Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Third Mode. Psalm 46.6,1.
Sing praises to our God, sing praises.
Verse: Clap your hands, all you nations.

The reading is from Acts of the Apostles 9:32-42.

IN THOSE DAYS, as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints that lived at Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years and was paralyzed. And Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed." And immediately he rose. And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. Now there was at Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. In those days she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him entreating him, "Please come to us without delay." So Peter rose and went with them. And when he had come, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping, and showing tunics and other garments which Dorcas made while she was with them. But Peter put them all outside and knelt down and prayed; then turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, rise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. And he gave her his hand and lifted her up. Then calling the saints and widows he presented her alive. And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Paralytic
The Reading is from John 5:1-15

At that time, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Hebrew called Bethesda which has five porticoes. In these lay a multitude of invalids, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water; for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool, and troubled the water; whoever stepped in first after the troubling of the water was healed of whatever disease he had. One man was there, who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew that he had been lying there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be healed?" The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is troubled, and while I am going another steps down before me." Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your pallet, and walk." And at once the man was healed, and he took up his pallet and walked.

Now that day was the sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who was cured, "It is the sabbath, it is not lawful for you to carry your pallet." But he answered them, "The man who healed me said to me, 'Take up your pallet, and walk.' "They asked him, "Who is the man who said to you, 'Take up your pallet, and walk'?" Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse befall you." The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him.

Hymns of the Day

Apolytikion of Great and Holy Pascha in the Plagal First Mode

Χριστός Ανέστη εκ νεκρών, θανάτω θάνατον πατήσας, καί τοίς εν τοίς μνήμασι, ζωήν, χαρισάμενος.

Christos anesti ek nekron, thanato thanaton patisas, ke tis en ti mnimasi zoi, harisamenos.

Christ is Risen from the dead/ by death trampling down upon death/ and to those in the tombs He has/ granted life.

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Third Mode

Ευραινέσθω τά ουράνια, αγαλλιάσθω τά επίγεια, ότι εποίησε κράτος εν βραχίονι αυτού ο Κύριος· επάτησε τώ θανάτω τόν θάνατον· πρωτότοκος τών νεκρών εγένετο, εκ κοιλίας Άδου ερρύσατο ημάς, καί παρέσχε τώ κόσμω τό μέγα έλεος.

Εfrenestho ta ourania, agaliasto ta epigia, oti epiise kratos, en vrahioni aftou o Kirios, epatise to thanato ton thanaton, prototokos ton nekron egeneto, ek kilias adou erisato imas, ke paresche to kosmo to mega eleos.

Let all the things above in heaven rejoice and let all things below on earth be glad. With all the might and strength of His arm an eternal deed the Lord did perform. Beneath His feet He has trampled down death by death, and first born of the dead has He become. From the womb of Hades has He delivered us, and to all the world has granted His great redeeming mercy.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal Fourth Mode

Into the grave you descended, Immortal One, / yet you destroyed the power of Hades, / and as victor / you arose, O Christ our God;/ you proclaimed to the myrrh-bearing women a greeting of joy, / you brought peace to your holy apostles, / and to the fallen you granted resurrection.

Saints and Feasts

May 07

Sunday of the Paralytic

Close to the Sheep's Gate in Jerusalem, there was a pool, which was called the Sheep's Pool. It had round about it five porches, that is, five sets of pillars supporting a domed roof. Under this roof there lay very many sick people with various maladies, awaiting the moving of the water. The first to step in after the troubling of the water was healed immediately of whatever malady he had.

It was there that the paralytic of today's Gospel way lying, tormented by his infirmity of thirty-eight years. When Christ beheld him, He asked him, "Wilt thou be made whole?" And he answered with a quiet and meek voice, "Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool." The Lord said unto him, "Rise, take up thy bed, and walk." And straightaway the man was made whole and took up his bed. Walking in the presence of all, he departed rejoicing to his own house. According to the expounders of the Gospels, the Lord Jesus healed this paralytic during the days of the Passover, when He had gone to Jerusalem for the Feast, and dwelt there teaching and working miracles. According to Saint John the Evangelist, this miracle took place on the Sabbath.

May 07

Commemoration of the Precious Cross that appeared in the sky over Jerusalem in 351 A.D.

On this day in the year 351, not long after Cyril had succeeded Maximus as Archbishop of Jerusalem, during the reign of Constantius, the son of Saint Constantine the Great, on the day of Pentecost, the sign of the Cross appeared over Jerusalem. Saint Cyril, in his letter to the Emperor Constantius, says, "At about the third hour of the day, an enormous Cross, formed of light, appeared in the heaven above holy Golgotha and reaching to the holy Mount of Olives, being seen not by one or two only, but manifest with perfect clarity to the whole multitude of the city; not, as one might suppose, rushing swiftly past in fancy, but seen openly above the earth many hours in plain sight, and overcoming the beams of the sun with its dazzling rays" (PG 33:1 16q).

Welcome

This Weeks Announcements

We extend greetings and a warm welcome to all visitors worshipping with us today. Please fill out a“visitor information card” located in the narthex and hand to one of the greeters. Following the Liturgy, please join us in our social hall for the coffee social.
Holy Communion in our Church is offered only to Orthodox Christians who have prepared themselves through the disciplines of our faith. Speak to Fr. Costas for further details.

We kindly ask everyone to Please silence cell phones and pagers while in Church

Today ~ Coffee & Conversationfor parents of children from birth – 6^th grade.
Today ~ Adult Catechism with Elaine Poulos.
Today ~ MNYMONINA: 40 days for Elizabeth Kantartzis; 3 months for Nicholas Paterakis; 6 months for Mike Paterakis; TRISAGIA: 9 months for Mary Catavolos Collaros; for the Catavolos and Collaros families; for Costas Kantartzis; for Estelle Kantartzis; for Donna Carrizzo; for Angelo Angelis.
Today ~ GOYA Meeting and elections following Sunday School.
Today ~ Dance practice for all levels following Sunday School and Goya meeting.
Today ~ 12:00 p.m. Parish Assembly in the Teen Room. Make time to attend and find out what is happening in our parish.
Monday ~ 6:00 p.m. come and help us clean up our church and the epitafio after the Pascha Season.
Monday - Tuesday ~ 9:00 a.m. Festival baking. Join us as we make galactobouriko, apple, and cherry rolls. Everyone welcome – whether you have an hour or two, your help is always appreciated.
Monday ~ 5:30 p.m. Greek School.
Tuesday ~ Philoptochos meeting with election of board members. Guest speaker will be Lindsey Cavanaugh from Touchstone Crystals by Swarvoski. Proceeds to benefit Philoptochos.
Thursday ~ 7:00 p.m. Bible Study with Frank Chirakos.
Friday ~ 5:00 p.m. GOYA Mother’s Day corsage making and movie night. RSVP to George Athanasiou gathanasiou@stpaulgoc.org. Pizza provided. GOYAns can bring movie snack or drinks.
Stewardship ~ Thank you to all those who completed and returned their 2017 Stewardship card.
Pave the Way ~ Have you responded to this appeal? Please join those who did and help us reach our goal of a new parking lot.

Upcoming Events in Our Parish – Respond Early

Next Sunday ~Epistle Reading, Acts 11:19-30; Gospel, John 4:5-42.
Next Sunday ~ MNYMOSINO: 1 year for Gust Dadas; TRISAGIA: 8 years for Irene Pantazolgou; for Nicholas, Erato, and John Hallios; for Moshoula Vangelos; for Renata Papadopoulos; for Elle Pantazoglou; for Socrates Pantazoglou; for Patra Sevastis; Argiros, Stavros, Theodoros Kokkas, for Demetrios Kokkos; for Anezina Salamalekis; for Grammatiki and Emmanuel Mouroulis.
Next Sunday ~ Coffee social hosted by Choir.
Wednesday ~ 7:00 p.m. monthly Parish Council meeting.
May 15 ~ 9:00 p.m. Live Video Cabin Talk for High School Seniors. The theme is Living a life in Christ after GOYA. Register at https://goo.gl/forms/kUBRRbjMo14W6Rxq1.
May 17 ~ 5:30 p.m. Philoptochos baking class will be making koulourakia. $15/person.
May 25 ~ Holy Ascension; 8:30 a.m. Orthros; 9:30 a.m. Liturgy.
May 27 ~ 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. Trisagia services offered by Father Costas at St. Theodosius Cemetery.
May 29 ~ Office closed.
May 29 ~ 10:00 a.m. Trisagia service at St. Theodosius Cemetery.
June 11 ~ Graduate Sunday. St. Paul High School and College graduates will be recognized immediately following Liturgy. Please be sure to enter our graduation information at: http://www.stpaulgoc.org/forms/graduate-recognition and forward a picture to the church office. Contact Gail Karagiozis if you have any questions at (440) 238-2621.
June 11 ~ 1:30 p.m. Annual Golf Outing at Pine Hills Golf Course in Hinckley followed by lamb roast. Sponsorships available. All proceeds to benefit Pave the Way parking lot Capital Campaign.

Events in the Greater Cleveland Area and Beyond…

May 20 ~ 7:00 p.m. Great Vespers for Sts. Constantine and Helen at Sts. Constantine and Helen in Cleveland Heights.
May 26 – 29 ~ Annunciation Cleveland Grecian Festival.
ZOE Women’s Center Medical Committee is looking for volunteers (Receptionist, Nurse, Sonographer, Fund Raiser, Medical Assistant, Physician’s Assistant, etc.) to offer services to women in distress due to unplanned pregnancies. Contact Despina at despina@mavrakisfamily.com.