Sunday, September 20, 2020
Sunday after the Elevation of the Holy Cross
Tone 6 and Eothinon 4
Great Martyr Eustathios and His Family
Today’s Hymns and Readings
Apolytikion of the Resurrection – Tone 6
When Mary stood at thy grave looking for thy sacred body, angelic powers shone above thy revered tomb, and the soldiers who were to keep guard became as dead men. Thou led hades captive and wast not tempted thereby. Thou didst meet the Virgin and didst give life to the world; O thou that art risen from the dead! O Lord, glory to thee.
Apolytikion of the Holy Cross – Tone 1
O Lord, save thy people and bless thine inheritance, granting our believing kings victory over the Barbarians, and by the power of thy Cross preserving thy commonwealth.
Apolytikion of St. Eustathios and His Family – Tone 4
Thy Martyrs, O Lord, in their courageous contest for Thee received as the prize the crowns of incorruption and life from Thee, our immortal God. For since they possessed Thy strength, they cast down the tyrants and wholly destroyed the demons’ strengthless presumption. O Christ God, by their prayers, save our souls, since Thou art merciful.
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 Holy Cross – Tone 4
Do thou, who of thine own good will wast elevated upon the Cross, bestow thy bounties upon the new people, which is called by thy Name, O Christ our God; make glad with thy might our believing kings, granting them victory over their adversaries. May thine aid be a panoply of peace, a trophy invincible.
Epistle – Galatians 2:16-20 (The Sunday after the Elevation of the Precious Cross)
Prokeimenon. Psalm 103.24, 1. O Lord, how magnificent are your works. You have made all things in wisdom.
Verse. Bless the Lord, O my soul.
BRETHREN, you know that a man is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the law, because by works of the law shall no one be justified. But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we ourselves were found to be sinners, is Christ then an agent of sin? Certainly not! But if I build up again those things which I tore down, then I prove myself a transgressor. For I through the law died to the law, that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Gospel – Mark 8:34-9:1 (The Sunday after the Elevation of the Precious Cross)
THE LORD SAID, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Kingdom of God come with power.”
Next week’s homework: II Corinthians 6:1-10 (Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost)
Luke 5:1-11 (First Sunday of Luke)
HOLY BREAD – Wanda Salloum offers the Holy Bread of Oblation for the month of September in memory of the departed members of the Salloum Family – Oscar, Wadih, Wadiha, Francois, Henri, Cesar, Charles, Magda, and Mireille. Memory eternal! Donors are welcome for October and succeeding months. We ask for a donation of $50/week.
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.”
PLEASE MAKE SURE all electronic devices are turned off in church/home.
SEPTEMBER 20, 2020 – SUNDAY AFTER THE EXALTATION OF THE PRECIOUS AND LIFE-GIVING HOLY CROSS
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, SEPTEMBER 20 – We pray for the repose of the souls of the servants of God Nicholas Awad, Zakia Awad, Albert Ayoub, Victoria Baloutine, George Haddad, Emileen Hanna, Stephen Paul James, Eleanor Kalesh, Shamseh Kaydouh, Nazera Kinge, George Moore, Donald O. Page, Matilda Saba, Very Rev. Fr. W.P.S. Schneirla, Shirley Schneirla, William Sutfin Schneirla, Jr., and Sadie Shamoun. Memory eternal!
NEXT SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 – We will pray for the repose of the souls of the servants of God Lorraine Assatly, Victoria F. Dib, Ghassan Fattouh, Avjon and Dimitry Golam, Werda Hadad, Alexander Khoury, Addie, Alfred, Mary Alice and Edmund Nahas, Adrienne Poulakakos, Barbara Salamy, Edward, Ronald, Valerie and Victoria Tadross. Memory eternal!
The Family of Itidal Makdissi will offer Prayers of Oblation and a 40-Day Memorial for the repose of her soul. Memory eternal!
The Family of Laila Zamlout will offer Prayers of Oblation and a 40-Day Memorial for the repose of her soul. Memory eternal!
FOR THE INFIRM – Please remember our ailing brethren in your daily intercessions, especially, Clair Banat (Norwegian), Khalil Eid (Hamilton Park), Elena Paris (Mount Sinai), Tony Tadross (NYU), Charlie Bryant, Albert Castley (FL), Nadim Dahdouh, Dr. Alice Farkouh, Diana Finger, Robert Forcina, Mary Ganim, Susan Hadad, Louise Hamwi, Eddie Hanna, George Khoury, Jr., Victor Khoury, Emily Maren (ME), Alfred Nahas, Louis Savarese, Evelyn Shamoun, Leon Smatt, Claudette Teen, Jim Thompson (NJ), Marianne Trabulsi (NJ), George Trisciuzzi, 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.
CHURCH ATTENDANCE - We have increased capacity in line with civil and Archdiocese guidelines while still maintaining the social distancing of 6 feet. There is always a possibility that the church may reach social distance capacity in which case worshippers may wait safely 6 feet apart outside the church. At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy people outside may enter the church as attendees exit to receive Holy Communion, holy bread, and/or light a candle. We still ask everyone who wants to attend in person either to call the church office or email pastor@smaoc.org ahead of time.
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.
FASTING DISICIPLINE – We maintain the traditional fasting discipline on Wednesday and Friday through the month of October.
BIBLE STUDY – During the ongoing pandemic we will offer zoom Bible studies on Wednesday at 2:00 PM (https://zoom.us/j/92438281578?pwd=bldIdVg3cXFLUzRhbXlJNVluNVFpQT09) and 7:00 PM (https://zoom.us/j/95074870450?pwd=VmJsdEo3Sjh1STh5RFE3dVlNY1FWdz09). This week’s texts will be II Corinthians 6:1-10 and Luke 7:36-50. All are welcome. Sessions will last 40 minutes.
FIRST FORTY DAYS/COLLEGE CONTACT – Orthodox Campus Fellowship (OCF) is requesting the names and contact information for all college students and college-age young adults in order to maintain contact with them while they are away. Please send the names, email address, student phone, college or military unit to pastor@smaoc.org.
SAINTS AND SINNERS GOLF AND TENNIS OUTING – There will be an abbreviated and “socially distanced” outing this week on Thursday, September 24, at the Hempstead Country Club with only golf and tennis but no banquet. Please pray for “seasonable weather!”
BEIRUT RELIEF – We have submitted our first contribution to the Archdiocese in support of Beirut. We continue to ask our faithful to make generous donations to alleviate the suffering of Lebanon. If writing a check to “St. Mary’s Church,” please write “Beirut” in the memo line.
SEPTEMBER ENVELOPES – Our September pledge envelopes contained two additional offering envelopes. There is a yellow envelope titled Coffee Hour and a blue envelope titled Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF). While we are not likely to host Coffee Hours in the near term, we encourage everyone to make an offering to support the Pan-Orthodox OCF. This year many of our college students will be studying on-line, and OCF will need to increase its social media outreach, so let’s be generous.
A Parish of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America
DATES TO REMEMBER
Wednesday, September 23 Bible Study, 2:00 and 7:00 PM via Zoom
Thursday, September 24 Saints and Sinners Golf and Tennis Outing
Saturday, September 26 Alrassi-Carbo Wedding, 1:00 PM
Great Vespers, 5:00 PM
Sunday, September 27 Arabic Divine Liturgy
We will livestream all divine services via twitch.tv/smaoc.
FROM THE FATHERS – “If anyone truly desires to do the will of God with all their heart, God will never abandon them but will constantly guide them along the paths of his will. If someone really sets their heart on the will of God, God will find even a little child to illuminate so as to communicate his will to that person. But if a person does not truly desire the will of God, even if they were to go to a prophet, God would put it into the heart of that prophet to give a response comparable to the deceit that was in the seeker’s heart.”
- St. Dorotheos of Gaza