WEEKDAY SERVICES
Saturday, February 2nd, 2019—PRESENTATION OF OUR LORD, Divine Liturgy at 8:30 a.m.
Thursday, February 7th, 2019— PARAKLESIS to the most Holy Theotokos at 6 p.m.
_______________________
This Sunday, coffee hour will be kindly hosted by the Parish Council members.
____________________
GOYA MEETING—This week our GOYA will be meeting on Friday, February 1st at 6 p.m. Next week they will be meeting on Saturday, February 9th at 6 p.m. They will be alternating weeks.
_________________________
THE DORMITION FAMILY TABLE
The next Dormition Family Table will be served on Wednesday, February 6, 2019 from 4 p.m.—6 p.m. We are looking for volunteers to help cook and serve. Cooking starts at 2:00 p.m.
____________________
PHILOPTOCHOS APOKRIATIKO
SPAGHETTI LUNCHEON
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10 2019
Immediately following the Divine Liturgy
Menu: Spaghetti & Meatsause, salad, soft drinks, wine, coffee & dessert
Adults: $20 / Children : $10 (12 & under)
Please contact Dora Sfikas at 781-395-1403 to reserve your seats. The luncheon proceedings will go towards the Philoptochos’ benevolent mission.
___________________________
THE DILBOY POST BUILDING FUND—The George Dilboy VFW 529 Post is collecting money for the Dilboy Post building fund by offering memorial granite walkway bricks for $100 each. If interested please obtain the forms from the Church office or call at 617-625-2222.
_________________________
SUNDAY SCHOOL
I want to thank all of the teachers, students and parents who helped with the Christmas pageant this year and who continue to participate each week in our Sunday school.
We have been blessed with wonderful teachers, assistants and students once again this year and as our Sunday school grows we are looking for teachers and assistants to join. We need your talent and time in this most important ministry. Father Konstantinos will be conducting training seminars for prospective teachers and assistants. Please email me with your questions or if you are interested at eleniraschi@gmail.com.
PARISH COUNCIL MEMBERS ON CHURCH DUTY SUNDAY JANUARY 27TH, 2019
Maria Binieris, Guy Bressette
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 Second Letter to the Corinthians 6:1-10.
Brethren, working together with him, we entreat you not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says, "At the acceptable time I have listened to you, and helped you on the day of salvation." Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. We put no obstacle in any one's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, tumults, labors, watching, hunger; by purity, knowledge, forbearance, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
Προκείμενον. Third Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 46.6,1.
Ψάλατε τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν, ψάλατε.
Στίχ. Πάντα τὰ ἔθνη κροτήσατε χεῖρας.
τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Κορινθίους β' 6:1-10.
Ἀδελφοί, συνεργοῦντες δὲ καὶ παρακαλοῦμεν μὴ εἰς κενὸν τὴν χάριν τοῦ θεοῦ δέξασθαι ὑμᾶς - λέγει γάρ, Καιρῷ δεκτῷ ἐπήκουσά σου, καὶ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ σωτηρίας ἐβοήθησά σοι· ἰδού, νῦν καιρὸς εὐπρόσδεκτος, ἰδού, νῦν ἡμέρα σωτηρίας - μηδεμίαν ἐν μηδενὶ διδόντες προσκοπήν, ἵνα μὴ μωμηθῇ ἡ διακονία· ἀλλʼ ἐν παντὶ συνιστῶντες ἑαυτοὺς ὡς θεοῦ διάκονοι, ἐν ὑπομονῇ πολλῇ, ἐν θλίψεσιν, ἐν ἀνάγκαις, ἐν στενοχωρίαις, ἐν πληγαῖς, ἐν φυλακαῖς, ἐν ἀκαταστασίαις, ἐν κόποις, ἐν ἀγρυπνίαις, ἐν νηστείαις, ἐν ἁγνότητι, ἐν γνώσει, ἐν μακροθυμίᾳ, ἐν χρηστότητι, ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ, ἐν ἀγάπῃ ἀνυποκρίτῳ, ἐν λόγῳ ἀληθείας, ἐν δυνάμει θεοῦ, διὰ τῶν ὅπλων τῆς δικαιοσύνης τῶν δεξιῶν καὶ ἀριστερῶν, διὰ δόξης καὶ ἀτιμίας, διὰ δυσφημίας καὶ εὐφημίας· ὡς πλάνοι καὶ ἀληθεῖς· ὡς ἀγνοούμενοι, καὶ ἐπιγινωσκόμενοι· ὡς ἀποθνῄσκοντες, καὶ ἰδού, ζῶμεν· ὡς παιδευόμενοι, καὶ μὴ θανατούμενοι· ὡς λυπούμενοι, ἀεὶ δὲ χαίροντες· ὡς πτωχοί, πολλοὺς δὲ πλουτίζοντες· ὡς μηδὲν ἔχοντες, καὶ πάντα κατέχοντες.
16th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 25:14-30
The Lord said this parable: "A man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted to them his property; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them; and he made five talents more. So also, he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.' And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.' He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not winnow; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.' But his master answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed, and gather where I have not winnowed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to every one who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth." As he said these things he cried out: "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"
16th Sunday of Matthew
Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 25:14-30
Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τήν παραβολὴν ταύτην· Ἄνθρωπος ἀποδημῶν ἐκάλεσε τοὺς ἰδίους δούλους καὶ παρέδωκεν αὐτοῖς τὰ ὑπάρχοντα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ᾧ μὲν ἔδωκε πέντε τάλαντα, ᾧ δὲ δύο, ᾧ δὲ ἕν, ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὴν ἰδίαν δύναμιν, καὶ ἀπεδήμησεν εὐθέως. πορευθεὶς δὲ ὁ τὰ πέντε τάλαντα λαβὼν εἰργάσατο ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐποίησεν ἄλλα πέντε τάλαντα. ὡσαύτως καὶ ὁ τὰ δύο ἐκέρδησε καὶ αὐτὸς ἄλλα δύο. ὁ δὲ τὸ ἓν λαβὼν ἀπελθὼν ὤρυξεν ἐν τῇ γῇ καὶ ἀπέκρυψε τὸ ἀργύριον τοῦ κυρίου αὐτοῦ. μετὰ δὲ χρόνον πολὺν ἔρχεται ὁ κύριος τῶν δούλων ἐκείνων καὶ συναίρει μετ᾿ αὐτῶν λόγον. καὶ προσελθὼν ὁ τὰ πέντε τάλαντα λαβὼν προσήνεγκεν ἄλλα πέντε τάλαντα λέγων· κύριε, πέντε τάλαντά μοι παρέδωκας· ἴδε ἄλλα πέντε τάλαντα ἐκέρδησα ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῖς. ἔφη αὐτῷ ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ· εὖ, δοῦλε ἀγαθὲ καὶ πιστέ! ἐπὶ ὀλίγα ἦς πιστός, ἐπὶ πολλῶν σε καταστήσω· εἴσελθε εἰς τὴν χαρὰν τοῦ κυρίου σου. προσελθὼν δὲ καὶ ὁ τὰ δύο τάλαντα λαβὼν εἶπε· κύριε, δύο τάλαντά μοι παρέδωκας· ἴδε ἄλλα δύο τάλαντα ἐκέρδησα ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῖς. ἔφη αὐτῷ ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ· εὖ, δοῦλε ἀγαθὲ καὶ πιστέ! ἐπὶ ὀλίγα ἦς πιστός, ἐπὶ πολλῶν σε καταστήσω· εἴσελθε εἰς τὴν χαρὰν τοῦ κυρίου σου. προσελθὼν δὲ καὶ ὁ τὸ ἓν τάλαντον εἰληφὼς εἶπε· κύριε· ἔγνων σε ὅτι σκληρὸς εἶ ἄνθρωπος, θερίζων ὅπου οὐκ ἔσπειρας καὶ συνάγων ὅθεν οὐ διεσκόρπισας· καὶ φοβηθεὶς ἀπελθὼν ἔκρυψα τὸ τάλαντόν σου ἐν τῇ γῇ· ἴδε ἔχεις τὸ σόν. ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· πονηρὲ δοῦλε καὶ ὀκνηρέ! ᾔδεις ὅτι θερίζω ὅπου οὐκ ἔσπειρα καὶ συνάγω ὅθεν οὐ διεσκόρπισα! ἔδει οὖν σε βαλεῖν τὸ ἀργύριόν μου τοῖς τραπεζίταις, καὶ ἐλθὼν ἐγὼ ἐκομισάμην ἂν τὸ ἐμὸν σὺν τόκῳ. ἄρατε οὖν ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ τὸ τάλαντον καὶ δότε τῷ ἔχοντι τὰ δέκα τάλαντα. τῷ γὰρ ἔχοντι παντὶ δοθήσεται καὶ περισσευθήσεται, ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ μὴ ἔχοντος καὶ ὃ ἔχει ἀρθήσεται ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ. καὶ τὸν ἀχρεῖον δοῦλον ἐκβάλετε εἰς τὸ σκότος τὸ ἐξώτερον· ἐκεῖ ἔσται ὁ κλαυθμὸς καὶ ὁ βρυγμὸς τῶν ὀδόντων.
Yesterday we celebrated the Meeting of our Lord in the Temple; today we honor the righteous Elder Symeon and Prophetess Anna, who prophesied concerning Him by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and were the first in Jerusalem to receive Him as the Messiah.
This Saint was from Alexandria and was a disciple of Saint John Chrysostom. He struggled in asceticism in a monastery at Mount Pelusium, and became abbot of the monks struggling in that monastery. He wrote a great many epistles replete with divine grace, wisdom, and much profit. Over 2,000 of them are preserved in Volume 78 of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (PG 78:177-1646); according to some, he wrote over 3,000 epistles, according to others, 10,000. He reposed on February 4, 440.
Saint Bucolus was ordained by John the Evangelist; having made many pagans to be sons of the day through holy Baptism, he left Polycarp as his successor to the bishopric of Smyrna, and reposed in peace.
THE LORD’S MEETING AND SAINT SYMEON
The Meeting of the Lord is celebrated exactly forty days after the nativity of Christ. The event of the presentation of Christ in the temple on the fortieth day after His birth, is described only in the gospel of Saint Luke. The Mosaic law commanded that all the first born, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of animals, it is the Lord’s. It is well known that this commandment was given to the people of Israel, through Moses, directly after the killing of the first born children of the Egyptians by the angel.
The bringing of the children to the Temple on the fortieth day was a feast of purification. The mother and child had to be cleansed of the results of the birth. Certainly the birth of children is a blessing of God, but it must be realized that the manner in which man gives birth is a fruit and result of the fall. It is the so called coats of skin, which Adam wore after the fall and the loss of God’s grace. It is in this light that we should understand the words of the psalmist: «Behold I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me». Eventually, by dispensation, God blessed this way in which man is born, but nevertheless it is a fruit of the fall. The ceremony of purification should be interpreted in this theological framework. When we reflect on these theological truths, we can see that neither Christ nor the Theotokos had need of purification. Conception without seed and birth without loss of virginity do not constitute impurity. Nevertheless the Theotokos went to the Temple in order to keep the law.
God’s commandment to the Israelites was clear : «Sanctify to me all the first born, whatever opens the womb». Christ is the first born and is characterized as such in Holy Scripture. This certainly does not mean that there is also a second born and a third born, but he was born first. The term first born must be associated with the only begotten, as Christ is characterized also in Holy Scripture. Christ is called first born for three reasons. First because He was born of the Father before all ages. The Apostle Paul says : «He is the image of the invisible God, The first born over all creation». Second He is called first born in His human birth, regardless of whether another was born of the Panagia. And third He is called first born from the dead, because He was the first to rise from the dead, thus making it possible for everyone to be raised at the appropriate time. It is the Apostle Paul again who says: «He is the beginning and the first born from among the dead».
When young Christ and his parents entered the temple they were met by the Righteous and Devout Symeon who was moved by the Spirit and to whom it had been revealed that he would see the Christ of God before he died. No sooner had Symeon received the young Christ in his embrace than he exclaimed: «Lord now let your servant depart in peace according to Your word...» Then he turned to the Theotokos and made two remarkable prophecies to Her: First hat Her Son was destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel. The second prophesy referred to Her and especially to the pain and sorrow that She would suffer when she saw Him on the Cross.
At that time they were approached by the old prophetess Anna who spent her days and nights praying inside the Temple. Anna recognized God in the Holy Spirit, and confessed that little Jesus was the coming Messiah. St. Basil the Great says that Symeon and Anna saw the Divine Power which was in Christ, «like a light through glassy membranes, through the human body». It is this way that the pure in heart can see the light of Divinity which radiates from the body of Christ, while it is unknown and invisible to others.
The examples of Symeon and Anna are representative of a pious and God loving old age. They were both free from worldly wants. They were looking after their soul while they were waiting patiently for the realization of God’s promise. We don’t easily meet old people like them in our times. As people nowadays become older, they become more worldly. Instead of abandoning the habits and pleasures of the young and middle age, they stick to them with insistence. St Paul with a few words describes the virtues which must decorate the people of old age in his epistle to Titus: «But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine. That the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience. The older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things. That they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed» (Tit. 2:2-5).
It is through these qualities that someone older becomes an example and a guide to the young people in the works of virtue and in the path toward Holiness. However this is the result of a life filled with patience and obedience in the commandments of God. It is only likewise that one can imitate those two venerable old people, Prophets Symeon and Anna, who were blessed among so many others, to be the first to meet the Messiah, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Fr. Konstantinos Manetas
Η ΥΠΑΠΑΝΤΗ
Η Εκκλησία στίς 2 Φεβρουαρίου, θυμάται το γεγονός της μεταβάσεως της Αγίας Μητέρας, της Παναγίας, στο Ναό του Σολομώντος γιά να τελέσει το έθιμο του σαραντισμού που διέτασσε ο Μωσαϊκός Νόμος και να αφιερώσει τον προτότοκο Υιό της στον Θεό.
Ο Μωσαϊκός Νόμος όριζε ότι κάθε πρωτότοκο αρσενικό παιδί έπρεπε να αφιερώνεται στον Θεό σε ανάμνηση του γεγονότος της σφαγής από τον Αγγελο των πρωτοτόκων αρσενικών νηπίων των Αιγυπτίων, όταν ο Φαραώ αψηφησε την εντολή του Θεού γιά να ελευθερωθούν οι Εβραίοι και να φύγουν από την Αίγυπτο. Η προσαγωγή του βρέφους κατά την τεσσαρακοστή ημέρα μετά τη γέννηση του και η προσφορά ολοκαυτωμάτων ήταν μία εορτή καθαρισμού τόσο του παιδιού όσο και της μητέρας του από τον τοκετό. Σίγουρα η γέννηση ενός παιδιού είναι ευλογία από τον Θεό, αλλά πρέπει να γίνη κατανοητό ότι ο τρόπος με τον οποίο γεννιέται ο άνθρωπος είναι αποτέλεσμα της Πτώσεως από τον Πατράδεισο. Είναι οι λεγόμενοι δερμάτινοι χιτώνες τους οποίους φόρεσε ο Αδάμ μετά την Πτώση και η απώλεια της Χαριτος του Θεού. Κάτω από αυτή την προοπτική είναι που πρέπει να εξηγήσουμε τα λόγια του Προφήτη Δαυίδ στον πεντηκοστό ψαλμό που λέει: «Ιδου γαρ εν ανομίαις συνελήφθην και εν αμαρτίαις εκύσησε με η μήτηρ μου» (Ψαλ. 50:5). Τελικά βέβαια ο Θεός κατ’ οικονομίαν ευλόγησε τον τρόπο με τον οποίο συλλαμβάνεται και γεννιέται ο άνθρωπος, αλλά αυτός δεν παύει να είναι αποτέλεσμα της πτώσεως. Γι’ αυτό και η τελετή του καθαρισμού πρέπει να εξηγείται με αυτό το θεολογικό τρόπο. Εξετάζοντας αυτές τις θεολογικές αλήθειες βλέπουμε πάλι ότι ούτε ο Χριστός αλλά ούτε και η Παναγία είχαν ανάγκη καθαρισμού, διότι σύλληψις χωρίς σπέρμα και κύηση χωρίς απώλεια της παρθενίας δεν συνιστούν ακαθαρσία. Παρόλ’ αυτά η Θεοτόκος πήγε στον ναό γιά να τηρήση τον Νόμο του Μωϋσέως και να αφιερώσει τον Υιό της.
Η εντολή του Θεού στους Ισραηλίτες ήταν: «Αφιερώστε σε μένα όλα τα πρωτότοκα, οτιδήποτε διανοίγει τη μήτρα» (Εξ. 13:2). Ο Χριστός είναι ο πρωτότοκος μέσα στην Αγία Γραφή. Αυτό δεν σημαίνει ότι υπήρχε δεύτερος ή τρίτος, αλλά ότι γεννήθηκε Αυτός πρώτος με την έννοια του Μονογενούς Υιού.
Ο Χριστός καλείται πρωτότοκος γιά τρεις λόγους. Πρώτον διότι εγεννηθη υπο του Πατρός προ πάντων των αιώνων. Μας λέει ο Απόστολος Παύλος: «Είναι η εικών του αοράτου Θεού, ο πρωτότοκος όλης της κτίσεως» (Κολ. 1:15). Δεύτερον ονομάζεται πρωτότοκος κατά την ανθρώπινη γέννηση Του επειδή δεν είχε άλλον Υιόν προ Αυτού η Παναγία. Και τρίτον ονομάζεται πρωτότοκος μεταξύ των νεκρών διότι είναι ο πρώτος ανάμεσα τους που αναστήθηκε, κάνοντας έτσι δυνατή και την δική μας ανάσταση όταν έλθη η ώρα. Ο Απόστολος Παύλος μας εξηγεί πάλι ότι: «Είναι η αρχή και ο πρωτότοκος μεταξύ των κεκοιμημένων» (Κολ. 1:18).
Οταν ο Χριστός και οι γονείς Του εισήρχοντο στον Ναό, τους συνάντησε ο ευλαβής γέρο Συμεών «κινηθείς υπό πνεύματος αγίου» στον οποίο είχε προ πολλού αποκαλυφθεί ότι δεν θα εγνώριζε θάνατο «πριν να ιδή τον Χριστόν του Κυρίου». Αφού λοιπόν επήρε στην αγκαλιά του τον μικρόν Ιησούν, εδόξασε τον Θεό και είπε την γνωστή Ωδή «Νυν απολύεις τον δούλον σου Δέσποτα...» και προφήτευσε στη Μαριάμ ότι ο Ιησούς θα γίνη αιτία γιά να πέσουν πολλοί και να σωθούν άλλοι, ότι θα γίνη σημείον αντιλεγόμενον, και ότι γι’Αυτόν θα δοκιμάση μεγάλο πόνο στην καρδιά της. Ο πόνος αυτός έμελλε να επιβεβαιωθεί όταν Τον αντίκρυσε μετά από πολλά χρόνια καρφωμένο στον Σταυρό.
Την ώρα αυτή πλησίασε και η ηλικιωμένη προφήτις Αννα η οποία διέμενε προσευχόμενη μέρα και νύχτα μέσα στον Ναό, η οποία εδοξολόγησε και αυτή τον Θεό και ανακοίνωσε το γεγονός σε όλους τους κατοίκους της Ιερουσαλήμ. Ο Μ. Βασίλειος λέει ότι ο Συμεών και η Αννα είδαν την θεία δύναμη η οποία βρισκόταν μέσα στον Χριστό «σαν φως που περνάει μέσα από γυάλινες μεμβράνες διαμέσου του ανθρώπινου σώματος». Οπως βλέπουμε μέσα από ένα παράθυρο το φως που βρίσκεται μέσα σε ένα σπίτι, έτσι και οι καθαροί στην καρδιά βλέπουν διά μέσου του σώματος του Χριστού το Φως της θεότητος, που είναι άγνωστο και αόρατο γιά τους υπόλοιπους.
Παρατηρούμε λοιπόν σήμερα την Αγία Μητέρα, την Παναγία, και το ενδιαφέρον της γιά το παιδί της και θυμόμαστε όλες τις μητέρες και την στοργή που δείχνουν στα παιδιά τους. Γι αυτό και εμείς οι Χριστιανοί, σε αντίθεση με την Πολιτεία, θεωρούμε από παλιά την σημερινή εορτή της Υπαπαντής, ημέρα αναφοράς στην ανά τους αιώνες Μητέρα. Καθαγιάζεται η κάθε μάνα με την αγάπη της, τους κόπους, τις αγρυπνίες της και τη λαχτάρα που έχει να μεγαλώσει σωστά τα παιδιά της. Θυμόμαστε και τιμούμε τα δάκρυά της, τους πόνους της, και τις αγωνίες που πέρασε γιά τα παιδιά που έφερε στον κόσμο. Οι ιερές Μητέρες με την αφοσίωση στην ανατροφή των παιδιών τους ήταν και είναι οι στυλοβάτιδες του κοινωνικού πολιτισμού. Η κοινωνία σήμερα πάσχει ανάμεσα στα άλλα και διότι πολλές γυναίκες αντάλλαξαν τον ιερό θρόνο της Μητέρας με την επαγγελματική τους καταξίωση ή την γέφυρα ομορφιάς. Δυστυχώς τα τελευταία χρόνια καλλιεργούνται έντεχνα και επικρατούν διαφορετικές αντιλήψεις, που υποβιβάζουν τον υψηλό ρόλο της γυναίκας μέσα στην οικογένεια.
Αντιλήψεις που επειδή δεν αναγνωρίζουν την ιερότητα του γάμου, προβάλλουν σαν κάτι φυσικό την ανύπαντρη μητέρα, και εν ονόματι της ελευθερίας δήθεν του γυναικείου σώματος, νομιμοποιούν τις αμβλώσεις.
Ας στρέψουμε λοιπόν τον νού μας προς την Υπεραγία Θεοτόκο και ας την παρακαλέσουμε, σαν Μάνα που κι εκείνη υπήρξε, να μεσιτεύει στον Υιό της γιά τις μητέρες μας και να τις προφυλάσσει από κάθε κακό. Εμας δε να μας φωτίζει ώστε οι οικογένειες τις οποίες δημιουργήσαμε να στηρίζονται και να εμπνέονται από τον λόγο Του.
π. Κωνσταντίνος Μανέτας