Sunday Services: Orthros-8:45 a.m. Divine Liturgy-10:00 a.m. Sunday School after Distribution of Holy Communion. Holy Day Services As announced in weekly bulletins.
Ushers:
7/31- Chuck Odom & C.Zouboukos
Altar Servers:
7/31- Erunn Sturgon & Christopher & Alrx Shepis
(Please note that if any altar servers are in church and see that none of the assigned alltar servers are here you are of course asked to serve in the altar).
Epistle Reader: \
7/31-Stephanos Mangafakis
Prosphoro:
7/31 Father Andrew
8/7- Father Andrew
8/14 - Demetra Papadimitriou
8/21 -Ellen Hontzas
8/28 -?????
To sign up to bake prosphoro click on this link. https://signup.com/client/invitation2/secure/266988023009644063/false#/invitation
Orthros starts at: 9:00 a.m.
Liturgy Starts at 10:00 a.m,
Coffee Hour: Fresh brewed coffee and snacks
Sunday School Teachers: As we lookforward to starting our Sunday School classes we are looking for Sunday School teachers to help. If you sre interested in teaching our young people about their fatth, please contact Ellen Hontzas. Please note that, that the Archdiocese requires all persons who are involved with any youth programs to submit to a background check and comple the Archdiocese Youth Protection Progrma (on lne),
Please Note: If you cannot join us the Liturgy will be recorded "live and in color" and available for viewing on our facebook page, see links below. If you cannot attend and still want to light a candle, or make an offering. Please use any of the links below. Our Facebook page click on the link below:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/269685419794311/ or go to our church web page
www.holytrinitysaintjohnjackson.org and click on the link
We are grateful to those who have contributed and continue to contribute their donations through the mail or by the two secure on-line options both of which can be found on our web page. The light a candle say a prayer link below or the Donate Button on the bottom of the home page https://holy-trinity-st-john-the-theologian-greek-orthodox-church-jac.square.site
Our July Birthday Celebrations: John Polles-July 3rd, Gayland Cox-July 4th, Christo Burnham-July 5th, McKenna Fowler-July 7th, Presbytera Bonnie-July 8th, Nickolas Fowler-July 12th, Stamati Polles-July 13th, William Moxey-July 15th, Stephanos Manganfakis-July 15th, Jerry Kountouris-July 21st, Malissa Zouboukos-July 26th, Gebre Menfes Kidus-July 26th, Janet Ingram Grillis-July 28th,Emma Papadimitriou-July 28th, Alexis Ann Kountouris-July 29th, Michael Fowler-July 30th
Our August BirthdayCelebrations: Sophia Efstratiou – August 4th , Ellen Hontzas – August 9th Kimberly Thompson-August 10th Dianna Psaris-August 14th Lydia Laird-August 20th Pete Zouboukos-August 22nd , Lana Sturgon-August 29th
Our Holy Trinity-St. John the Theologian Prayer List:
"Remember Lord, those whom each of us calls prayerfully to mind" Presbytera Bonne Koufopoulos-after her shoulder surgery,Stella Grivas (Father Andrew's mother in Dunnsville VA), Andrea & Kevin Brown (Father Andrew's sister and brother in law in New Hampshire), Chuck Odom, Nicholas & Dianna Psaris, John Botes, Chris Grillis, Lambryne Angelo, Malissa and Pat Zouboukos have asked that we pray for their friend Bill Hardin and their friend and neighbor Bill Spence, Paula Fowler, Victoria Lepsa (Cristina Nica's mother in Romania), Tatianna Koufopoulos Quick of Phoenix Arizona, Maria Costas, Dot Pavlou,
Because of the many diseases that occur in the month of August, the custom prevailed of old in Constantinople to carry the precious Wood of the Cross in procession throughout the city for its sanctification and its deliverance from illnesses. It was brought forth from the imperial treasury on the last day of July and placed upon the Holy Table of the Great Church of the Holy Wisdom; and beginning today, until the Dormition of the Theotokos, it was carried in procession throughout the city and was set forth for veneration before the people.
The names of the Holy Maccabees are Abim, Anthony, Guria, Eleazar, Eusebona, Achim, and Marcellus. They were Jews by race and exact keepers of the Laws of the Fathers. They lived during the reign of Antiochus, who was surnamed Epiphanes ("Illustrious"), the King of Syria and an implacable enemy of the Jews. Having subjugated their whole nation and done many evil things to them, not sparing to assail the most sacred matters of their Faith, he constrained them, among other things, to partake of swine's flesh, which was forbidden by the Law. Then these pious youths, on being apprehended together with their mother and their teacher, were constrained to set at nought the Law, and were subjected to unspeakable tortures: wrackings, the breaking of their bones, the flaying of their flesh, fire, dismemberment, and such things as only a tyrant's mind and a bestial soul is able to contrive. But when they had endured all things courageously and showed in deed that the mind is sovereign over the passions and is able to conquer them if it so desires, they gloriously ended their lives in torments, surrendering their life for the sake of the observance of the divine Law. The first to die was their teacher Eleazar, then all the brethren in the order of their age. As for their wondrous mother Solomone, "filled with a courageous spirit, and stirring up her womanish thoughts with a manly wrath" (II Macc. 7:21), she was present at her children's triumph over the tyrant, strengthening them in their struggle for the sake of their Faith, and enduring stout-heartedly their sufferings for the sake of their hope in the Lord. After her last and youngest son had been perfected in martyrdom, when she was about to be seized to be put to death, she cast herself into the fire that they might not touch her, and was thus deemed worthy of a blessed end together with her sons, in the year 168 before Christ.
The Seven Youths hid themselves in a certain cave near Ephesus in the year 250, to escape the persecution of Decius. By divine grace, a sleep came upon them and they slept for 184 years, until the reign of Saint Theodosius the Younger, when the doctrine of the resurrection was being assailed by heretics. They then awoke, that is, were resurrected, confirming in the sight of all the bodily resurrection; and again after a short time, by divine command, they reposed in the Lord in the year 434.
Our Lord had spoken to His disciples many times not only concerning His Passion, Cross, and Death, but also concerning the coming persecutions and afflictions that they themselves would endure. Since all these evils were near at hand, but the enjoyment of good things which they hoped to receive in their stead was yet to come, our Savior desired to give them full assurance, evidently and openly, concerning that glory which is prepared for those who endure to the end. Therefore, fulfilling that which He had promised shortly before, that "there be some standing here which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in His Kingdom" (Matt. 16:28), He took His three foremost disciples and ascended Mount Tabor, where He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as the light. Suddenly, together with this dread and marvelous effulgence of light, there appeared those pinnacles of the Prophets, Moses and Elias, who spoke with the Lord Jesus concerning His saving Passion which was about to take place. Standing before Him as reverent servants, they showed that He is the Lord of both the living and the dead, for Moses came forth from Hades, having died many centuries before, and Elias, as it were from heaven, whither he had been taken up while yet alive. After a little while a radiant cloud overshadowed them and out of the cloud they heard that same voice which had been heard at the Jordan at the Baptism of Christ, testifying to the Divinity of Jesus and saying: "This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well-pleased; hear ye Him" (Matt. 17: 5).
Such are the marvels, truly worthy of God, celebrated in this present feast, which is an image and prefiguring of the future state of the righteous, whose splendor the Lord spoke of, saying: "Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun" (Matt. 13:43). It is because of this that the Kontakion of this Feast is said daily (when there is not a great feast) in the Service of the Typica in perpetual commemoration of the glory that will be the lot of the Saints. According to tradition, the Lord's Transfiguration came to pass forty days before His Crucifixion; this is why the Transfiguration is celebrated forty days before the Exaltation of the Cross.
Seventh Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from John 20:1-10
On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." Peter then came out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first; and stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying, and the napkin, which had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not know the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes.
Prokeimenon. Plagal Second Tone. Psalm 27.9,1.
O Lord, save your people and bless your inheritance.
Verse: To you, O Lord, I have cried, O my God.
The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans 15:1-7.
Brethren, we who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves; let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to edify him. For Christ did not please himself; but, as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached thee fell on me." For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Welcome one another, therefore, as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
7th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 9:27-35
At that time, as Jesus passed by, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, "Have mercy on us, Son of David." When he entered the house, the blind men came to him; and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to him, "Yes, Lord." Then he touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith be it done to you." And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly charged them, "See that no one knows it." But they went away and spread his fame through all that district.
As they were going away, behold, a dumb demoniac was brought to him. And when the demon had been cast out, the dumb man spoke; and the crowds marveled, saying, "Never was anything like this seen in Israel." But the Pharisees said, "He casts out demons by the prince of demons."
And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people.
In the book of the Prophet Isaiah it is written that, when the Messiah comes He will cure our illnesses. “Behold, our God renders judgment, and He will render it; He will come and save us. Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall hear” (Is. 35:4-5).
In today’s divine Gospel this prophesy has been fulfilled before us. Two blind men, as Jesus Christ was passing by, “followed Him, crying out and saying, ‘Son of David, have mercy on us'” (Matth.9:27). These men were deprived of the greatest gift from God, their sight, and for many years lived in darkness. They struggled to survive by begging in the streets of their home town and were unable to see even their beloved ones. Although blind, they were not deaf. They heard about Jesus of Nazareth. They listened to the stories, which their fellow countrymen were saying, about the miracles that this young Rabbi was performing and within their hearts a great hope was building up. They listened to the loud voice, arising from the depths of their hearts, crying and saying to them: ‘He is the only One, Who can help you. He is the One, Who all nations are waiting for. He is the Son of David. He is the Messiah of Whom the Prophets have spoken about. He is the Saviour of the world, Whom God the Father has sent for the salvation of mankind. He is the true Physician of both soul and body. He is the only One Who can give you the light, because He is the Light of the world’.
With these thoughts they followed Christ and with faith cried out to Him: “Son of David, have mercy on us! Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God have mercy on us! Lord Jesus Christ, You Who came into the world to save Your creation from the darkness of sin, ignorance and death, show Your loving kindness to us sinners, and have mercy on us. You, Who are the only Philanthropic God and created us in Your “image and likeness”, show us Your Love and philanthropia. You created man and gave him reason to admire the works of Your Hands. Grant to us the light of our eyes, in order for us to see the beauty of the universe.” The results of their faith was that “their eyes were opened” (Matthew 9:30).
In today’s society, how many people walk around blind not because they are incapable of seeing, but because they refuse to see with their own eyes the problems of society today? How many have the gift from God to see His creation, remain blind and refuse to approach and believe in Him, Who created all things? How many refuse to open their eyes before the truths of God’s Revelation and accept Jesus Christ, as the only Son of God and their Saviour? How many times do we find people who, although believe in Christ, refuse to hear the real teachings and interpretations of the Church and remain blind and deaf in the darkness of heresy? How many have lost their spiritual sight, because they remain under the shadow and slavery of sin? How many people, who are blessed from God to have earthly riches, remain blind and deaf before the needs of their fellow man and refuse to give with their hearts? How many times have governments around the world become blind and they destroy the fruits of the Earth, in order to keep the stock market high and they do not see the true needs of the poor people of other countries? How many billions of dollars are spent for man to go to the stars, and yet people on Earth are starving to death?
The two blind men of today’s Gospel reading, my beloved friends, when Christ our God asked them to keep silent, “they spread the news about Him in all that country” (Matthew 9:3l). As Orthodox Christians, living in this beloved country of S. Africa, or in any part of the world, we also have to approach Christ. Man can only find the restoration of his spiritual sight, when he approaches Christ, the source of true Light. He is the only One, who can heal our infirmities and our blindness caused by sin. He is the only One, Who can free us from the slavery of sin and death. The Prophet Isaiah spoke under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit saying, “He bears our sins, and is pained for us; yet we accounted Him to be in trouble, and in suffering, and in affliction. But He was wounded on account of our sins, and was bruised because of our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and by His bruises we were healed” (Isaiah 53:4-5). “Himself took our infirmities
and bore our sicknesses” (Matthew 8:l7). He is the One about Whom St. John, the Baptist, testified saying: “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John l:29). He is the Paschal Lamb, who offers Himself for our deliverance from darkness and death (l Peter 1:19).
In Jesus Christ man finds his true health. Man is healed by Jesus through the actions of the Holy Spirit. Through the Holy Sacraments of the Church the Holy Spirit acts and sanctifies the faithful who believe in Jesus Christ, as their Lord and Saviour. Man is restored to his original condition of health only within the Church, which Christ established. Outside the Church there can be no true restoration of man’s health, because outside the Church man is unable to overcome and to be free from sin. When man believes in the Lord Jesus and practices His Teachings, then he finds his way in life. He sees the needs of his neighbour not only with his eyes, but also with the understanding of his spirit. As Orthodox Christians we must never forget, that we should love our neighbours as we love ourselves. This is the Commandment of our Lord. Under this light we should walk. Under this light we should see. Under this light we should cry out to the people, that One is He Who is Holy, One is the Lord; Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father. Amen.
My beloved friends, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ will come again in all His glory and power to judge the living and the dead. And according to our deeds, He will reveal before the whole universe the secret works of each and every one. Let us open the eyes of our understanding now that we have the time. Let us approach Him, Who can heal all our infirmities and will restore our spiritual health. Let us testify to the world, that only in Jesus Christ man can find the true aims for life. Let us approach the source of true Love. Let us approach our fellow men and see to their needs. In this way the Apostle taught us; in this way the Fathers of our Orthodox Church showed us; in this way we, today, follow. My beloved friends, as the two blind men asked with faith for Christ to grant them their sight, let us also at this moment ask Him with faith to grant us our spiritual sight in order to lead a way of life according to His divine Teachings and Commandments, for the glory of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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