Sunday, February 14, 2021
Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
Tone 3 and Eothinon 3
Venerable Auxentios the Priest of Bithynia
We are pleased to welcome you to worship with us today. Please note that only Orthodox Christians who have prepared themselves with prayer, fasting and a recent confession may approach to receive Holy Communion. Everyone is welcome to reverence the cross and to partake of the blessed bread at the dismissal. Please introduce yourself to our pastor, and ask him about membership in the Orthodox Church.
Today’s Hymns and Readings
Apolytikion of the Resurrection – Tone 3
Let the heavens rejoice and the earth be glad; for the Lord hath done a mighty act with his own arm. He hath trampled down death and become the First-born from the dead. He hath delivered us from the depth of hades, granting the world the Great Mercy.
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 – II Corinthians 6:16-7:1 (Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost)
Prokeimenon. Make your vows to the Lord our God and perform them.
Verse. God is known in Judah; his name is great in Israel.
BRETHREN, we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will live in them and move among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore come out from them, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch nothing unclean; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, and make holiness perfect in the fear of God.
Gospel – Matthew 15:21-28 (Seventeenth Sunday of Matthew)
AT THAT TIME, Jesus went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and cried, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely possessed by a demon.” But Jesus did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying after us.” Jesus answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” And Jesus answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed at that very hour.
Next week’s homework: II Timothy 3:10-15 (Thirty-third Sunday after Pentecost)
Luke 18:10-14 (Pharisee and Publican)
HOLY BREAD – Rolland Salloum and Wanda Salloum offer the Holy Bread of Oblation for the month of February in memory of their sister Giselle Kronfli who departed this life in Maryland on January 5. Memory eternal! 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 to “chat.”
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.
PLEASE MAKE SURE all electronic devices are turned off in church or at home.
FEBRUARY 14, 2021 – SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER 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, FEBRUARY 14 – We pray for the repose of the souls of the servants of God Mary Alexander, Charles Balady, III, David Bittar, Gloria Fadel, George Ganim, Emily Nassoor, George Sabah, and Eleanor E. Saleeby. Memory eternal!
Peter Elkas offers Prayers of Oblation for the repose of the soul of the handmaiden of God Emily Nassour. Memory eternal!
NEXT SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21 – We will pray for the repose of the souls of the servants of God Thomas Abdallah, Almaza Allawh, Charles Assatly, Mary Samara D`Angelico, Margaret Fiani Dib, Wadie Jabbour, Rt. Rev. Ananias Kassab, George Kassab, Albert Mesnooh, Melia Murad, Gabriel Murad, Renges Orfaly, Alice Puccarielli, and Olga Saba. Memory eternal!
FOR THE INFIRM – Please remember our ailing brethren in your daily intercessions, especially, Clair Banat (Norwegian), Khalil Eid (Hamilton Park), Albert Castley (FL), Nadim Dahdouh, Alissar Dalloul, Diana Finger, Robert Forcina, Mary Ganim, Susan Hadad, Alfred Nahas, Louis Savarese, Evelyn Shamoun, Leon Smatt, Jim Thompson (NJ), George Trisciuzzi, Dr. Samir Zamaria (MD), and Rose Zrake (at home).
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.
ENDOWMENT GIFT – We are blessed to be able to announce a major contribution to the St. Mary’s Church Endowment Fund. Last week after the Divine Liturgy Debbie and Bob Mackoul made a donation of $50,000 to the endowment in loving memory of Bob’s parents, Margaret and Edward Mackoul, his Uncle Ray and Mary Farkouh (Deacon Farid’s parents), and his Aunt Sally and Uncle Albert Takla. Their gift comes on the tenth anniversary of Aunt Sally’s repose. We thank Debbie and Bob from the bottom of our hearts, and we pray that God will grant them and their family many years of life, peace, health, safety, and prosperity, as well as rest, repose and eternal memory to their departed loved ones. We are also pleased to announce that Bob has agreed to a one-year appointment to the Parish Council. Many years!
ZOOM CLASSROOM – Please remember to mark your calendars for Wednesday’s Zoom Classroom at 7:30 PM. We will discuss Chapters 12-14 of Section II from Fr. John Breck’s book God with Us: Critical Issues in Christian Life and Faith. The book is available from our bookstore at a deeply discounted price. Please contact Lorraine Deeb to obtain a copy at ldeebsped@verizon.net. Use the Zoom link https://zoom.us/j/4735214754?pwd=dFFGVHVnODR6YzZaTVE3UWR3bWNpQT09,
Meeting ID: 473 521 4754, Passcode: 7S5EHj. Our sessions only last 40 minutes.
BLESSING OF HOMES – The Archdiocese recommends that the traditional blessing of homes following Holy Epiphany must be done with great caution this year due to our current state of high transmission and low hospital capacity in most areas of our Archdiocese. Clergy may bless the homes of those who request it - following all safety precautions. Once this current surge subsides, priests can begin blessing and visiting homes at a more usual pace. Blessings may continue throughout the course of next year.
When the priest blesses homes during the Epiphany season, the recommendation is that he visit quickly and limit the time to the blessing itself - not staying for dinner or coffee. Although this is very difficult pastorally, clergy should be careful not to contract the virus at one home and then spread it throughout the parish community. The Archdiocese also recommends not doing more than one or two per day and postponing the vast majority of house blessings until later in the year when, God willing, the situation improves.
CHURCH SCHOOL – Our Church School has made an arrangement with our brothers and sisters at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Little Falls, NJ, to make their online church school sessions open to enrollment by St. Mary's students. Because St. George is a much larger parish, they're able to offer church school classes that are differentiated by individual grade level, while still small enough to work online. If you're interested in having your child join, even just to try one class, please contact either Lorraine Deeb at ldeebsped@verizon.net or (718) 491-4996, or Michael Regnier at regnier@gmail.com or (347) 860-1206 with the name and grade level of each child.
LENTEN RESOURCES – Great Lent is approaching. Our parish Bookstore, recently dedicated to the memory of Elena Paris, has copies of the service books for Great Lent, including Little Compline with the Akathist Hymn, the Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, and Holy Week. There are also a few Lenten cookbooks available. Please contact Lorraine Deeb at ldeebsped@verizon.net or (718) 491-4996 to reserve your books.
WINTER COAT DRIVE – The Teen SOYO Winter Coat Drive will continue through February. Coats, scarves, gloves, blankets, and other cold weather attire are welcome. Please place your offerings on the table in the vestibule. We will distribute all items directly to local charities and recipients.
DATES TO REMEMBER
Wednesday, February 17 Zoom Classroom, 7:30 PM via Zoom
Saturday, February 20 Great Vespers, 5:00 PM
Sunday, February 28 Annual Parish Meeting via twitch.tv/smaoc
We livestream all divine services via twitch.tv/smaoc.
FROM THE FATHERS – “The Holy Spirit, out of compassion for our weakness, comes to us even when we are impure. And if He finds our intellect truly praying to Him, He enters it and puts to flight the whole array of thoughts and ideas circling within it, and He arouses it to a longing for spiritual prayer.”
- Abba Evagrius the Solitary
A Parish of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America