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants, to get his fruit; and the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first; and they did the same to them. Afterward he sent his son to them, saying 'They will respect my son.' But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, 'This is the heir; come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.' And they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?" They said to him, "He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons." Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the scriptures: 'The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner; this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?'"
13th Sunday of Matthew
Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 21:33-42
Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τήν παραβολὴν ταύτην· ῎Αλλην παραβολὴν ἀκούσατε. ἄνθρωπός τις ἦν οἰκοδεσπότης, ὅστις ἐφύτευσεν ἀμπελῶνα καὶ φραγμὸν αὐτῷ περιέθηκε καὶ ὤρυξεν ἐν αὐτῷ ληνὸν καὶ ᾠκοδόμησε πύργον, καὶ ἐξέδοτο αὐτὸν γεωργοῖς καὶ ἀπεδήμησεν. ὅτε δὲ ἤγγισεν ὁ καιρὸς τῶν καρπῶν, ἀπέστειλε τοὺς δούλους αὐτοῦ πρὸς τοὺς γεωργοὺς λαβεῖν τοὺς καρποὺς αὐτοῦ. καὶ λαβόντες οἱ γεωργοὶ τοὺς δούλους αὐτοῦ ὃν μὲν ἔδειραν, ὃν δὲ ἀπέκτειναν, ὃν δὲ ἐλιθοβόλησαν. πάλιν ἀπέστειλεν ἄλλους δούλους πλείονας τῶν πρώτων, καὶ ἐποίησαν αὐτοῖς ὡσαύτως. ὕστερον δὲ ἀπέστειλε πρὸς αὐτοὺς τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ λέγων· ἐντραπήσονται τὸν υἱόν μου. οἱ δὲ γεωργοὶ ἰδόντες τὸν υἱὸν εἶπον ἐν ἑαυτοῖς· οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ κληρονόμος· δεῦτε ἀποκτείνωμεν αὐτὸν καὶ κατάσχωμεν τὴν κληρονομίαν αὐτοῦ. καὶ λαβόντες αὐτὸν ἐξέβαλον ἔξω τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος, καὶ ἀπέκτειναν. ὅταν οὖν ἔλθῃ ὁ κύριος τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος, τί ποιήσει τοῖς γεωργοῖς ἐκείνοις; λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· κακοὺς κακῶς ἀπολέσει αὐτούς, καὶ τὸν ἀμπελῶνα ἐκδώσεται ἄλλοις γεωργοῖς, οἵτινες ἀποδώσουσιν αὐτῷ τοὺς καρποὺς ἐν τοῖς καιροῖς αὐτῶν. λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς· οὐδέποτε ἀνέγνωτε ἐν ταῖς γραφαῖς, λίθον ὃν ἀπεδοκίμασαν οἱ οἰκοδομοῦντες, οὗτος ἐγενήθη εἰς κεφαλὴν γωνίας· παρὰ Κυρίου ἐγένετο αὕτη, καὶ ἔστι θαυμαστὴ ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς ἡμῶν;
After the death of the 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia, their Bishop Anthimus fled to a certain village to care for his remaining flock. The Emperor Maximian sent men in search of him. When they found him, he promised to show Anthimus to them, but first took them in as guests, fed them, and only then made himself known to them. Amazed at his kindness, the soldiers promised him to tell Maximian that they had not found him. But Anthimus went willingly with them, and converting them by his admonitions, baptized them on the way. He boldly confessed his Faith before Maximian, and after frightful tortures was beheaded in the year 303 or 304.
Saint Theoctistus, a monk at the Palestinian lavra of Pharan, embraced a more severe life in the wilderness with his friend Saint Euthymius the Great. They founded a monastery, of which Theoctistus was the abbot. He reposed in deep old age in 451.
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Narthex Press - Northridge, CA