Sunday Morning Orthros/Matins 8:15am, Divine Liturgy 9:30am; Saturday Great Vespers 5:00pm (October thru May); Weekday Services (see Online Calendar, Sunday Bulletin & Monthly Newsletter); Confession (by appointment).
As the deliverer of captives, and the protector of the poor; a physician of the sick, the defender of kings; O Great Martyr St. George Victorious, intercede to Christ our God, to save our souls.
The heresiarch Arius was a Libyan by race and a protopresbyter of the Church of Alexandria. In 315, he began to blaspheme against the Son and Word of God, saying that He is not true God, consubstantial with the Father, but is rather a work and creation, alien to the essence and glory of the Father, and that there was a time when He was not. This frightful blasphemy shook the faithful of Alexandria. Alexander, his Archbishop, after trying in vain to correct him through admonitions, cut him off from communion and finally in a local council deposed him in the year 321. Yet neither did the blasphemer wish to be corrected, nor did he cease sowing the deadly tares of his heretical teachings; but writing to the bishops of other cities, Arius and his followers requested that his doctrine be examined, and if it were unsound, that the correct teaching be declared to him. By this means, his heresy became universally known and won many supporters, so that the whole Church was soon in an uproar.
Therefore, moved by divine zeal, the first Christian Sovereign, Saint Constantine the Great, the equal to the Apostles, summoned the renowned First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea, a city of Bithynia. It was there that the shepherds and teachers of the Church of Christ gathered from all regions in the year 325. All of them, with one mouth and one voice, declared that the Son and Word of God is one in essence with the Father, true God of true God, and they composed the holy Symbol of Faith up to the seventh article (since the remainder, beginning with "And in the Holy Spirit," was completed by the Second Ecumenical Council). Thus they anathematized the impious Arius of evil belief and those of like mind with him, and cut them off as rotten members from the whole body of the faithful.
Therefore, recognizing the divine Fathers as heralds of the Faith after the divine Apostles, the Church of Christ has appointed this present Sunday for their annual commemoration, in thanksgiving and unto the glory of God, unto their praise and honour, and unto the strengthening of the true Faith.
All information concerning this Martyr has been lost, except that he presented himself before the tyrants, mocked the idols, suffered many unspeakable torments, and was finally drowned in the sea.
Tenth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from John 21:1-14
At that time, Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he revealed himself in this way. Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We will go with you." They went out and got into the boat; but that night they caught nothing. Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, "Children, have you any fish?" They answered him, "No." He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, for the quantity of fish. The disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his clothes, for he was stripped for work, and sprang into the sea. But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.
When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish lying on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish that you have just caught." So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three of them; and although there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." Now none of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.
Prokeimenon. 4th Mode. Daniel 3.26,27.
Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers.
Verse: For you are just in all you have done.
The reading is from Acts of the Apostles 20:16-18, 28-36.
IN THOSE DAYS, Paul had decided to sail past Ephesos, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost. And from Miletos he sent to Ephesos and called to him the elders of the church. And when they came to him, he said to them: "Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God which he obtained with the blood of his own Son. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities, and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by so toiling one must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, 'it is more blessed to give than to receive.' " And when he had spoken thus, he knelt down and prayed with them all.
Fathers of the 1st Council
The Reading is from John 17:1-13
At that time, Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him power over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work which you gave me to do; and now, Father, you glorify me in your own presence with the glory which I had with you before the world was made.
"I have manifested your name to the men whom you gave me out of the world; yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you; for I have given them the words which you gave me, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you did send me. I am praying for them; I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are mine; all mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me; I have guarded them, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves."
His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America visited yesterday, Sunday May 21, 2017, the fire-ravaged Greek Orthodox Church of the Transfiguration of Christ in Corona, NY
20/20 Vision (5-21-2017)
The parents of two teenagers visited a doctor because they were very worried about their children’s failing eyesight. The doctor asked, “What are the symptoms? What are you noticing?” The father said, “Well, our daughter can’t find anything to wear in closet full of clothes.” The wife quickly added, “And our son can’t find anything good to eat in a refrigerator full of food.”
How many of us wear eye glasses or contacts? How many of us should be wearing glasses or contacts? Vision is a one of our God-given senses. Our ability to see is so important that our vision must meet minimum standards to obtain a driver’s license. If it does not, then we must go to an optometrist to determine the necessary correction and then purchase eye glasses and/or contacts, put them on and go back and retake the vision test at the DMV.
The blind man in today’s Gospel reading from the Sixth Sunday of Pascha (John 9:1-38) certainly could not pass the vision test. His optics were not good. But his problem was worse. According to some Church Fathers, since he was born blind (v.1), they said he did not have any eyes (opthalmoi) at all. When Jesus spit on the ground and made mud, He was literally fashioning brand new eyes for the blind man (v.6). Or at the very least Jesus was reconstructing the blind man’s defective eyes.
How many of us have 20/20 vision? Better than 20/20? Close to 20/20? Don’t need glasses or contacts? That’s great, good for you! How many of you thought I was talking about your physical vision? Did anyone think for a second that I might be talking about spiritual vision? Jesus healed the blind man not so he could gain physical vision but so that “God’s works might be revealed in him” (v.3). In other words, the blind man’s physical vision was healed so that he and others would gain spiritual vision of faith in God. No wonder Jesus later sought out and found the healed blind man and asked him, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” (v.35).
Seeing with our physical eyes can lead to a deep trust in our Lord Jesus Christ. Think of the Apostle Thomas who saw the risen Christ and believed saying, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). Even before this, John the Baptist told his disciples to “behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Whenever you hear the word “behold” it means “to see or to look.” Shortly after this, when Andrew and another began following Jesus, He said to them, “What do you seek?...Come and see” (John 1:39). Again, Philip found Nathaniel and told him to “Come and see” the Messiah (John 1:45-46).
In today’s Epistle reading from the Acts of the Apostles (26:1,12-20), we hear the Apostle Paul tell how He saw the risen Christ on the road to Damascus (Acts 9) and how this vision completely changed his life, going from a fierce persecutor of Christians to become one of the greatest apologists of his time (probably for all of time). God would do this first by blinding Saul, then instructing Ananias to find him and as we hear,
17And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." (Acts 9:17). Thus, Saul now Paul’s eyesight was restored not for its own sake but also so he would be filled with the Spirit of God. And Paul related God’s purpose for doing this to Herod Agrippa (v.1) in today’s Epistle. He said, I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness (v.16) and I now send you, 18to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God (vv.17-18).
Now interestingly, today’s Epistle is not the one that typically coincides with the Sunday of the Blindman. Rather, it is read today because it is assigned for today May 21st, the Feast of Saints Constantine the Emperor and his mother Empress Helen. The Epistle is chosen because Constantine also had a vision from the risen Christ. We hear…
In 312, on learning that Maxentius and Maximinus had joined forces against him, he marched into Italy, where, while at the head of his troops, he saw in the sky after midday, beneath the sun, a radiant pillar in the form of a cross with the words: "By this shalt thou conquer." The following night, our Lord Jesus Christ appeared to him in a dream and declared to him the power of the Cross and its significance. When he arose in the morning, he immediately ordered that a labarum be made (which is a banner or standardof victory over the enemy) in the form of a cross, and he inscribed on it the Name of Jesus Christ. On October 28 he attacked and mightily conquered Maxentius, who drowned in the Tiber River while fleeing. The following day, Constantine entered Rome in triumph and was proclaimed Emperor of the West by the Senate, while Licinius, his brother-in-law, ruled in the East. But out of malice, Licinius later persecuted the Christians. Constantine fought him once and again, and utterly destroyed him in 324, and in this manner he became monarch over the West and the East. Under him and because of him all the persecutions against the Church ceased. Christianity triumphed and idolatry was overthrown.
Secular historians have given Constantine a bad rap but they fail to appreciate the turn-around of his life was comparable to the Apostle Paul’s. Not only did Constantine himself turn away from the pagan idol-worship but he helped turn the whole Roman Empire away from paganism to Christianity. He helped facilitate the First Ecumenical Council of the Church in Nicaea (325AD) to deal with the heresy of Arius. He also moved the capital of the Empire from Rome to a little town on the Bosphorus strait named Byzantium. He renamed it after himself, Constantinople and thus began a 1000 year reign of the Eastern Christian Empire.
Because of his miraculous vision of the risen Christ and His Cross, Constantine sent his mother Helen to Jerusalem to find the precious and life-giving Cross. She found it and the Nails of Christ on March 6, 326. With her son’s help, Helen constructed a magnificent temple over the place of Christ’s Crucifixion and His Resurrection—the Holy Sepulchre. Because of Constantine and Helen’s faithful Christian discipleship they are called God-crowned and Equal to the Apostles. It is truly remarkable how these powerful earthly rulers humbled themselves before God to become greatly exalted spiritual leaders and saints of the Church.
The Apolytikion of their feast expresses the connection between them and the Apostle Paul as well as between vision and faith:
Having seen the image of Your Cross in Heaven, and, like Paul, having received the call not from men, Your apostle among kings entrusted the commonwealth to Your hand, O Lord. Keep us always in peace, by the intercessions of the Theotokos, O only Friend of man. (SAM)
Kontakion(Plagal 4th Tone)
Today Constantine and his mother Helen / reveal the precious Cross, / the weapon of the faithful / against their enemies. / For our sakes, it has been shown to be a great sign, and fearsome in battle.
How does vision and faith apply to us? Some might say, “I haven’t received any miraculous signs or visions.” Certainly, God has and continues to reveal Himself miraculously in the lives of many, but these are the exception rather than the rule. To whom and how is up to Him. But with the vision of our eyes and the hearing of our ears, we can come to know about God’s miracles without necessarily experiencing them on our own. With this knowledge and understanding we can imitate Paul who said to King Agrippa today, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision(v.19). We can still be obedient to Paul’s preaching, 20but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance…18to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’
In conclusion, it is because of our sins that we cannot see the miracles of God, both small and great, that are going on all around us each and every day. If we believe, we can see Him. If we don’t believe, or if we believe and don’t repent and confess, then as Jesus said in the verse right after today’s Gospel, 39And Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind." (John 9:39). I would argue that those who do not repent and confess their sins, do not truly believe in God. Christ said to the blind man, “Go and wash in the Pool of Siloam” (John 9:7). Jesus is saying the same thing to us, “Go and wash your sins in the Pool of Repentance and the Sacrament of Confession.” Amen! Christ is Risen!
ST. GEORGE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH
REV. FR. RICHARD DEMETRIUS ANDREWS, PRESBYTER
May 28, 2017 7TH SUNDAY OF PASCHA – HOLY FATHERS
TODAY’S EVENTS: Memorial Service at Roselawn Cemetery 12:30pm; Serve-a-Meal at FOCUS MN 4pm; Greek Dance Practice 6:30pm.
Epistle Reader: Stephen Kanavati Prosfora: Irene Loudas
Fellowship: American Legion Hellenic Post 129 Head Usher: Petko Ivanov
Monday 05-29 Memorial Day Holiday – office closed through Wed, May 31
Thursday 06-01 Prison Ministry Leaders Meeting at St. Mary’s GOC 12:00PM
Philoptochos Decades Dinner at Fabulous Fern’s 5:30PM
Saturday 06-03 JOY event at Stone Arch Bridge 12:00PM
Sunday 06-04 ORTHROS (8:15am) &DIVINELITURGY- PENTECOST 9:30AM
Kneeling Prayers of Pentecost 11:00AM
Grand Old Day youth parking 12:00PM
Serve-a-Meal at FOCUS MN 4:00PM
Pan-Orthodox VESPERS OF PENTECOST at St. Mary’s GOC 4:00PM
Monday 06-05 Loaves & Fishes at St. Matthews Catholic Church 4:30PM
Tuesday 06-06 Young at Heart Lunch and Tour at Como Park 12:00PM
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Memory Eternal: Dimitri Dokos fell asleep in the Lord on May 22nd. Funeral was Thursday, May 25. Anna Baffa fell asleep in the Lord on May 21st. Funeral was Friday, May 26 at St. Mary’s GOC.
Think About It: He who does not want to forgive…that person closes himself to eternal life before God, and even more so in the present life. He is turned away from God’s mercy and his prayer is not heard. Elder Sampson of Russia (+1979)
IOCC Summer Internship: for student or graduate in social sciences; based in Twin Cities with periodic travel throughout US managing home builds; coordinating Youth ServExtreme and grant writing. For more info, www.iocc.org/take-action/internship-program or contact Dan Christopulos dchristopulos@iocc.org
Philoptochos Decades Birthday Party: 5:30pm Thursday June 1st at Fabulous Ferns, 400 Selby Avenue, Saint Paul. Please RSVP to Reva Adkins at 651-337-1118 or rradkins@comcast.net by Monday, May 29. All ladies of St. George are invited! Please tell your friends! 2017 memberships are now due. Payments can be placed in the Philoptochos mailbox outside the conference room, or mailed to Tina Sageotis, 1000 Forest Glen Court, Burnsville, MN 55337. $25 of each "fair share" contribution goes to the national/diocesan Philoptochos.
Youth Events: Vacation Church School Registration is available for June 12-15. The program will run Monday through Thursday from 9am-noon. On Saturday, June 3rd, our JOY youth group will be meeting at the Stone Arch Bridge to play games, go hiking, and celebrate the end of the school year. We will be meeting on site at 12pm. Grand Old Day will be on Saturday June 4th. Children may come assist after church in the selling of parking spots until late afternoon. Food will be provided. See Nathaniel for details.
Pentecost Pan-Orthodox Vespers on Sunday, June 4th at 4pm, St. Mary's Greek Orthodox Church, with meal to follow, hosted by MEOCCA. Gather for Kneeling Vespers of Pentecost and the descent of the Holy Spirit.
Office Closed: Monday, May 29 through Wednesday, May 31. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Pentecost Vespers: Sunday June 4th at St. Mary Greek Orthodox Church, 4pm with Bishop Paul (OCA). Dinner to follow, compliments of MEOCCA, from "Its Greek to Me" We, the priest and deacons of MEOCCA want to say our "thanks" to the choir, the altar servers, the kitchen crews and all those whose labors made the Lenten
Young at Heart: seniors group will gather at noon, Tuesday, June 6, Como Park Pavilion Restaurant, 1360 Lexington Ave, St. Paul, 55103. Lunch (includes half sandwich, salad, beverage, gratuity and tax) $ 20/person. Private “behind the scenes” tour of the conservatory (1+ hour) led by docent begins at 2:30pm, $15/person. Attend either or both; RSVP to the Church office by June 2, 651.222.6220.
The Church Fathers Speak: It is always possible to make a new start by means of repentance…So long as you do not surrender yourself willingly to the enemy. You patient endurance, combined with self-reproach, will suffice for your salvation. St. Peter of Damascus (12th cent.)
Free Greek Cookbooks: various vintage hardcover editions in Greek are available in the bookstore.
Stewardship 2017: Our theme is You are the Voice of Christ in a Changing World: As the Father Has Sent Me, So I Send You (John 20:21). We have received 105 pledge cards for 2017 with a total of $163,790 and an average of $1,560. Be sure to increase your pledge, even if only a few dollars. This reflects spiritual growth and overcomes stagnation. We encourage everyone to give a minimum of 2% pledge of gross yearly income to become a self-sustaining community. This is far less than the biblical ideal of tithing, giving 10%.
Patristic Wisdom: Be eager to have companions on your way toward God/Church. We invite people to all sorts of places and events without even thinking about it. Why not the same with God/Church? If you do not have enough to give alms to a person in need, don’t worry. The tongue has something greater with which to make an offering. It is worth more to offer a nourishing word to refresh a heart/soul that will live forever than to satisfy with earthly bread the stomach of a body that is going to die and decompose. St. Gregory the Great (+604)
Greek Festival: August 19-20. 2017; save the dates! Advance Sale tickets will be sold in the social hall on Sundays beginning June 4th, at the price of $10 for 12 tickets. Yard signs will be available in the social hall beginning June 11. If you are interested in serving on the Clean-up Committee or any other, please contact Jon Kennedy, Phyllis Kapetanakis or Alexis Bighley.
Pictorial Directory 2015: is now available for $5 per copy. They can be purchased either from Julie in the office or in the bookstore (limit, one per family).
Scholarship: The Metropolis of Chicago Department of Religious Education is sponsoring The Reverend William S. Chiganos Scholarship for Greek Orthodox Youth. $500 is offered to graduating high school seniors. Applications (available in social hall or at the following link) must be received by mail, postmarked no later than June 30, 2017. goreligiousedchicago.org/uploads/7/5/7/3/75737597/religioused_scholarshipapplication.pdf
Wisdom from the Church Fathers: Prayer in church is important. The best feelings and thoughts can come in/from church. Because of this the enemy (devil) attacks more violently in church. However, with the sign of the Cross and the Jesus Prayer you drive him away. St. Barsanuphius of Optina (+1913)
Roselawn Cemetery Lots: are still available for parishioners at a 15% discount off list prices. 2017 discounted prices are: Monument Lot (2 graves) $5,865.00; Flat Lot A (2 graves) $3,485.00; Flat Lot B (1 grave-limited availability) $2,040.00. If interested in learning more or to purchase a lot, please contact the church office.
Welcome Visitors Thank you for joining with us in prayer and fellowship. The worship of the Orthodox Church is deeply rooted in and very similar to that of the early Christian Church. Unique sensory stimuli and mystery are elements that go back even to the liturgy of the Jewish temple. Everything in an Orthodox Christian church communicates the majestic presence of God the Holy Trinity with His Saints. It is literally heaven on earth. It is a sad consequence of the divisions in Christianity that we cannot extend a general invitation to receive Holy Communion. Visitors are invited to receive the blessed bread (antithoron) at the conclusion of the liturgy. We pray and work for the reconciliation and unity of all Christians. If you are interested in learning more about Orthodoxy, please contact Fr. Rick at fatherrick@stgeorgegoc.org. We are proud of our Greek heritage but one does not have to be of Greek descent, nor speak Greek to be a Greek Orthodox Christian.
Note to Orthodox about Holy Communion: Receiving the Body and Blood of Christ is one of the most Holy experiences for a Christian in order to be granted the forgiveness of sins and everlasting life. We are never worthy to partake of Divine Nature. Yet, it is essential that we prepare ourselves for this sacred Communion by constant prayer, reading the Scriptures, regular fasting and periodic Confession. At a minimum, we should fast all morning before Communion, arrive at the beginning of Liturgy, and come for Confession at least once a year. In addition, we should not have separated ourselves from the Church through serious sin. Otherwise, please refrain from Communion to avoid “judgment…not discerning the Lord’s body” (1Cor. 11:29). Contact Fr. Rick for pastoral guidance.
Glad Tidings deadline: The 10th of each month. Glad Tidings email: gladtidings@stgeorgegoc.org Sunday Bulletin Deadline: Wednesday Noon each week. Email: office@stgeorgegoc.org
Liturgy Guide 05-28-2017
Save the Date: September 17, 2017
Hellenic Post 129, American Legion