Did You Know?
Faith means to have trust in God
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Narthex Press
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Narthex Press
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Narthex Press
Eleventh Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from John 21:14-25
At that time, Jesus revealed himself to his disciples after he was raised from the dead, and he said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs." A second time he said to him, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep." He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" And he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go." (This he said to show by what death he was to glorify God.) And after this he said to him, "Follow me."
Peter turned and saw following them the disciple whom Jesus loved, who had lain close to his breast at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?" When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, "Lord, what about this man?" Jesus said to him, "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!" So, the word went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die; but Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?" This is the disciple who is bearing witness to these things, and who has written these things; and we know that his testimony is true. But there are also many other things which Jesus did; were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.
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 St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 6:13-20.
BRETHREN, when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore to himself, saying, "Surely I will bless you and multiply you." And thus Abraham, having patiently endured, obtained the promise. Men indeed swear by a greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he interposed with an oath, so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible that God should prove false, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
Sunday of St. John Climacus
The Reading is from Mark 9:17-31
At that time, a man came to Jesus kneeling and saying: "Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a dumb spirit; and wherever it seizes him it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able." And he answered them, "O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me." And they brought the boy to him; and when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, "How long has he had this?" And he said, "From childhood. And it has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us." And Jesus said to him, "If you can! All things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!" And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You dumb and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again." And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse; so that most of them said, "He is dead." But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" And he said to them, "This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting." They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he would not have any one know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he will rise."
Faith means to have trust in God
Fire and water do not mix, neither can you mix judgment of others with the desire to repent. If a man commits a sin before you at the very moment of his death, pass no judgment, because the judgment of God is hidden from men. It has happened that men have sinned greatly in the open but have done greater deeds in secret, so that those who would disparage them have been fooled, with smoke instead of sunlight in their eyes.
Saint John Climacus
There are no Memorial or Trisagion prayers this week
1. TODAY is the Sunday of Saint John Climacus
2. April 12 -- Great Compline @ 6: 30 pm; April 14 @ 6: 30 pm -- Presanctified Liturgy; April 16 @ 6: 30 pm -- Fourth Salutations
3. Philoptochos News
Volunteers Needed!
UPCOMING EASTER BREAD WORKSHOP on Friday, April 16, 2021, at 10 am. If you're able to offer your support, please contact Vicki LaRoche at 413-284-7167. No previous experience is necessary. All workshops are COVID compliant and designed to keep participants healthy and safe.
DEADLINE TODAY for Philoptochos Easter Orders! Orders for the Easter Bake Sale and Easter Flower Sale ends today. Donations will continue for Easter Food Outreach and the Epitaphios Decorating. Donations can be sent directly to the church office or dropped off in the Narthex following Sunday Liturgy. A Philoptochos board member will be available to help answer any questions and to facilitate a seamless process. Thank you for your support!
JOIN US! Palm Folding will take place on the Saturday of Lazarus, Saturday, April 24, 2021. If you or your family plan to attend the service, please join Stephanie Bologa along with support from GOYA in the Fellowship Hall following service to help with the Palm Folding. No experience necessary. All events are designed to be COVID compliant for the safety of all participants.
SPRING BLESSING BAGS! Please take a moment to pick up one or two bags to distribute to our neighbors in need. The basket is located in the Narthex.
Let's Not Keep Philoptochos a Secret!
The Metropolis of Boston Philoptochos is hosting a Spring 2021 Fundraiser
Click on the link below for all the details. The deadline to register is 4/18/2021.
The Metropolis of Boston Philoptochos Board Lenten Appeal
On behalf of the National Philoptochos Executive Board, we ask for a final appeal to assist in the completion of the Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine at the World Trade Center in New York City. If you wish to help, please click on the link below.
https://boston.goarch.org/ministries/philoptochos/
4. The schedule for Romeos & Juliets is as follows: April 22, May 27, June 24, and July 22, at 12 noon. We will be meeting via Zoom video and Zoom call. Please contact Father at frpklostri@gmail.com for the Meeting ID and passcode
The memory of this Saint is celebrated on March 30, where his biography may be found. He is celebrated today because his book, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, is a sure guide to the ascetic life, written by a great man of prayer experienced in all forms of the monastic polity; it teaches the seeker after salvation how to lay a sound foundation for his struggles, how to detect and war against each of the passions, how to avoid the snares laid by the demons, and how to rise from the rudimental virtues to the heights of Godlike love and humility. It is held in such high esteem that it is universally read in its entirety in monasteries during the Great Fast.