Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal Second Tone

Angelic powers were above Thy tomb, and they that guarded Thee became as dead. And Mary stood by the grave seeking Thine immaculate Body. Thou hast despoiled Hades and wast not tried thereby. Thou didst meet the Virgin and didst grant us life. O Thou Who didst arise from the dead, Lord, glory be to Thee.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Third Tone

O Father, foolishly I ran away from Your glory, and in sin, squandered the riches You gave me. Wherefore, I cry out to You with the voice of the Prodigal, "I have sinned before You Compassionate Father. Receive me in repentance and take me as one of Your hired servants."

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Sixth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Luke 24:36-53

At that time, having risen from the dead, Jesus went up and stood among His disciples and said to them, "Peace be with you." But they were startled and frightened, and supposed that they saw a spirit. And He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do questionings rise in your hearts? See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; handle Me, and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see that I have." And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy, and wondered, He said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?" They gave Him a piece of broiled fish [and some honeycomb], and He took it and ate before them. Then He said to them, "These are My words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that everything written about Me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled." Then He opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in His name in all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high." Then He led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up His hands, He blessed them. While He blessed them, He parted from them, and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the Temple blessing God.

Epistle Reading

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 First Letter to the Corinthians 6:12-20.

Brethren, "all things are lawful for me," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful for me," but I will not be enslaved by anything. "Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food" -- and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I therefore take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who joins himself to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, "The two shall become one flesh." But he who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Shun immorality. Every other sin which a man commits is outside the body; but the immoral man sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body and in your spirit which belong to God.

Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Prodigal Son
The Reading is from Luke 15:11-32

The Lord said this parable: "There was a man who had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the property that falls to me.' And he divided his living between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in loose living. And when he had spent everything, a great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want. So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his belly with the pods that the swine ate; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants.' And he arose and came to his father. But while he was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to make merry. Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what this meant. And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound.' But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, 'Lo, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf!' And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'"

Saints and Feasts

March 03

Nonnita, mother of Saint David

March 03

Sunday of the Prodigal Son

Through the parable of today's Gospel, our Saviour has set forth three things for us: the condition of the sinner, the rule of repentance, and the greatness of God's compassion. The divine Fathers have put this reading the week after the parable of the Publican and Pharisee so that, seeing in the person of the Prodigal Son our own wretched condition -- inasmuch as we are sunken in sin, far from God and His Mysteries -- we might at last come to our senses and make haste to return to Him by repentance during these holy days of the Fast.

Furthermore, those who have wrought many great iniquities, and have persisted in them for a long time, oftentimes fall into despair, thinking that there can no longer be any forgiveness for them; and so being without hope, they fall every day into the same and even worse iniquities. Therefore, the divine Fathers, that they might root out the passion of despair from the hearts of such people, and rouse them to the deeds of virtue, have set the present parable at the forecourts of the Fast, to show them the surpassing goodness of God's compassion, and to teach them that there is no sin -- no matter how great it may be -- that can overcome at any time His love for man.

March 03

The Holy Martyrs Eutropius, Cleonicus, and Basiliscus

The Martyrs, who were from Amasia, were fellow soldiers and kinsmen of Saint Theodore the Tyro (see Feb. 17). They were betrayed to the Governor Asclepiodotus as Christians, during the reign of Diocletian (284-305). After many torments, Eutropius and Cleonicus were crucified; Basiliscus was not slain together with them, but was shut up in prison, in the hope that with time he might change his mind and sacrifice to the idols. He was beheaded on May 22; see also the account on that day.

Wisdom of the Fathers

Thank God every day with your whole heart for having given to you life according to His image and likeness - an intelligently free and immortal life...Thank Him also for again daily bestowing life upon you, who have fallen an innumerable multitude of times, by your own free will, through sins, from life unto death, and that He does so as soon as you only say from your whole heart: 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before Thee!' (Luke 15:18).

St. John of Kronstadt

My Life in Christ: Part 1; Holy Trinity Monastery pgs. 104-105, 19th century

But if he had despaired of his life, and, ... had remained in the foreign land, he would not have obtained what he did obtain, but would have been consumed with hunger, and so have undergone the most pitiable death: ...

St. John Chrysostom

AN EXHORTATION TO THEODORE AFTER HIS FALL, 4th Century

Prayer List

AILING: Anthoula Epthimiatos, Kate Cushing, Madelyn, and all victims of war and violence, natural disasters, and epidemics.

REPOSED: Evan Dentes, All victims of war and violence, natural disasters, and epidemics.

IN NEED : Mavis Marquez, Genevieve Castillo, Gerard Castillo

This Week's Events

Today

8:45am Orthros
10:00am Divine Liturgy

Saturday March9, 2024

1st Saturday of Souls
8:45am Orthros
10:00am Divine Liturgy with Memorial Service
4:30pm Philoptochos Dinner at Souvlaki House
5:00pm Choir Practice
6:00pm Great Vespers & Confessions

Announcements

Saturday of Souls: We will be having the 3 traditional Saturday of Souls as Great Lent approaches. Names of departed loved ones may be submitted to Fr. Stephen and he will read them at each of the Memorial Services on those days. Forms are available in the Narthex. See the March parish calendar for the schedule of services.

Calendar: The March parish calendar is available on the handout table and on the website. Please take one and stay informed of parish services and events.

Salutations: We will be having the Salutations to the Theotokos Services at 7:00pm on Fridays during Great Lent.

Flowers: Donations for flowers to decorate icons for the Salutations/Akathist Services and for the feastday of Annunciation are greatly appreciated. Also needed will be the tray of daffodils for the Sunday of the Holy Cross. Please send donations to the church office or see Fr. Stephen for specific requests.

Stewardship: All are encouraged to make a stewardship pledge for 2024. Forms are available in the narthex and can be submitted to the church office. Thank you to all who have supported our parish with their time, talent, and treasure.

Sunday of Orthodoxy: The first Sunday of Great Lent is the Sunday of Orthodoxy, March 24th this year. We will have the traditional procession of icons on that day at the end of Divine Liturgy. All children of our parish are encouraged to bring an icon from home to participate in the procession.

Choir: Practices are now held on Saturdays at 5:00pm. All are welcomed to join. See our Choir Director, Steve Hoskins, for information.

Votive Candles: Our new votive candles are $10 each and have a glass outer shell with a plastic inner shell. Please do not remove the glass shells from the church as we will reuse them.

Sunday School: Children are to go to class in the upstairs classroom after Holy Communion. Please see Emeline Mandeville for information.

Fundraising Committee: New members are welcome to join the Fundraising Committee and help our parish with new ideas to support our ministries. If interested, please contact Steve Hoskins.

Coffee Hour: All are welcome to have refreshments and fellowship in the hall following services. Please help by signing up on the board in the hall to host a coffee hour. We thank Philoptochos for organizing our fellowships.

Livestream: Watch our Sunday services on our YouTube channel "Saint Catherine GOC Ithaca" if you cannot make it in person. Past services are also available to watch. Our direct link is:
https://www.youtube.com/@saintcatherinegocithaca222/streams

Prayer Lists: Please let us know if there is anyone you would like us to pray for as a community. Names can be submitted to Fr. Stephen.

Philoptochos:
“ I will show you my faith by my works.”

James 2:18

St. Catherine Philoptochos wishes to invite everyone, to Souvlaki House, for our upcoming dinner, Saturday, March 9th at 4:30 pm. Please join us in fellowship and dinner!

Philoptochos Membership drive is underway!

HELP US TO GROW! Help us achieve our mission is to

"help the poor, the destitute, the hungry, the aged, the sick, the unemployed, the orphaned, the imprisoned, the widowed, those with disabilities, and the victims of disasters.”

We do so locally giving to 21 local agencies,

throughout Tompkins and Cortland counties. We also give to National and International relief and disaster through our Fund Raising efforts.

HOW DO YOU JOIN? Please contact Sophia Georgiou King and
Angela Teeter for membership details.

Call or email:

(607) 3396107 sophia.georgiou47@gmail.com

(315) 406-1521 angelah@ymail.com

Suggested donation to join is $25

COMING JANUARY 30,2024-MARCH 5,2024

PHILOPTOCHOS CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP

FOR ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CAREGIVERS NATIONWIDE

Six consecutive Tuesday evenings:

Dates: Tuesday, January 30, 2024-Tuesday,March 5, 2024

7:00 pm. EST. - 8 pm EST

PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED- go to:

https//docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdgNy9_9JeCpFkndCj8very_EiYpKz_-ns0HeUVrILJUKeXLA/viewform

* For more information email us at: supportgroup@philoptochos.org

Details are listed in flyer

Operation Classroom Initiative:

As a National Initiative forms for submission. All outreach documents must be documented ,and submitted, from

January. - April 2024, with hopes that our St. Catherine Philoptochos has a project to share with our National Philoptochos. Please be a volunteer in this initiative !

Contact Sophia Georgiou King

Philoptochos President at Sophia.georgiou47@ gmail.com with questions and concerns and thank you.

*Flyers will be available at front table.

GREAT LENT 2024

Philoptochos will be collecting, each Sunday of Lent, certain non perishable food items and toiletries, to help those in need, in our parish and through the local Salvation Army Food Pantry.

Our Parish hopes to collect 20-50 items each Sunday. More information will follow.

This effort is directly connected the Gospel commandments feed the hungry and help the poor.The items we collect are important, but the love we show to in giving is equally important.

The drive will start on the 1st Sunday - March 24th

Individual are asked on the !st Sunday to bring a can of soup and a can of tunafish, or more.

A designated box to drop off items will be in the church hall.

Thank you for joining our effort to collect food, household and personal items for those in need. A blessed Great Lent to all!

General Information

Services Schedule

Past Bulletins

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal Second Tone

Seasonal Kontakion in the Third Tone

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Epistle Reading

Gospel Reading

Saints and Feasts

Nonnita, mother of Saint David

Sunday of the Prodigal Son

The Holy Martyrs Eutropius, Cleonicus, and Basiliscus

Wisdom of the Fathers

Prayer List

This Week's Events

Announcements