81st Street and Ridge Boulevard Website: www.smaoc.org
Brooklyn, NY 11209 Church Office: (718) 238-8008
Email: churchsecretary@smaoc.org Rectory: (718) 745-8481
Very Rev. Fr. Michael Ellias, Pastor Rev. Deacon Farid Farkouh
Email: pastor@smaoc.org farkouhfarid@gmail.com
Sunday, February 26, 2023
Sunday of Forgiveness (Cheese Fare)
Tone 4 and Eothinon 4
Porphyrios, Bishop of Gaza
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 receive the blessing and partake of the blessed bread at the dismissal. Please introduce yourself to our pastor during the coffee hour, and ask him about membership in the Orthodox Church.
Today’s Hymns and Readings
Apolytikion of the Resurrection – Tone 4
Having learned the joyful message of the Resurrection from the angel, the women disciples of the Lord cast from them their parental condemnation, and proudly broke the news to the disciples, saying, Death hath been spoiled. Christ God is risen, granting the world 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 Cheese Fare Sunday – Tone 6
O Thou who guidest to wisdom, and givest understanding and intelligence, the instructor of the ignorant, and Helper of the poor, strengthen my heart and grant it understanding, O Master. Give me word, O Word of the Father; for behold, I shall not refrain my lips from crying to thee, O merciful One, have mercy upon me who am fallen.
Epistle – Romans 13:11-14; 14:1-4 (Cheese Fare Sunday)
Prokeimenon. Psalm 46.6, 1. O chant unto our God, chant ye.
Verse. Clap your hands, all ye nations.
BRETHREN, now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk becomingly, as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in chambering and licentiousness, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts.
But as for the one who is weak in faith, receive him, but not for disputes over opinions. For one believes he may eat anything; but the weak person eats herbs. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. Who are you to be the judge over the servant of a stranger? To his own master he either stands or falls; but he will be made to stand; for God is able to make him stand.
Gospel – Matthew 6:14-21 (Cheese Fare Sunday)
THE LORD SAID, “If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
Next week’s homework: Hebrews 11:24-36, 32-40 (First Sunday of Great Lent)
John 1:43-51 (Sunday of Orthodoxy)
POST-COMMUNION PRAYERS – As the faithful approach to reverence the cross, receive a blessing and a piece of antidoron (holy bread) at the dismissal, a reader will read the Post-Communion Prayers of Thanksgiving. Please greet each other quietly as we reverently hear these prayers.
HOLY BREAD – Donors are welcome for March and succeeding months. We ask for a donation of $50/week.
PLEASE MAKE SURE all cell phones and electronic devices are turned off in church or at home.
FEBRUARY 26, 2023 – SUNDAY OF FORGIVENESS (CHEESE FARE)
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.
AXIOS! AXIOS! AXIOS!
The Holy Spirit has inspired the Holy Synod of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch to elect His Eminence, Metropolitan SABA (Esper), formerly of Hauran, as the new Metropolitan Archbishop of New York and All North America. God grant him many happy, healthy, peaceful and prosperous years!
TODAY, FEBRUARY 26 - We pray for the repose of the souls of the servants of God Yvonne Absey, Najibi Anthony, Mary Samara D’Angelico, Vincent D’Angelico, William Haddad, Mounir Kaba, Lillian Malouf, Robert Malouf, Robert Sabbagh, Areff Samara, Robert Samara, Rose Araktingi Samara, and Wendy Sadaka Zavolas. Memory eternal!
Brenda Sabbagh and Family offer Prayers of Oblation and a One-Year Memorial for the repose of the soul of the servant of God Robert Sabbagh. Memory eternal! In lieu of a coffee hour the family will make a donation to St. Mary’s.
NEXT SUNDAY, MARCH 5 – We will pray for the repose of the souls of the servants of God Nicholas Ghiz, Laurice Merhige Schuh, Gloria Sparsidis. Memory eternal!
The Kaba Family will offer Prayers of Oblation for the repose of the soul of the servant of God Mounir Kaba. Memory eternal!
Trisha Aznavoorian and Barbara Stringile and Family will offer Prayers of Oblation, the Holy Bread, and a Memorial Service for the repose of the souls of the servants of God Mary and Samuel Bittar, Laurice and Samuel Arbeeny, and Diana Arbeeny Craigmyle. Memory eternal!
FOR THE INFIRM - Please remember our ailing brethren in your daily intercessions, especially, Khalil Eid (Hamilton Park), Nicholas Massab (Norwegian), Rose Zrake (Norwegian), Rouda Abboud, Yvonne Allawh, Rhonda Byrnes, Diana Finger, Robert Forcina, Mary Ganim, Denise McBride, Alfred Nahas, Victoria Sleyman, Claudette Teen, Jim Thompson (NJ), George Trisciuzzi, Dr. Samir Zamaria (MD), and Nancy Zarouni (at home).
FORGIVENESS VESPERS – After the Divine Liturgy, please go to the hall for coffee or water and a bite to eat before returning to church for the celebration of Forgiveness Vespers with the Rite of Forgivenss.
ANNUAL PARISH MEETING – We will hold our Annual Parish Meeting on Sunday, March 5, the first Sunday of Great Lent, following the Divine Liturgy. Please submit the names of candidates for the Parish Council to Dianna Russo Kitchen or Fr. Michael after receiving the nominee’s consent to run.
FASTING DISICIPLINE – Today is the last day we eat eggs, cheese, dairy and their by-products until Holy Pascha. The Great Fast begins tomorrow and continues until our celebration of the Feast of Feasts, Pascha: Our Lord’s Resurrection. The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, poultry, dairy, eggs, fish, wine, olive oil, and their by-products) is observed on all weekdays. On Saturdays and Sundays, wine and olive oil are allowed.
LENTEN LITURGICAL SCHEDULE – There will be Great Compline each Monday night at 7:00 PM, the Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts each Wednesday at 6:30 PM, and the Akathist/Madayeh Service each Friday at 7:30 PM. This week’s Great Compline will be at St. Nicholas Cathedral. A Pot Luck Supper will follow each Wednesday service, and each parish organization will host a dinner prior to the Friday service. The Parish Council will host dinner this Friday. Great Vespers will continue each Saturday at 5:00 PM.
LADIES OF ST. MARY’S - The Ladies of St. Mary’s invite all our parishioners (men too!) to participate in our humanitarian project this year. We once again request the preparation of hygiene kits to be distributed to the homeless during the Midnight Run each month. In a one gallon ZipLock bag please include: 1 washcloth, bar of soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, nail clipper, comb, 3 band-aids, disposable razor (optional). Feel free to prepare more than one kit! The kits can be given to Sandra Arida or any one of the Ladies. Thank you all for your support.
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 or Parish Council Chair Aline Farkouh.
DATES TO REMEMBER
Monday, February 27 Great Lent Begins
Great Compline @ St. Nicholas Cathedral, 7:00 PM
Wednesday, March 1 Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, 6:30 PM
Followed by Pot Luck Supper
Friday, March 3 First Madayeh/Akathist, 7:30 PM
Saturday, March 4 Great Vespers, 5:00 PM
Games Festival, 6-9 PM
Sunday, March 5 Annual Parish Meeting
Saturday, March 11 St. Stephen Church, South Plainfield, NJ
Saturday, June 10 Spring Festival
All services will be live streamed via twitch.tv/smaoc.
FROM THE FATHERS – “Each person must bear the weaknesses of others. Who is perfect? Who can boast that he has kept his heart undefiled? Hence, we are all sick, and whoever condemns his brother does not perceive that he himself is sick, because a sick person does not condemn another sick person.”
- Elder Ephraim of the Holy Mountain
A Parish of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America