Sunday, June 21, 2020
Second Sunday after Pentecost
Tone 1 and Eothinon 2
All Saints of North America
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.
Today’s Hymns and Readings
Apolytikion of the Resurrection – Tone 1
The stone being sealed by the Jews, and thy pure body being guarded by the soldiers, thou didst rise on the third day, O Saviour, granting life to the world. Wherefore, the heavenly powers acclaimed thee, O Giver of life, crying, glory to thy Resurrection, O Christ! Glory to thy kingdom! Glory to thy gracious providence, O thou only Lover of mankind.
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 of the Theotokos – Tone 2
O undisputed intercessor of Christians, the mediatrix unrejected by the Creator, turn not away from the voice of our petitions, though we be sinners. Come to us in time, who cry to thee in faith, with assistance; for thou art good. Hasten to us with intercessions, O Theotokos, who dost ever intercede for those who honour thee.
Epistle – Romans 2:10-16 (Second Sunday after Pentecost)
Prokeimenon. Psalm 32.22, 1. Let your mercy, O Lord, be upon us.
Verse. Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous.
BRETHREN, glory and honor and peace for every one who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality.
All who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. When Gentiles who have not the law do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or perhaps excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.
Gospel – Matthew 4:18-23 (Second Sunday after Pentecost)
AT THAT TIME, as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.
And he went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people.
Next week’s homework: Romans 5:1-10 (Third Sunday after Pentecost)
Matthew 6:22-33 (Third Sunday of Matthew)
POST-COMMUNION PRAYERS – At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, a reader will read the Post-Communion Prayers of Thanksgiving. Please reverently hear these prayers before beginning an online “chat.”
FASTING DISCIPLINE – The Apostles Fast continues until Sunday, June 28, when we will transfer the Commemoration of the Holy and Glorious Apostles Peter and Paul. During this fast we observe the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, poultry, dairy, fish, wine, and olive oil) on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays with katalysis for fish, wine, and olive oil on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
PLEASE MAKE SURE all cell phones and pagers are turned off in church.
JUNE 21, 2020 – SECOND SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST AND ALL SAINTS OF NORTH AMERICA
TODAY, JUNE 21 – We pray for the repose of the souls of the servants of God Linda Abdallah, Edward and Wadiha Baloutine, Mabel Bittar, Basil and Janelle Couri, Nancy Davis, Florence Lewis Dibbs, Margarete Hadad, James Haddad, Mary and Phillip Hanna, Gloria Jabara, Farid Khoury, Lorraine Lewis, Lydia Lewis, John Massabni, Victor Merhige, Ferris Samara, Marie Sayegh, Margaret Soued, George and Victoria Tadross, and Adeeba Tweel. Memory eternal!
Albert Absey offers Prayers of Oblation for the repose of the soul of the handmaiden of God Marie Sayegh. Memory eternal!
Marian Russo offers Prayers of Oblation for the repose of the soul of the handmaiden of God Rose Brown. Memory eternal!
Kathy Shohfi offers Prayers of Oblation for the repose of the souls of the members of the Shohfi Family, Tom, Najla, Lila, Rose, Nora, and Donald. Memory eternal!
Nadia Soued offers Prayers of Oblation for the repose of the soul of the handmaiden of God Margaret Soued. Memory eternal!
NEXT SUNDAY, JUNE 28 – We will pray for the repose of the souls of the servants of God Victor Arida, Adla Arout, William Assatly, Sr., Toufic Ayoub, Mabel Backal, Angela Boojamra, Leonard Coury, Michael Eyd, Nora Hamod, Alexander and Yvonne Hamwi, Mae Karram, Maggy Karam, Viola Kazan, George Lewis, Helen Sahadi, Salvatore Savarese, and Thomas Zaglool. Memory eternal!
Sandra Coogan will offer Prayers of Oblation for the repose of the soul of her father, Salvatore Savarese. Memory eternal!
The Mallia Family will offer Prayers of Oblation for the repose of the soul of the handmaiden of God Maggy Karam. Memory eternal!
HOLY BREAD – Gloria Zain Darzi offers the Holy Bread of Oblation for the month of June in loving memory of Wadia Zain. Memory eternal! Additional donors are welcome for July and succeeding months. We ask for a donation of $50/week.
FOR THE INFIRM – Please remember our ailing brethren in your daily intercessions, especially, Clair Banat (Norwegian), Khalil Eid (Hamilton Park), Dr. Alice Farkouh (Ocean Acres Rehab, NJ), Charlie Bryant, Albert Castley (FL), Nadim Dahdouh, 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). 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.
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.
ALTAR SERVER ROBES – Anna Marie Zarr has delivered the first ten of fourteen new altar server robes, and they are beautiful. We are very eager to have servers back in church so that we can see the new robes on them. Anna, God bless your very talented hands!
FOOD FOR HUNGRY PEOPLE – Given that we are not likely to return to church en masse in the near term, please feel free to bring your Food for Hungry People boxes to the church. Please call the office at (718) 238-8008, or email Fr. Michael at pastor@smaoc.org to make an appointment to drop off your box.
AV VIRTUAL CAMP – Although the camping season at the Antiochian Village has been canceled, the Camp is preparing a series of virtual Evening Programs each week. The schedule for June 22-26 is now available. To receive daily text updates and reminders, text @villyav to 81010. For general information please go to office@avcamp.org. For specific information and registration for some programs please contact Evening Program Coordinator Nadia Ozone at nadia.ozone@gmail.com.
SAINTS AND SINNERS GOLF AND TENNIS OUTING – We are pleased to announce that there will be an abbreviated and “socially distanced” outing this year on Thursday, September 24, at the Hempstead Country Club with only golf and tennis but no banquet. Please mark your calendars. This year only there will be no sponsors or honorees, but there will be a souvenir journal to mark the occasion. Additional information will follow either later this month or early next month. Fore!
DATES TO REMEMBER
Wednesday, June 24 Nativity of John the Baptist
Saturday, June 27 Great Vespers, 5:00 PM
June 15-28 Fast of the Apostles
Sunday, June 28 Matins, 9:30 AM, Divine Liturgy, 10:30 AM
Monday, June 29 Feast of Holy Apostles Peter and Paul
Thursday, September 24 Saints and Sinners Golf and Tennis Outing
We will livestream all divine services via twitch.tv/smaoc.
FROM THE FATHERS – “When the mind begins to flourish in its love for God, the blaspheming spirit commences to tempt it, instilling such thoughts that no human being could think of but only the devil – their father. And he does this from his jealousy of the God-loving man, who in accepting such thoughts as his own, he would become despondent and cease having the boldness to turn to God with prayer. But the cunning one obtains no gain from his wiles, because he makes us more resolute, because in warring against him we become more experienced and more sincere in our love toward God.”
- St. Maximus the Confessor
A Parish of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America