Meditation on Pentecost
during which the Holy Spirit wrought in the Apostles 1) a change of mind, 2) a change of heart, and 3) a change of tongue.1

By St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite

   Consider, my beloved, how the All-holy Spirit filled the entire house where the divine Apostles were sitting and
praying when the Holy Spirit descended into the upper room in the form of fiery tongues like a violent wind and
thunder: "And It filled all the house where they were sitting" (Acts 2:2); and how the Holy Spirit made the house into
something like a baptismal font, as Gregory of Thessaloniki says, in order to baptize the Apostles with His divine
grace, concerning which baptism the Lord foretold them: "Ye shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days
hence" (Acts 1:5). "It filled the house where they were sitting, making it a spiritual font, and accomplishing the
promise which the Saviour made them when He ascended, saying, ‘For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall
be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ Even the name which He gave them proved to be true, for through this noise from
heaven the Apostles actually became sons of Thunder."2 At that very time the All-holy Spirit Himself wrought three
changes in the Apostles. The first was a change in the mind of the Apostles, such that their previous ideas
concerning the things of this world were altered so that they began to understand clearly the lowliness and vanity of
present good things, and on the other hand to understand the greatness and eternalness of the future good things.
Therefore, those same Apostles who just a short while ago disputed among themselves who among them would be
the first and greatest: "And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest"
(Lk. 22:24), after receiving the Holy Spirit considered it a great blessing to be lesser than everyone, to be despised
by everyone on account of Christ, and to be looked upon as weaklings, fools, disgraces, with contempt, and as the
trash and refuse of the world and men: "We are fools for Christ's sake, we are weak, we are despised... we are
made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day‛ (1 Cor. 4:10-13).

   Now, my brother, think about whether this change of mind has also occurred in you through reading this spiritual
exercise and what spiritual degree you have reached. For if up to now you have thought it a great thing to be
honored and esteemed by men, to be in the heart of everyone and loved by all, to always be seeking out new
pleasures (wasting the time on these things that was given to you in order that you might gain the eternal good
things), and to live with taxes and among worldly controversies, it is apparent that up until now your mind has been
directed by the spirit of the world and not by the Spirit of God. For this you should lament and repent, because Christ
died, resurrected, and ascended into the heavens, not to give you the spirit of the world, but to give you His own
Spirit, and you, by the evil life you have been living, have not become a recipient of His Divine Spirit: "Now we have
received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God" (1 Cor. 2:12). However, from now on you
must be resolved to change your ways completely, namely, to be guided by the teachings of the Gospel and the
Holy Spirit, not to reckon any other honor but that which magnifies you before God, and not to choose any other
good except that which will bring you Paradise. If you do these things it is a good sign that the grace of the Holy
Spirit has begun to illumine your mind and to change you from the person you were into another person, just as it is
written about Saul: "The Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee, and thou shalt be turned into another man" (1 Kg. [1
Sam.] 10:6). On account of this you should rejoice and thank the Lord Who illumined you with His Holy Spirit so that
you might not walk any longer as an infant, but as a perfect man: "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I
understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things" (1 Cor. 13:11), and
so that you might not follow any longer the mindset of the flesh, which is death, but the mindset of the Spirit, which is
life: "To be carnally minded is death; but to have the mind of the Spirit is life and peace‛ (Rom. 8:6).

   Be ashamed, then, of your past life, when you lived, not as a family member of Christ, but as an alien and foreigner,
because you did not possess the Spirit of Christ, for according to the Apostle: "Now if any man have not the Spirit of
Christ, he is none of His" (Rom. 8:9). Humbly ask the Holy Spirit to completely reorient your mind toward His divine
will, enlightening it with His grace, and not superficially, but penetratingly to the depths, so that you might not be
deprived of His enlightenment and grace like David, and say with him: "The light of mine eyes, even this is not
with me" (Ps. 37:10). And to a dim enlightenment you should add a purer and brighter enlightenment, saying: "In
Thy light shall we see light" (Ps. 35:10). But how can you retain this enlightenment of the Holy Spirit in your mind
and not let it be extinguished? Listen to what the divine Chrysostom has to say to you: Just as the light of a lamp
is ignited and continues to shine because of the oil in it, but when the oil is consumed the light too is extinguished,
so the grace of the Holy Spirit is ignited and illumines us when we have good works and almsgiving in our souls. But
when we lack good works and almsgiving the light of the Holy Spirit departs from us. "For just as the light of
a lantern is fueled by oil, and when the oil burns off the light is extinguished as well; in like manner, the grace of the
Spirit ignites and illumines us when we have good works and have much almsgiving and compassion for the poor in
our soul. When these are absent, however, then does grace also disappear and depart."3 Accordingly the Spirit
of the Lord which was given to Saul departed from him because he did not have a good will and virtuous deeds:
"The Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul" (1 Kg. [1 Sam.] 16:14). For this reason Paul commands us by writing:
"Quench not the Spirit" (1 Th. 5:19).

   Basil the Great says that just as a fever permanently remains in some bodies for a long time, but in others
temporarily and only for a short while, so it is with the Holy Spirit, for He remains in some people permanently on
account of the firmness of their good will, as it was for Eldad and Medad (concerning whom it is written in
Numbers 11:26 that they always prophesied); while in others the Holy Spirit is found only temporarily and quickly
departs on account of the instability of their will, as was the case for Saul and the seventy elders who only once
prophesied and then lost the charisma of prophecy: "As in our bodies is health, or heat, or, generally, their
variable conditions, so, very frequently is the Spirit in the soul; since He does not abide with those who, on account
of the instability of their will, easily reject the grace which they have received. An instance of this is seen in Saul and
the seventy elders of the children of Israel, except Eldad and Medad, with whom alone the Spirit appears to
have remained, and, generally, any one similar to these in character."4

Notes:
1 Translated by Fr. George Dokos, ThD. This is the Thirty-Third Meditation from St. Nikodemos’ book Pneumatika
Gymnasmata [Spiritual Exercises] ([Thessaloniki: Regopoulos, 1999], 286-293).

2 St. Gregory Palamas, Homily Twenty-Four: On how the Holy Spirit was manifested and shared out at Pentecost,
PG 151, 312B; The Homilies of Saint Gregory Palamas, Volume Two ([South Canaan: St. Tikhon’s Seminary Press,
2004], 25-26).

3 St. John Chrysostom, De Verbis Apostoli, Habentes Eumdem Spiritum 6, PG 51, 277.

4 St. Basil the Great, De Spiritu Sancto 26.61, PG 32, 180D-181A; NPNF (V2-08), 38.

ST. GEORGE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH

REV. FR. RICHARD DEMETRIUS ANDREWS, PRESBYTER

www.stgeorgegoc.org

June 11, 2017                                                                                                                      ALL SAINTS

TODAY’S EVENTS: Serve-a-Meal at FOCUS MN 4pm; Greek Dance Practice 6:30pm.

Memorial: Nick Leaskas (40 days)                                      Prosfora: anonymous

Epistle Reader: Stephen Kanavati                                       Fellowship:  Joanne & Demetri Halatsis

                                                                                              Head Usher: Bill Clemons

Monday       06-12     Vacation Church School (9am – 12 noon, through Thursday, June 15)              9:00AM

Tuesday       06-13     Website Committee meeting                                                                                7:00PM

Wednesday 06-14     Spring Cleaning II                                                                                                5:30PM

Thursday     06-15     FOCUS MN Craft Nightin Minneapolis                                                                  6:00PM

                                      AHEPA meeting                                                                                                  7:00PM

Sunday         06-18     ORTHROS (8:15am) &DIVINELITURGY- 2^nd SUNDAY OF MATTHEW                 9:30AM

                                      Father’s Day

                                      Serve-a-Meal at FOCUS MN                                                                               4:00PM

Monday       06-19     Parish Council meeting                                                                                        6:30PM

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Memory Eternal: The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America is mourning the passing of Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago, 89, who fell asleep in the Lord on June 2, 2017, at Chicago’s Weiss Memorial Hospital following a short illness. The funeral was held Friday, June 9 in Chicago. May the Lord our God remember his archpriesthood in His Kingdom unto the ages. Please pray for the synod of bishops who will elect a successor.

Vacation Church School: starts tomorrow! See Nathaniel to register. The program will run Monday through Thursday from 9am-noon.

Think About It: The easiest, quickest way and safest path to Heaven is humility. Philotheos Zervakos (+1980)

Spring Cleaning II: this Wednesday, June 14 at 5:30pm to complete the many items not finished at the first church cleaning including storage areas, windows, and the kitchen.

IOCC Summer Internship: for student or graduate in social sciences; based in Twin Cities with periodic travel throughout US managing home builds; coordinating Youth ServExtreme and grant writing. For more info, www.iocc.org/take-action/internship-program or contact Dan Christopulos dchristopulos@iocc.org

Greek Festival: August 19-20. 2017; save the dates! Advance Sale tickets will be sold in the social hall on Sundays after liturgy, ticket price is $10 for $12 of food & beverages. Yard signs will be available in the social hall beginning today. If you are interested in serving on the Clean-up Committee or any other, please contact Jon Kennedy, Phyllis Kapetanakis or Alexis Bighley.

Mural Icons- Thank you to all for designating memorials of departed loved ones and making additional significant personal contributions: Resurrection Icon - Presvytera Miriam Paraschou in memory of Fr. Parry, Crucifixion Icon - Angie & Tia Kontenakos in memory of Christ Kontenakos, Nativity Icon - Irene Loudas in memory of Basil Loudas, and Pentecost Icon - Mary Arvanitis in memory of Loucas Arvanitis, Nick and Frances Arvanitis, Michael Eric, and Aphrodite Arvanitis.

FOCUS MN Craft Night: Thursday, June 15, 6-8pm at FOCUS Minnesota, 1600 E Lake St, Minneapolis, 55407. Plastic grocery bags are needed to crochet waterproof sleeping mats for the homeless. It takes 500 bags to make a single mat. Visit http://www.focusmn.org for more information.

Roselawn Cemetery Lots: are still available for parishioners at a 15% discount off list prices. 2017 discounted prices are: Monument Lot (2 graves) $5,865.00; Flat Lot A (2 graves) $3,485.00; Flat Lot B (1 grave-limited availability) $2,040.00. If interested in learning more or to purchase a lot, please contact the church office.

Patristic Wisdom: A Christian receives divine wisdom in three ways: 1) by the commandments, 2) by the teachings, and 3) by the faith. The commandments free the mind from passions. Teachings lead it to true knowledge of nature. And faith leads to contemplation of the Holy Trinity. St. Maximos the Confessor (+662)

Middle Eastern Festival: July 14-16 at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church. For details, see flyer in social hall or visit www.mideastfest.com.

St. Mardarije of Libertyville Glorification: pan-orthodox celebration July 14-16 in Libertyville IL His relics have been found incorrupt and the diocese is having a pan-orthodox celebration at Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral and St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Monastery. See flyer in social hall or visit www.stsavamonastery.org

Wisdom from the Church Fathers: Why is it that much is said and written about the sufferings of the Saints? Because these holy persons are considered victors. Can anyone be a victor in a battle without conflict, pain and suffering? If a person does not engage in combat with the world, with the devil or with one’s self, for the sake of Christ, how can he/she be counted among the soldiers of Christ?                         St. Nikolai Velimerovic (+1956)

Stewardship 2017: Our theme is You are the Voice of Christ in a Changing World: As the Father Has Sent Me, So I Send You (John 20:21). We have received 106 pledge cards for 2017 with a total of $166,290 and an average of $1,569. Be sure to increase your pledge, even if only a few dollars. This reflects spiritual growth and overcomes stagnation. We encourage everyone to give a minimum of 2% pledge of gross yearly income to become a self-sustaining community. This is far less than the biblical ideal of tithing, giving 10%.

Need Counseling? Fr. Rick is always available by appointment for pastoral counseling. He will soon become a Licensed Associate in Marriage & Family Therapy (LAMFT). To complete his doctoral internship, Father needs a certain number of hours counseling individuals, couples and families. His program allows pastoral counseling to count towards those hours. Fr. Rick has nearly 22 years of parish priest experience as well as doctoral training in MFT. Help him to help you. All counseling is strictly confidential. Fr. Rick is also a certified Seminar Director for the Prepare-Enrich program (www.prepare-enrich.com), the premier pre-marital and marital counseling assessment tool in the world. This enables him to train others to become facilitators, certified to use Prepare-Enrich as a tool in counseling with couples.

Church Fathers Speak: Humans fear emptiness. Thus, if we evict a good spirit, its place will be taken by the evil one because a heart cannot stay empty. Nature abhors a vacuum.     St. John of Kronstadt +(1908)

75th Anniversary Album Update: Thank you to everyone for their patience as the 75th Anniversary Commemorative Album is reaching its final stage of production. Thanks to all who submitted materials including family pages. Thanks also to Dawn Lampros, Denise Smith and Julie Delton for their tireless efforts to bring forth a top quality history of our parish. It is very typical for parish anniversary publications to take a year or more to complete. We anticipate a finished product by early summer--well within normal parameters. 

Welcome Visitors Thank you for joining with us in prayer and fellowship. The worship of the Orthodox Church is deeply rooted in and very similar to that of the early Christian Church. Unique sensory stimuli and mystery are elements that go back even to the liturgy of the Jewish temple. Everything in an Orthodox Christian church communicates the majestic presence of God the Holy Trinity with His Saints. It is literally heaven on earth. It is a sad consequence of the divisions in Christianity that we cannot extend a general invitation to receive Holy Communion. Visitors are invited to receive the blessed bread (antithoron) at the conclusion of the liturgy. We pray and work for the reconciliation and unity of all Christians. If you are interested in learning more about Orthodoxy, please contact Fr. Rick at fatherrick@stgeorgegoc.org. We are proud of our Greek heritage but one does not have to be of Greek descent, nor speak Greek to be a Greek Orthodox Christian.

Note to Orthodox about Holy Communion: Receiving the Body and Blood of Christ is one of the most Holy experiences for a Christian in order to be granted the forgiveness of sins and everlasting life. We are never worthy to partake of Divine Nature. Yet, it is essential that we prepare ourselves for this sacred Communion by constant prayer, reading the Scriptures, regular fasting and periodic Confession. At a minimum, we should fast all morning before Communion, arrive at the beginning of Liturgy, and come for Confession at least once a year. In addition, we should not have separated ourselves from the Church through serious sin. Otherwise, please refrain from Communion to avoid “judgment…not discerning the Lord’s body” (1Cor. 11:29). Contact Fr. Rick for pastoral guidance.

Glad Tidings deadline: The 10th of each month. Glad Tidings email: gladtidings@stgeorgegoc.org  Sunday Bulletin Deadline: Wednesday Noon each week.  Email: office@stgeorgegoc.org