Sunday, June 7, 2020
Great Feast of Holy Pentecost
Today’s Hymns and Readings
During the Little Entrance – O Lord, in Thy strength the king shall be glad, and in Thy salvation shall he rejoice exceedingly. The desire of his heart hast Thou granted unto him, and hast not denied him the request of his lips. Thou wentest before him with blessings of goodness, Thou has set upon his head a crown of precious stones. He asked life of Thee, and Thou gavest him length of days unto ages of ages.
Entrance Hymn – Be thou exalted, O Lord, in thy own strength. We will sing and praise thy might acts. Save us, O good Comforter, as we sing to Thee: Alleluia.
Troparion of Pentecost – Tone 8
Blessed art thou, O Christ our God, who has revealed the fishermen as most wise, having sent upon them the Holy Spirit, and through them thou has fished the universe, O Lover of mankind, glory to thee.
Kontakion of Pentecost – Tone 8
When the high One descended, confusing tongues, he divided the nations. And when he distributed the fiery tongues he called all to one unity. Wherefore, in unison we glorify the most Holy Spirit.
Instead of the Trisagion Hymn, “As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have truly put on Christ. Alleluia.”
Epistle – Acts 2:1-11 (Sunday of Pentecost)
Prokeimenon. Psalm 18.4, 1. Their voice has gone out into all the earth.
Verse. The heavens declare the glory of God.
WHEN THE DAY OF PENTECOST had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. And they were amazed and wondered, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontos and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians, we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.”
Gospel – John 7:37-52, 8:12 (Sunday of Pentecost)
ON THE LAST DAY OF THE FEAST, the great day, Jesus stood up and proclaimed, “If any one thirst, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, ‘Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were to receive; for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
When they heard these words, many of the people said, “This is really the prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the scripture said that the Christ is descended from David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” So there was a division among the people over him. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.
The officers then went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this man!” The Pharisees answered them, “Are you led astray, you also? Have any of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd, who do not know the law, are accursed.” Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and you will see that no prophet is to rise from Galilee.”
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Next week’s homework: Hebrews 11:33-40; 12:1-2 (First Sunday and Sunday of All Saints)
Matthew 10:32-33, 37-38; 19:27-30 (Sunday of All Saints)
FASTING DISCIPLINE – The week following the Sunday of Pentecost is fast-free.
JUNE 7, 2020 – GREAT FEAST OF HOLY PENTECOST
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, JUNE 7 – We pray for the repose of the souls of the servants of God Fouad Allawh, Nesen Coury, Shafica Debagie, Kathleen Halloran, Michael Haje, Georgette Jabbour, Eleanor Khoury, Eduardo Khouzami, Emile Malluk, Edward, George, Georgette and Olga Manessa, Joseph G. Mashamesh, Betty Massab, Wadih Massab, Fred Massad, Nicholas Orfaly, Albert T. Sabah, Blanche Shahood, Nicholas Ablan Shahood, Henrietta Shawah, Adele Unis, and Alfred Zrike. Memory eternal!
The Ellias Family offers Prayers of Oblation for the health and long life of the new child of God Alessandra Grace Ellias, daughter of Jessica and Matthew Ellias, and sister of Matthew Gregory Ellias, born June 4. Many years!
NEXT SUNDAY, JUNE 14 – We will pray for the repose of the souls of the servants of God Adahlia and Atina David, Susan Paula Dib, Rose Elkas, John and Nicholas Massabni, George Metry, Lillian Sadaka, Adama Salamy, George and Rose Samman, Thomas and Najla Shohfi, Evelyn Shoucair, Albert G. and Olga Wardi, and Wadia Zain. Memory eternal!
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.”
HOLY BREAD – Gloria Zain Darzi offers the Holy Bread of Oblation for the month of June in loving memory of Wadia Zain. Memory eternal! Linda and George Salamy have also made a donation for the rest of the year! 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), Terry Tashji (NYU Lutheran), 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.
FASTING DISCIPLINE FOR JUNE – There is no fasting following the Feast of Pentecost (June 7) until June 15. After the Sunday of All Saints (June 14) we begin the Apostles Fast which continues until the Feast of SS. Peter and Paul (June 15-28). 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.
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.
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, or contact Fr. Meletios Zafaran at meletioszafaran@yahoo.com. Fr. Meletios is celebrating the Divine Liturgy in Arabic every Sunday morning. Services are also available in print on the Antiochian Archdiocese website at www.antiochian.org under “Liturgics” at the bottom of the home page.
PASTOR’S DISCRETIONARY FUND – For the moment the Pastor’s Discretionary Fund has sufficient funds to meet current requests for assistance; however, we always welcome additional gifts, and we invite our people to submit the names of people or households who may need a little assistance during the pandemic to the pastor. All disbursements are made in complete anonymity and discretion. Donors may make checks payable to St. Mary’s Church with “PDF” in the memo line.
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. Donors are also welcome to mail a check payable to St. Mary’s Church with “FFHP” in the memo line. Please call the office at (718) 238-8008, or email Fr. Michael at pastor@smaoc to make an appointment to drop off your box.
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. 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
Saturday, June 13 Great Vespers, 5:00 PM
Sunday, June 14 Sunday of All Saints
June 15-28 Fast of the Apostles
Sunday, June 21 Sunday of all Saints of North America & Father’s Day
Monday, June 29 Feast of Holy Apostles Peter and Paul
We will livestream all divine services via twitch.tv/smaoc.
FROM THE FATHERS – “Christ is born; the Spirit is His Forerunner. He is baptized; the Spirit bears witness. He is tempted; the Spirit leads Him up. He works miracles; the Spirit accompanies them. He ascends; the Spirit takes His place.”
- St. Gregory the Theologian
A Parish of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America