Saints and Feasts

October 04

2nd Sunday of Luke

October 04

Hierotheus, Bishop of Athens

According to some, Hierotheus, like Saint Dionysius, was a member of the court of Mars Hill. Having first been instructed in the Faith of Christ by Paul, he became Bishop of Athens. He, in turn, initiated the divine Dionysius more perfectly into the mysteries of Christ; the latter, on his part, elaborated more clearly and distinctly Hierotheus' concise and summary teachings concerning the Faith. He too was brought miraculously by the power of the Holy Spirit to be present at the Dormition of the Theotokos, when, together with the sacred Apostles, he became a leader of the divine hymnody. "He was wholly transported, wholly outside himself and was so deeply absorbed in communion with the sacred things he celebrated in hymnology, that to all who heard him and saw him and knew him, and yet knew him not, he seemed to be inspired of God, a divine hymnographer," as Dionysius says (On the Divine Names, 3:2). Having lived in a manner pleasing to God, he reposed in the Lord.

October 07

Sergius & Bacchus the Great Martyrs of Syria

These holy Martyrs were Romans of high rank in the service of the Emperor Maximian, to whom it was reported that they did not take part in the festivals of the idols. When he called them into his presence, they confessed their Faith in the one God. He had them arrayed in women's clothes and paraded through the streets in mockery. They were afterwards scourged, from which Saint Bacchus died. This was about the year 296. Saint Sergius was then taken to Resapha in Syria, where he was tortured and beheaded. His tomb in Resapha became a very famous shrine, to which pilgrims came from as far away as Western Europe; Resapha was later renamed Sergiopolis in his honour.

October 06

The Holy and Glorious Apostle Thomas

The name Thomas means, "twin." He was one of the Twelve, a Galilean by birth. Sophroneus (not the famous Patriarch of Jerusalem [7th Century, celebrated March 11], but a friend of Jerome's), quoted also by Jerome, says that Saint Thomas preached to the Parthians, Pesians, Medes, Hyrcanians, Bactrians, and neighbouring nations. According to Heracleon, the Apostle died a natural death; according to other accounts, he was martyred at Meliapur His tomb was known by Saint John Chrysostom to be at Edessa in Syria, to which city his holy relics may have been translated from India in the fourth century.

October 08

Pelagia the Righteous

This Saint was a prominent actress of the city of Antioch, and a pagan, who lived a life of unrestrained prodigality and led many to perdition. Instructed and baptized by a certain bishop named Nonnus (Saint Nonnus is commemorated Nov. 10), she departed for the Mount of Olives near Jerusalem, where she lived as a recluse, feigning to be a eunuch called Pelagia. She lived in such holiness and repentance that within three or four years she was deemed worthy to repose in an odour of sanctity, in the middle of the fifth century. Her tomb on the Mount of Olives has been a place of pilgrimage ever since.

October 09

James the Apostle, son of Alphaeus

The holy Apostle James was one of the Twelve, and preached Christ to many nations, and finally suffered death by crucifixion.

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

2nd Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 6:16-18; 7:1

Brethren, you are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will live in them and move among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore come out from them, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch nothing unclean; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."

Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, and make holiness perfect in the fear of God.

Gospel Reading

2nd Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 6:31-36

The Lord said, "As you wish that men would do to you, do so to them. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful."

Wisdom of the Fathers

The sign that thou lovest God, is this, that thou lovest thy fellow; and if thou hatest thy fellow, thy hatred is towards God. For it is blasphemy if thou prayest before God while thou art wroth. For thy heart also convicts thee, that in vain thou multipliest words: thy conscience rightly judges that in thy prayers thou profitest nought.

St. Ephraim the Syrian

ON ADMONITION AND REPENTANCE.

'But I say to you,' the Lord says, 'love your enemies; do good to those who hate you, pray for those who persecute you.' Why did he command these things? So that he might free you from hatred, sadness, anger and grudges, and might grant you the greatest possession of all, perfect love, which is impossible to possess except by the one you loves all equally in imitation of God.

St. Maximos the Confessor

Unknown, 7th century

Every work which does not have love as its beginning and root is nothing.

St. John Chrysostom

Unknown, 4th century

There are three things that impel us towards what is holy: natural instincts, angelic powers and probity of intention. Natural instincts impel us when, for example, we do to others what we would wish them to do to us (cf. Luke 6:31), or when we see someone suffering deprivation or in need and naturally feel compassion. Angelic powers impel us when, being ourselves impelled to something worthwhile, we find we are providentially helped and guided. We are impelled by probity of intention when, discriminating between good and evil, we choose the good.

St. Maximos the Confessor

Second Century on Love no. 32, Philokalia Vol. 2 edited by Palmer, Sherrard and Ware; Faber and Faber pg. 71, 7th century

Parish News and Events

Sunday October 4, 2020

8:45am Orthros

10am Divine Liturgy

TODAY IS the First Sunday of Panagia's Next Protopresbyter

Father Apostolos N. Georgiafentis

With warmth & great love we welcome Fr. Apostolos with open arms.

40-Day Memorial: Peter Spyropoulos May his memory be Eternal.

18-Year Memorial: George Peter Philiotis May his memory be Eternal.

BAPTISM, October 10:

Baby Theodore Borkowski

Congratulations to Proud Parents Michael & Roula Borkowski

Father Apostolos will be presiding over the following (during the week) liturgical services in October.

Wednesday, October 14, 10:30 a.m. Service of the Small Paraklesis to the Most Holy Theotokos
Monday, October 26, 8:30 a.m. Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy - Saint Demetrios the Myrrh Streamer
Wednesday, October 28, 8:30 a.m. Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy - Holy Protection of the Theotokos

Reservation spots are available. Please go to https://tinyurl.com/sunday-assumption-services to register.

THE METROPOLIS is very grateful and thanks all of Assumption members for your stewardship over the years. For those who have already submitted your stewardship for 2020. Thank you!!!

Church Order Please come into the church prior to the start of the sermon, but remain in the back if the sermon has started. Please follow the direction of our Parish Council for the new procedure for receiving Holy Communion.

Welcome to Assumption….Welcome Home!

$$$ SCHOLARSHIP MONEY FOR Engineering Students of Hellenic descent! $$$

DEADLINE: OCTOBER 30, 20020

The Hellenic Link Midwest added a scholarship specific to community college AES students.

The L&PH AES Scholarships for Illinois Community College Students Academic Year 2020-21

Two $750 scholarships will be awarded to Illinois Community College students of Greek descent that are residents of Illinois. For eligibility rules and the application, open the PDF version of the application.

The scholarships will be awarded to the recipients in January of 2021. Applications and all related materials and documents must be post-marked no later than October 30, 2020

Here is a link to it: http://www.helleniclinkmidwest.org/HLMW-scholarship.html .

Project HOPE

The Orthodox Store has now become a part of Project HOPE. The Project HOPE committee has moved the drop off time to Friday mornings, at the National Hellenic Museum, from 9:30am-11:30am. If that time frame doesn't work, please call to coordinate another time. To learn more about Project HOPE, including for partnership and volunteer opportunities, please email HOPE@chicagometropolis.org or visit the Project HOPE webpage.

COMMUNITY PRAYER LIST (put this in your prayer corner at home)

O Lord our God, Who by word alone did heal all diseases, Who cured the mother in law of Peter, You Who chastise with pity and heal according to Your goodness; grant aid to these Your servants (Names) and heal them of every sickness of which they are grieved; lift them up from their pain, and send down upon them Your great mercy. For to you we send up Glory: to Father, and to Son, and to Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

PRAYERS FOR: Jenna, William, Momcilo, Jill, Panagiotis, Vasiliki, Elizabeth, Panagiota, Betty, Dimitri, Alexander, Vasiliki, Eleni, Panagiotis, George, Thomas, Nicholas, Sophia, Susan, Mary Lou, Mehmet. (Contact Assumption Business Office to add names at assumptionorthodoxchurch@gmail.com or call office at 773.626.3114

Flyers

Drive-In Movie Night at the Retreat Center

Just a 2-Hour Drive Getaway - Saturday, October 10. See Details.

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