Sunday, March 29, 2020
Fourth Sunday of Great Lent
Tone 8 and Eothinon 8
Commemoration of John Climacus, Author of “The Ladder”
Today’s Hymns and Readings
Apolytikion of the Resurrection – Tone 8
O Compassionate One, thou didst descend from the heights; thou didst submit to the three-day burial, that thou mightest deliver us from passion. Thou art our Life and our Resurrection, O Lord, glory to thee.
Apolytikion of St. John of the Ladder – Tone 8
The barren wilderness thou didst make fertile with the streams of thy tears; and by thy deep sighing thou hast given fruit through thy struggles a hundred-fold. Accordingly, thou hast become a star for the universe, sparkling with miracles. Therefore, O righteous Father John, intercede with Christ God to save our souls.
Apolytikion of the Nativity of the Theotokos – Tone 4
Thy nativity, O Theotokos, hath proclaimed joy to the whole universe. For from thee did shine forth the Sun of justice, Christ our God, annulling the curse, and bestowing the blessing, abolishing death and granting us life everlasting.
Kontakion for the Sundays in Lent – Tone 8
Verily, I, thy city, O Theotokos, inscribe to thee the banners of conquest, O defending soldier, and offer thee thanks as a deliverer from tribulations. And since thine is the unconquerable might, deliver me from sundry oppressions, that I may cry unto thee, Rejoice, O groomless bride.
Epistle – Hebrews 6:13-20 (Fourth Sunday in Lent)
Prokeimenon. 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.
BRETHREN, when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore to himself, saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” And thus Abraham, having patiently endured, obtained the promise. Men indeed swear by a greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he interposed with an oath, so that through two changeable things, in which it is impossible that God should prove false, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
Gospel – Mark 9:17-31 (Fourth Sunday in Lent)
AT THAT TIME, a man came to Jesus, kneeling down and saying unto him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a dumb spirit; and wherever it seizes him, it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” And Jesus answered him, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” And they brought the boy to him; and when the spirit saw Jesus, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at his mouth. And Jesus asked his father, “How long has he had this?” And he said, “From childhood. And it has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us.” And Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You dumb and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again.” And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse; so that most of them said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when Jesus had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” And Jesus said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting.”
They went out from there and passed through Galilee. And Jesus would not have anyone know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and after he is killed, he will rise on the third day.”
LITURGICAL NOTE: During Great Lent we celebrate the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great.
HOLY BREAD – Louise Sahadi offers the Holy Bread of Oblation for the month of March in memory of her parents, Virginia Hawaweeny Sahadi and George Sahadi. Memory eternal! Donors are welcome for April and succeeding months. We ask for a donation of $50/week.
MARCH 29, 2020 – FOURTH SUNDAY OF GREAT LENT – COMMEMORATION OF JOHN CLIMACUS, AUTHOR OF “THE LADDER”
Mission Statement - The mission of St. Mary’s Antiochian Orthodox Church of Brooklyn, NY, is to love and worship God through participation in the liturgical life of the Church, and to live and teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We carry out this mission through education, outreach, fellowship, and works of mercy with love for each other, our neighbors, and our diverse world.
MARCH IS WOMEN’S MONTH IN THE ANTIOCHIAN ARCHDIOCESE!
TODAY, SUNDAY, MARCH 29 – We pray for the repose of the souls of the servants of God Dr. John Dalack, Mary Davis, Raphael Davis, Matilda Eyd, Najibe Imtanios, Nazem Khoury, Rose Klam, Adele Hadad, Phillip Hamwi, Helen Livreri, Roger Sabah, Henry Salloum, Robert Samara, Raymond Sayeg, Michael Shraky, Florence Zagby, Eli Zrake, and Najeeb Zrake. Memory eternal!
The Dalack and Ellias Families offer Prayers of Oblation for the repose of the soul of the servant of God Dr. John D. Dalack. Memory eternal!
Karen Slater offers Prayers of Oblation for the repose of the soul of the handmaiden of God Helen Livreri. Memory eternal!
NEXT SUNDAY, APRIL 5 - We will pray for the repose of the souls of the servants of God Robert Coogan, Jr., Mary C. Gehshan, Dr. George Ghiz, Lynn Lewis, Victoria and Esber Najjar. Memory eternal!
FOR THE INFIRM – Please remember our ailing brethren in your daily intercessions, especially, Clair Banat (Norwegian), Khalil Eid (Hamilton Park), Charlie Bryant, Albert Castley (FL), Nadim Dahdouh, Aline Farkouh, Diana Finger, Robert Forcina, Mary Ganim, Susan Hadad, Louise Hamwi, George Khoury, Jr., Victor Khoury, Loulou Malouf, Emily Maren (ME), Alfred Nahas, Elena Paris, Louis Savarese, Evelyn Shamoun, Leon Smatt, Claudette Teen, Jim Thompson (NJ), Marianne Trabulsi (NJ), Dr. Sam Zamaria (MD), and Rose Zrake (at home), and all those suffering with the coronavirus. If a member of your family is in the hospital or recuperating at home, please call the church office and let us know as soon as possible.
LENTEN LITURGICAL SCHEDULE – Until we receive further guidance either from the office of the Metropolitan Archbishop or the civil authorities, we will maintain a limited number of liturgical services via live stream. We will celebrate the fifth and final Madayeh/Akathist service of Great Lent on Friday, April 3, at 7:30 PM, and Matins at 9:30 AM and the Divine Liturgy at 10:30 AM on Sunday, April 5. Please go to twitch.tv/smaoc for the live stream and where previous services are being archived.
LITURGICAL RESOURCES – Other online services are available in English at Holy Transfiguration Monastery at www.orthodoxmonasteryellwoodcity.org or in Arabic at Our Lady of Balamand Patriarchal Monastery at www.balamandmonastery.org.lb. Services are also available in print on the Antiochian Archdiocese website at www.antiochian.org under “Liturgics” at the bottom of the home page.
FOOD FOR HUNGRY PEOPLE – In these stressful times our Lenten practice of almsgiving is of heightened importance. Many people will need help to weather this physical and economic crisis. Please continue using the traditional FFHP collection boxes. Remember the least of Christ’s brethren by depositing your extra change at the end of each day, and return the box on or before Palm Sunday. God bless you! “Share what you have, lest you lose what you have. Spend what you possess on the needs of others in order to keep what you possess.” St. John Chrysostom
DONORS WELCOME - Donors are welcome to provide the flowers for the palms for Palm Sunday, the bier of Christ on Holy Friday, lilies for Holy Pascha, and processional candles for Holy Week, God willing. Deacon Farid and Aline Farkouh have donated the flowers for the Madayeh services on Friday evenings.
SACRAMENT OF REPENTANCE (CONFESSION) – The Great Fast is THE TIME for all believers to receive the Sacrament of Repentance (Confession). Under current circumstances it is not possible to hear confessions in person, but the pastor is available to speak by telephone with anyone who feels the need for spiritual direction or just to talk. Call either the office or the rectory at the numbers above.
SEMINARIANS – Our pledge envelopes for the month of March included a blue envelope marked “Seminarians.” Please use this envelope to support Metropolitan JOSEPH’s annual appeal on behalf of our theological students. Our minimum contribution as a parish is $500. If anyone is currently not receiving pledge envelopes, please see Fr. Michael, Parish Council Chair Chris Athineos, or Treasurer Diana Kaiami.
PLEDGE GIVING – During these extraordinary times we ask everyone to maintain their pledge giving as much as possible. Please remember that St. Mary's Church now accepts donations online. Just visit https://smaoc.squarespace.com/donate and pay securely by credit card, debit card, or check. There is an option to indicate gifts made in honor of or in remembrance of someone.
PASTOR’S DISCRETIONARY FUND – The current crisis provides us the unique opportunity to support each other in many ways. We encourage our parishioners to contact the office if they need assistance with shopping, cooking, errands or light housework, and we have received offers to help with these tasks from a number of our members; however, we are beginning to recognize the financial stresses our families are experiencing. The Pastor’s Discretionary Fund can dispense some financial assistance anonymously and would welcome contributions. Please make your check payable to St. Mary’s Church and write “PDF” in the memo line.
DATES TO REMEMBER
Friday, April 3 Final Akathist/Madayeh, 7:30 PM, via twitch.tv/smaoc
Sunday, April 5 Matins, 9:30 AM, Divine Liturgy, 10:30 AM online
FROM THE FATHERS – “If we shall remember the evil that men have done us, the remembrance of God will grow weak in us; but if we shall remember the evil brought upon us by demons, we shall be safe from their arrows.”
- St. Macarius the Great
A Parish of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America