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
His Eminence Metropolitan SABA
Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of all North America
Very Rev. Fr. Michael Ellias, Pastor Rev. Deacon Farid Farkouh
Email: pastor@smaoc.org farkouhfarid@gmail.com
Sunday, August 13, 2023
Tenth Sunday after Holy Pentecost
Tone 1 and Eothinon 10
Leave-Taking of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ
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 Transfiguration – Tone 7
When, O Christ our God, thou was transfigured on the mountain, thou didst reveal thy glory to thy Disciples in proportion as they could bear it. Let thine everlasting light also enlighten us sinners, through the intercessions of the Theotokos, O thou Bestower of light, glory to thee.
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 Transfiguration – Tone 7
Thou wast transfigured on the mount, and thy Disciples, in so far as they were able, beheld thy glory, O Christ our God: so that, when they should see thee crucified, they would remember that thy suffering was voluntary, and could declare to all the world that thou art truly the effulgent Splendour of the Father.
Epistle – I Corinthians 4:9-16 (Tenth 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, God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are ill-clad and buffeted and homeless, and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become, and are now, as the refuse of the world, the offscouring of all things.
I do not write this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. I urge you, then, be imitators of me.
Gospel – Matthew 17:14-23 (Tenth Sunday after Pentecost)
AT THAT TIME, a man came up to Jesus and kneeling before him said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly; for often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.” And Jesus answered, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured instantly. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” Jesus said to them, “Because you have no faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith, even as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. This kind never comes out except by prayer and fasting.”
As they were traveling together through Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him and he will rise on the third day.”
Next week’s homework: I Corinthians 9:2-12 (Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost)
Matthew 18:23-35 (Eleventh Sunday of Matthew)
DORMITION FAST – The final fasting season of the ecclesiastical year, the Fast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, began August 1 and continues until August 14. The fasting period ends with the celebration of the Dormition of the Theotokos on Tuesday, August 15.
HOLY BREAD – Donors are welcome for August 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 to “chat.”
AUGUST 13, 2023 – TENTH SUNDAY AFTER HOLY PENTECOST
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.
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.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 13 - We pray for the repose of the souls of the servants of God Thuraya Abualehawareb, Stephanie Bittar, Lorice Grasso, Leon and Lillian Hattab, Robert Karkenny, Braheim Merhige, Laya Nehme, Baseem and Valentine Trabulsi, Alex Zagby, and Laila Zamlout. Memory eternal!
Caroline Grasso offers Prayers of Oblation for the repose of the soul of her mother, the handmaiden of God Lorice Grasso. Memory eternal!
Razan Al-Khouri Maalouf and Family offer Prayers of Oblation and the Holy Bread for the repose of the soul of the servant of God Rezkallah Alkhoury. Memory eternal!
Tony Nehme offers Prayers of Oblation for the repose of the soul of the handmaiden of God Laya Nehme. Memory eternal!
Leila and Raymond Trabulsi offer Prayers of Oblation for the repose of the souls of the servants of God Lillian and Leon Hattab and Baseem and Valentine Trabulsi. Memory eternal!
NEXT SUNDAY, AUGUST 20 – We will pray for the repose of the souls of the servants of God Nassif K. Arida, Raphael Arida, Laurice & Zakieh Deeb, Dr. Antoine Fernaine, Michael Gehshan, Gabriel Golam, Baheeya Jabara, William Nafash, Dr. Gabriel Jureidini, Irene Karkennny, Judith Kassatly, Rose Marie Sabah, Louise B. Savarese, Gladys Senior, and George S. Zarr, Sr. Memory eternal!
Sandra and Robert Coogan will offer Prayers of Oblation for the repose of the soul of the handmaiden of God Louise B. Savarese. Memory eternal!
The Deeb Family will offer Prayers of Oblation for the repose of the souls of the servants of God Laurice and Alexander Deeb, Zakieh and Emile Deeb, and Mary and Nadim Antaky. Memory eternal!
Mrs. May Fernaine will offer Prayers of Oblation for the repose of the soul of her husband, the servant of God Dr. Antoine Fernaine. Memory eternal!
The Zarr Family will offer Prayers of Oblation for the repose of the soul the servant of God, George S. Zarr, Sr., our beloved father. Memory Eternal!
FOR THE INFIRM - Please remember our ailing brethren in your daily intercessions, especially, Khalil Eid (Hamilton Park), Robert Forcina (NYU Lutheran), Nicholas Massab (Norwegian), Rouda Abboud, Rose Abdallah, Yvonne Allawh, Diana Finger, George Khoury, Denise McBride, Alfred Nahas, Wade Saadi, Victoria Sleyman, Claudette Teen, Jim Thompson (NJ), George Trisciuzzi, and Rose Zrake (at home).
FASTING DISCIPLINE FOR AUGUST – The Dormition Fast continues until the feast on August 15. The traditional fasting discipline during this period is no meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, fish, wine, olive oil and their by-products except for Saturdays and Sundays when wine and olive oil are allowed. On August 29, we remember the Beheading of St. John the Baptist with the traditional fasting discipline.
FEAST OF THE DORMITION OF THE THEOTOKOS – We will celebrate an Evening Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos tomorrow, August 14, at 7:00 PM. If you plan to receive Holy Communion, please begin your fast after an early and light lunch.
BACKPACK PROJECT – Teen SOYO will once again volunteer to assemble 48 backpacks for underprivileged students in District 20 of the NYC Department of Education in cooperation with FOCUS. The Teens are asking for a donation of $30 to cover the cost of the backpack and supplies. We plan to assemble the backpacks and deliver them to the school in August. Angela Athineos will coordinate the assembly of the backpacks when she returns from Greece. Please make checks payable to St. Mary’s Church with “backpacks” in the memo line. The Teens thank you for supporting their community outreach project!
SAINTS AND SINNERS GOLF AND TENNIS OUTING – The annual Saints and Sinners Golf and Tennis Outing will be on Monday, September 18. Please support this major event generously as we have large capital expenditures happening this year. Even if you cannot attend, please consider a sponsorship in the journal. This year we are honoring Sam Kaiami with the Lifetime Achievement Award and Marie Louise Tashji with the Victor Samara, Jr. Memorial Award.
ESTATE PLANNING – August is National Make-a-Will Month (MAWM). As Christians, our ultimate security in life comes from God and the truth revealed in His word; however, that does not mean we play a passive role in preparing for the future. We are called to be diligent stewards of the time and resources God entrusts to us. Creating a will and estate plan allows us to communicate important financial and healthcare decisions, helping to prepare for whatever the future may hold. A will allows us to provide for our loved ones and steward all the resources God has given us. By including a legacy gift in our wills, we can sustain the ministry of St. Mary’s Church for future generations.
DATES TO REMEMBER
Monday, August 14 Evening Divine Liturgy for the Dormition, 7:00 PM
Tuesday, August 15 Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos
Saturday, August 19 Sip and Decorate Cookies Class, 2-5 PM
Friday, September 8 Nativity of the Theotokos
Monday, September 18 Saints and Sinners Golf and Tennis Outing
All services will be live streamed via twitch.tv/smaoc.
PLEASE MAKE SURE all cell phones and electronic devices are turned off in church or at home.
A Parish of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America