Weekly Events

Nativity Fast Began, Sunday, November 15th

Άρχισε η Νηστεία των Χριστουγέννων, την Κυριακή, 15 Νοεμβρίου

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WEEKDAY SERVICES

ST. CATHERINE — Wednesday, November 25, 2020

Orthros at 8:30 a.m. and Divine Liturgy at 9:30 a.m. & Artoklasia

ΚΑΘΗΜΕΡΙΝΕΣ ΑΚΟΛΟΥΘΙΕΣ

ΑΓΙΑ ΑΙΚΑΤΕΡΙΝΗ—Τετάρτη, 25 Νοεμβρίου, 2020

Ορθρος στίς 8:30 π.μ. και Θεία Λειτουργία στίς 9:30 π.μ. & Αρτοκλασία

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MEMORIALS

On Sunday, a 3-year memorial service will be offered for the repose of the soul of

Konstantinos Moustakas.

Also, a 5 year Trisagion will be offered for the repose of the soul of Speros (Steve) Nemphos.

ΜΝΗΜΟΣΥΝΑ

Την Κυριακή τελεσθεί 3ετές μνημόσυνο υπέρ αναπαύσεως της ψυχής του Κωνσταντίνου Μουστάκα.

Επείσης, θα τελεσθεί 5ετές Τρισάγιο υπέρ αναπαύσεως της ψυχής του Σπύρου (Στήβ) Νέμφου.

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St. Catherine’s Philoptochos Society of our Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church would like to invite all Orthodox women (18 and older) of our Dormition Church to become members for the year 2020 and to thank the women who have already joined us this year. Our 2020 Membership Dues are $30. If you wish to join our Philoptochos, please, mail your checks, made payable to St. Catherine’s Philoptochos, to our Church. During this 2020 pandemic year, we have supported and will continue to support our beloved Church as well as our other Philanthropic missions.

Η Φιλόπτωχος της Αγίας Αικατερίνης της Ελληνικής Ορθόδοξης Εκκλησίας της Κοιμήσεως της Θεοτόκου θα ήθελε να καλέσει όλες τις Ορθόδοξες γυναίκες (18 ετών και άνω) της Εκκλησίας μας να γίνουν μέλη για το έτος 2020 και να ευχαριστήσουν επίσης τις γυναίκες που έχουν ήδη ενταχθεί φέτος. Τα τέλη συνδρομής 2020 είναι $30. Εάν επιθυμείτε να γίνετε μέλος της Φιλοπτώχου, στείλτε τις επιταγές σας, πληρωτέες στο St. Catherine’s Philoptochos, στην εκκλησία μας. Κατά τη διάρκεια αυτής της πανδημικής χρονιάς 2020, υποστηρίξαμε και θα συνεχίσουμε να υποστηρίζουμε την αγαπημένη μας Εκκλησία, καθώς και τις άλλες Φιλανθρωπικές αποστολές μας.

Saints and Feasts

November 25

Catherine the Great Martyr of Alexandria

Saint Catherine, who was from Alexandria, was the daughter of Constas (or Cestus). She was an exceedingly beautiful maiden, most chaste, and illustrious in wealth, lineage, and learning. By her steadfast understanding, she utterly vanquished the passionate and unbridled soul of Maximinus, the tyrant of Alexandria; and by her eloquence, she stopped the mouths of the so-called philosophers who had been gathered to dispute with her. She was crowned with the crown of martyrdom in the year 305. Her holy relics were taken by Angels to the holy mountain of Sinai, where they were discovered many years later; the famous monastery of Saint Catherine was originally dedicated to the Holy Transfiguration of the Lord and the Burning Bush, but later was dedicated to Saint Catherine. According to the ancient usage, Saints Catherine and Mercurius were celebrated on the 24th of this month, whereas the holy Hieromartyrs Clement of Rome and Peter of Alexandria were celebrated on the 25th. The dates of the feasts of these Saints were interchanged at the request of the Church and Monastery of Mount Sinai, so that the festival of Saint Catherine, their patron, might be celebrated more festively together with the Apodosis of the Feast of the Entry of the Theotokos. The Slavic Churches, however, commemorate these Saints on their original dates.

November 22

Archippus the Apostle, Philemon the Apostle & his wife, Apphia, Onesimos the Disciple of Paul

Philemon, who was from Colossae, a city of Phrygia, was a man both wealthy and noble; Apphia was his wife. Archippus became Bishop of the Church in Colossae. All three were disciples of the Apostle Paul. Onesimus, who was formerly an unbeliever and slave of Philemon, stole certain of his vessels and fled to Rome. However, on finding him there, the Apostle Paul guided him onto the path of virtue and the knowledge of the truth, and sent him back to his master Philemon, to whom he wrote an epistle (this is one of the fourteen epistles of Saint Paul). In this epistle, Paul commended Onesimus to his master and reconciled the two. Onesimus was later made a bishop; in Greece he is honoured as the patron Saint of the imprisoned. All these Saints received their end by martyrdom, when they were stoned to death by the idolaters. Saint Onesimus is also commemorated on February 15.

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Grave Mode. Psalm 28.11,1.
The Lord will give strength to his people.
Verse: Bring to the Lord, O sons of God, bring to the Lord honor and glory.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians 2:14-22.

Brethren, Christ is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Προκείμενον. Grave Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 28.11,1.
Κύριος ἰσχὺν τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ δώσει.
Στίχ. Ἐνέγκατε τῷ Κυρίῳ υἱοὶ Θεοῦ, ἐνέγκατε τῷ Κυρίῳ δόξαν καὶ τιμήν.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Ἐφεσίους 2:14-22.

Ἀδελφοί, Χριστός ἐστιν ἡ εἰρήνη ἡμῶν, ὁ ποιήσας τὰ ἀμφότερα ἕν, καὶ τὸ μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ λύσας, τήν ἔχθραν ἐν τῇ σαρκί αὐτοῦ, τὸν νόμον τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐν δόγμασιν, καταργήσας· ἵνα τοὺς δύο κτίσῃ ἐν ἑαὐτῷ εἰς ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον, ποιῶν εἰρήνην, καὶ ἀποκαταλλάξῃ τοὺς ἀμφοτέρους ἐν ἑνὶ σώματι τῷ θεῷ διὰ τοῦ σταυροῦ, ἀποκτείνας τὴν ἔχθραν ἐν αὐτῷ· καὶ ἐλθὼν εὐηγγελίσατο εἰρήνην ὑμῖν τοῖς μακρὰν καὶ τοῖς ἐγγύς· ὅτι διʼ αὐτοῦ ἔχομεν τὴν προσαγωγὴν οἱ ἀμφότεροι ἐν ἑνὶ πνεύματι πρὸς τὸν πατέρα. Ἄρα οὖν οὐκέτι ἐστὲ ξένοι καὶ πάροικοι, ἀλλὰ συμπολῖται τῶν ἁγίων καὶ οἰκεῖοι τοῦ θεοῦ, ἐποικοδομηθέντες ἐπὶ τῷ θεμελίῳ τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ προφητῶν, ὄντος ἀκρογωνιαίου αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἐν ᾧ πᾶσα οἰκοδομὴ συναρμολογουμένη αὔξει εἰς ναὸν ἅγιον ἐν κυρίῳ, ἐν ᾧ καὶ ὑμεῖς συνοικοδομεῖσθε εἰς κατοικητήριον τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν πνεύματι.

Gospel Reading

9th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 12:16-21

The Lord said this parable: "The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; and he thought to himself, 'What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?' And he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, 'Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.' But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." As he said these things, he cried out: "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

9th Sunday of Luke
Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 12:16-21

Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τήν παραβολὴν ταύτην· Ἀνθρώπου τινὸς πλουσίου εὐφόρησεν ἡ χώρα· καὶ διελογίζετο ἐν ἑαυτῷ λέγων· τί ποιήσω, ὅτι οὐκ ἔχω ποῦ συνάξω τοὺς καρπούς μου; καὶ εἶπε· τοῦτο ποιήσω· καθελῶ μου τὰς ἀποθήκας καὶ μείζονας οἰκοδομήσω, καὶ συνάξω ἐκεῖ πάντα τὰ γενήματά μου καὶ τὰ ἀγαθά μου, καὶ ἐρῶ τῇ ψυχῇ μου· ψυχή, ἔχεις πολλὰ ἀγαθὰ κείμενα εἰς ἔτη πολλά· ἀναπαύου, φάγε, πίε, εὐφραίνου. εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ Θεός· ἄφρον, ταύτῃ τῇ νυκτὶ τὴν ψυχήν σου ἀπαιτοῦσιν ἀπὸ σοῦ· ἃ δὲ ἡτοίμασας τίνι ἔσται; οὕτως ὁ θησαυρίζων ἑαυτῷ, καὶ μὴ εἰς Θεὸν πλουτῶν.

This Sunday is celebrated

THIS WEEK’S SERMON

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ

The problem of human life is not that we do not live forever the problem is that we think that we are going to live forever.

Life is very short our plans are for eternity. Even on the last day we still think that we can take more from life. So the second problem is in fact that when we think we are going to live forever we do not think that we could use our life and make the lives of the others better, instead we think we still could enjoy more things.

There is nothing wrong with enjoying life but we need to put our minds in the right place. If you ask people what would they do if they could live forever the answers unfortunately would be very different. Some people, unfortunately, think about how much and what can they take from life and others and only some people always think about making their life a life of service.

In today’s Gospel, the Lord warns us about the shortness of life and that it can end at any time and it can end unexpectedly.

A good question would be for us to ask is: “what have I done in my life until this point?” And if we do not have a good answer to this question it is easy to solve the problem. All we have to ask is this “what can I do now so that looking back I will be able to see one thing I have done right”.

If we live our lives always answering this question correctly then we would have no problem at the end of our lives. We can be sure that our children will have an example to follow, they will be proud to say who their father or mother was. They will always hear that we have been loving and generous people. Successful people touch people’s life but generous people make a positive difference in other people’s lives.

ΚΗΡΥΓΜΑ ΤΗΣ ΕΒΔΟΜΑΔΑΣ

Αγαπητοί αδελφοί και αδελφές εν Χριστώ,

Το πρόβλημα της ανθρώπινης ζωής δεν είναι ότι δεν ζούμε για πάντα, το πρόβλημα είναι, ότι πιστεύουμε, ότι θα ζήσουμε για πάντα.

Η ζωή είναι πολύ μικρή, και τα σχέδιά μας είναι για την αιωνιότητα. Ακόμη και την τελευταία μέρα εξακολουθούμε να πιστεύουμε, ότι μπορούμε να πάρουμε περισσότερα από τη ζωή. Ετσι, το δεύτερο πρόβλημα είναι γεγονός ότι, όταν σκεφτόμαστε ότι θα ζήσουμε για πάντα, δεν πιστεύουμε ότι θα μπορούσαμε να χρησιμοποιήσουμε τη ζωή μας, ώστε να κάνουμε τις ζωές των άλλων καλύτερες, αντίθετα πιστεύουμε, ότι θα μπορούσαμε να απολαύσουμε ακόμα περισσότερα πράγματα.

Δεν είναι λάθος να απολαμβάνουμε τη ζωή, αλλά πρέπει να βάλουμε το μυαλό μας στη σωστή κατεύθυνση. Αν ρωτήσετε τους ανθρώπους, τι θα έκαναν, αν μπορούσαν να ζήσουν για πάντα, οι απαντήσεις δυστυχώς θα ήταν πολύ διαφορετικές. Μερικοί άνθρωποι σκέφτονται δυστυχώς, πόσο και τι μπορούν να πάρουν από τη ζωή και από τους άλλους και μόνο μερικοί άνθρωποι πάντα σκέφτονται, πώς να κάνουν τη ζωή τους μιά ζωή προσφοράς.

Στο σημερινό Ευαγγέλιο ο Κύριος μας προειδοποιεί για τη βραχύτητα της ζωής και ότι αυτή μπορεί να τελειώσει οποιαδήποτε στιγμή και απροσδόκητα. Μια καλή ερώτηση, που θα μπορούσαμε να κάνουμε, είναι: "τι έχω κάνει στη ζωή μου μέχρι αυτό το σημείο;" Εάν δεν έχουμε καλή απάντηση σέ αυτήν την ερώτηση, είναι εύκολο να λύσουμε το πρόβλήμά. Το μόνο που πρέπει να ρωτήσουμε είναι αυτό “τί μπορώ να κάνω τώρα, έτσι ώστε κοιτάζοντας πίσω θά μπορέσω να δω ένα πράγμα, που έκανα σωστά;”.

Εάν ζήσουμε τη ζωή μας απαντώντας αυτή την ερώτηση πάντα σωστά, τότε δεν θά έχουμε κανένα πρόβλημα στο τέλος της ζωής μας. Μπορούμε να είμαστε σίγουροι, ότι τα παιδιά μας θα έχουν ένα παράδειγμα να ακολουθήσουν, και θα είναι περήφανα για τον πατέρα και την μητέρα τους. Θά ακούνε πάντα ότι είναι ένα στοργικό και γενναιόδωρο άτομο. Οί επιτυχημένοι άνθρωποι αγγίζουν τη ζωή των ανθρώπων, αλλά οι γενναιόδωροι άνθρωποι κάνουν την μεγάλη διαφορά στην ζωή άλλων.

Wisdom of the Fathers

And when he came to himself, he begged us all to leave him immediately. And he built up the door of his cell, and he stayed in it for twelve years without ever uttering a word to anyone, and without eating anything but bread and water.

St. John Climacus

Ladder of Divine Ascent. Step 6: On Remembrance of Death, 6th Century

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