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St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2024-03-03
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Prodson
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St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (978) 685-4052
  • Street Address:

  • 8 Lowell Street

  • Lawrence, MA 01840-1416
  • Mailing Address:

  • PO Box 10

  • Methuen, MA 01844


Contact Information




Services Schedule

5 PM Saturdays - Vespers

9 AM Sundays - Orthros

10 AM Sundays - Divine Liturgy

Sunday School (Sept-May) following Holy Communion


Past Bulletins


Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Sixth 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.

ان القوات الملائكية ظهروا على قبرك الموقر والحراس صاروا كالاموات ومريم وقفت عند القبر طالبة جسدك الطاهر فسبيت الجحيم ولم تجرب منها وصادفت البتول مانحاً الحياة فيامن قام من الاموات يارب المجد لك.

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."
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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Sixth 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.

البروكيمنون. Sixth Tone. مزمور 27: 9، 1.
خلص يالله شعبك وبارك ميراثك
Verse: إليك يا رب صرخت، إلهي

فصل من رسالة بولس الاولى الى اهل كورنثس 6: 12-20.

يَُّا إِخْوَة، كُلُّ الأَشْيَاءِ تَحِلُّ لِي لَكِنْ لَيْسَ كُلُّ الأَشْيَاءِ تُوافِقُ. كُلُّ الأَشْيَاءِ تَحِلُّ لِي لَكِنْ لاَ يَتَسَلَّطُ عَلَيَّ شَيْءٌ. اَلأَطْعِمَةُ لِلْجَوْفِ وَالْجَوْفُ لِلأَطْعِمَةِ وَاللهُ سَيُبِيدُ هَذَا وَتِلْكَ. وَلَكِنَّ الْجَسَدَ لَيْسَ لِلزِّنَا بَلْ لِلرَّبِّ وَالرَّبُّ لِلْجَسَدِ. وَاللَّهُ قَدْ أَقَامَ الرَّبَّ وَسَيُقِيمُنَا نَحْنُ أَيْضاً بِقُوَّتِهِ. أَلَسْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ أَجْسَادَكُمْ هِيَ أَعْضَاءُ الْمَسِيحِ؟ أَفَآخُذُ أَعْضَاءَ الْمَسِيحِ وَأَجْعَلُهَا أَعْضَاءَ زَانِيَةٍ؟ حَاشَا! أَمْ لَسْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ مَنِ الْتَصَقَ بِزَانِيَةٍ هُوَ جَسَدٌ وَاحِدٌ لأَنَّهُ يَقُولُ: ((يَكُونُ الاثْنَانِ جَسَداً وَاحِداً)). وَأَمَّا مَنِ الْتَصَقَ بِالرَّبِّ فَهُوَ رُوحٌ وَاحِدٌ. اُهْرُبُوا مِنَ الزِّنَا. كُلُّ خَطِيَّةٍ يَفْعَلُهَا الإِنْسَانُ هِيَ خَارِجَةٌ عَنِ الْجَسَدِ لَكِنَّ الَّذِي يَزْنِي يُخْطِئُ إِلَى جَسَدِهِ. أَمْ لَسْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ جَسَدَكُمْ هُوَ هَيْكَلٌ لِلرُّوحِ الْقُدُسِ الَّذِي فِيكُمُ الَّذِي لَكُمْ مِنَ اللهِ وَأَنَّكُمْ لَسْتُمْ لأَنْفُسِكُمْ؟ لأَنَّكُمْ قَدِ اشْتُرِيتُمْ بِثَمَنٍ. فَمَجِّدُوا اللهَ فِي أَجْسَادِكُمْ وَفِي أَرْوَاحِكُمُ الَّتِي هِيَ لِلَّهِ.


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.'"

Sunday of the Prodigal Son
لوقا 15: 11-32

11 قَالَ الرب هذا المثل : ((إِنْسَانٌ كَانَ لَهُ ابْنَانِ. 12فَقَالَ أَصْغَرُهُمَا لأَبِيهِ: يَا أَبِي أَعْطِنِي الْقِسْمَ الَّذِي يُصِيبُنِي مِنَ الْمَالِ. فَقَسَمَ لَهُمَا مَعِيشَتَهُ. 13وَبَعْدَ أَيَّامٍ لَيْسَتْ بِكَثِيرَةٍ جَمَعَ الاِبْنُ الأَصْغَرُ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ وَسَافَرَ إِلَى كُورَةٍ بَعِيدَةٍ ، وَهُنَاكَ بَذَّرَ مَالَهُ بِعَيْشٍ مُسْرِفٍ. 14فَلَمَّا أَنْفَقَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ ، حَدَثَ جُوعٌ شَدِيدٌ فِي تِلْكَ الْكُورَةِ ، فَابْتَدَأَ يَحْتَاجُ. 15فَمَضَى وَالْتَصَقَ بِوَاحِدٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ تِلْكَ الْكُورَةِ ، فَأَرْسَلَهُ إِلَى حُقُولِهِ لِيَرْعَى خَنَازِيرَ. 16وَكَانَ يَشْتَهِي أَنْ يَمْلَأَ بَطْنَهُ مِنَ الْخُرْنُوبِ الَّذِي كَانَتِ الْخَنَازِيرُ تَأْكُلُهُ ، فَلَمْ يُعْطِهِ أَحَدٌ. 17فَرَجَعَ إِلَى نَفْسِهِ وَقَالَ: كَمْ مِنْ أَجِيرٍ لأَبِي يَفْضُلُ عَنْهُ الْخُبْزُ وَأَنَا أَهْلِكُ جُوعاً! 18أَقُومُ وَأَذْهَبُ إِلَى أَبِي وَأَقُولُ لَهُ: يَا أَبِي ، أَخْطَأْتُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ وَقُدَّامَكَ،19وَلَسْتُ مُسْتَحِقّاً بَعْدُ أَنْ أُدْعَى لَكَ ابْناً. اِجْعَلْنِي كَأَحَدِ أَجْرَاكَ. 20فَقَامَ وَجَاءَ إِلَى أَبِيهِ. وَإِذْ كَانَ لَمْ يَزَلْ بَعِيداً رَآهُ أَبُوهُ ، فَتَحَنَّنَ وَرَكَضَ وَوَقَعَ عَلَى عُنُقِهِ وَقَبَّلَهُ. 21فَقَالَ لَهُ الاِبْنُ: يَا أَبِي ، أَخْطَأْتُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ وَقُدَّامَكَ ، وَلَسْتُ مُسْتَحِقّاً بَعْدُ أَنْ أُدْعَى لَكَ ابْناً. 22فَقَالَ الأَبُ لِعَبِيدِهِ: أَخْرِجُوا الْحُلَّةَ الأُولَى وَأَلْبِسُوهُ ، وَاجْعَلُوا خَاتَماً فِي يَدِهِ ، وَحِذَاءً فِي رِجْلَيْهِ،23وَقَدِّمُوا الْعِجْلَ الْمُسَمَّنَ وَاذْبَحُوهُ فَنَأْكُلَ وَنَفْرَحَ، 24لأَنَّ ابْنِي هَذَا كَانَ مَيِّتاً فَعَاشَ ، وَكَانَ ضَالاًّ فَوُجِدَ. فَابْتَدَأُوا يَفْرَحُونَ. 25وَكَانَ ابْنُهُ الأَكْبَرُ فِي الْحَقْلِ. فَلَمَّا جَاءَ وَقَرُبَ مِنَ الْبَيْتِ ، سَمِعَ صَوْتَ آلاَتِ طَرَبٍ وَرَقْصاً،26فَدَعَا وَاحِداً مِنَ الْغِلْمَانِ وَسَأَلَهُ: مَا عَسَى أَنْ يَكُونَ هَذَا؟ 27فَقَالَ لَهُ: أَخُوكَ جَاءَ فَذَبَحَ أَبُوكَ الْعِجْلَ الْمُسَمَّنَ ، لأَنَّهُ قَبِلَهُ سَالِماً. 28فَغَضِبَ وَلَمْ يُرِدْ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ. فَخَرَجَ أَبُوهُ يَطْلُبُ إِلَيْهِ. 29فَأَجَابَ وَقَالَلأَبِيهِ: هَا أَنَا أَخْدِمُكَ سِنِينَ هَذَا عَدَدُهَا ، وَقَطُّ لَمْ أَتَجَاوَزْ وَصِيَّتَكَ ، وَجَدْياً لَمْ تُعْطِنِي قَطُّ لأَفْرَحَ مَعَ أَصْدِقَائِي. 30وَلَكِنْ لَمَّا جَاءَ ابْنُكَ هَذَا الَّذِي أَكَلَ مَعِيشَتَكَ مَعَ الزَّوَانِي ، ذَبَحْتَ لَهُ الْعِجْلَ الْمُسَمَّنَ! 31فَقَالَ لَهُ: يَا بُنَيَّ أَنْتَ مَعِي فِي كُلِّ حِينٍ ، وَكُلُّ مَا لِي فَهُوَ لَكَ. 32وَلَكِنْ كَانَ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ نَفْرَحَ وَنُسَرَّ ، لأَنَّ أَخَاكَ هَذَا كَانَ مَيِّتاً فَعَاشَ ، وَكَانَ ضَالاًّ فَوُجِدَ)). 

 

 


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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

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Saints and Feasts

Prodson
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.


Allsaint
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.


Gerasimosjordan
March 04

Gerasimos the Righteous of Jordan

This Saint, who was from Lycia in Asia Minor, lived there for many years as a hermit, and then went to Palestine. There he built the great Lavra by the Jordan River, where a lion served him with great obedience and devotion. One day the lion came looking for Gerasimus that he might feed him, but his disciples took the lion to the place where they had buried the Saint shortly before. The lion fell at the Saint's grave and, after roaring with grief, died at that very place. Saint Gerasimus reposed in 475.


Allsaint
March 05

Konon the Gardener

This saint lived during the reign of emperor Decius in 251. He came from the town of Nazareth. He left his hometown and went to the city of Mandron, in the province of Pamphylia. There he stayed at a place called Karmela or Karmena cultivating a garden which he used to water and plant with various vegetables. From this garden he obtained what is necessary for life. He had such an upright and simple mind that, when he met those who wished to arrest him and saw that they greeted him, he also greeted in return from the bottom of his soul and heart. When they told him that governor Publius called the saint to go to him, the saint answered with simplicity: "What does the governor need me, since I am a Christian? Let him call those who think the way he does and have the same religion with him." So, the blessed man was tied and brought to the governor, who tried to move him to sacrifice to the idols. But the saint sighed from the bottom of his heart, cursed the tyrant and confirmed his faith in Christ with his confession, saying that it is not possible to be moved from it even though he might be tortured cruelly. So, for this reason they nailed his feet and made the saint run in front of the governor's coach. But the saint fainted in the street. Having fallen on his knees, he prayed and, thus, he commended his holy soul to the hands of God.


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Upcoming Schedule

Saturday, March 9
5pm Vespers
 
Sunday, March 10 - Judgment Sunday (Meatfare)
9am Orthros
10am Divine Liturgy
Sunday School following Holy Communion
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Pastor's Ponderings

In our weakened state when we sin it is like we are stooping down to feed headlong in the trough of ugliness, selfishness and pride. How despairing it would be but for the superabundant mercy of God. As we look to Great Lent let us prepare by seeking God's light to come to our senses and turn ever more deeply back to our loving, merciful Father in heavenn. Glory to God! Fr. Ephraim

The month of March has a special focus of thanking God for the numerous devoted and faithful women of our Archdiocese. Metropolitan Saba writes:

March is Women's Month in our Archdiocese, and we welcome it as a reminder of the essential role women play in our churches and Archdiocese. It is also a time to celebrate the leadership and tireless work of the Antiochian Women, which last year celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. In 1973, our predecessor Metropolitan Philip (of thrice-blessed memory) founded this organization with the vision of uniting women across this land to Christ and to one another through the spirit of service. Today, this vision continues through the Antiochian Women's many activities and projects as "a sisterhood serving Christ through serving others." Various women of the parish will read the Epistle this month and we are encouraged to offer special thanks to the Antiochian Women's group of our parish which is meeting today following Divine Liturgy!

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Memorials, Celebrations and Happenings

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