Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
St. Nicholas Bulletin - August 1, 2021
Christ is in our midst! Христос међу нама! Cristo esta entra nosotros!
The Power of the Word

from Fr. Seraphim (Iguman of Holy Cross Monastery)
“Bless and curse not!” says St. Paul in today’s Epistle. We see both the fulfillment of, and the disobedience to, this command in today’s Gospel. The simple-hearted multitude fulfill it; the hard-hearted and envious scribes transgress it. Christ said to the paralytic that his sins were forgiven and commanded him to walk again. The scribes—whose entire lives and careers were the study of the Law of God; who should have been the first to perceive the Living Embodiment of Scripture alive before them in Christ, God Incarnate; they—muttered in their hearts that Christ was blaspheming, perplexed that a man uttered words fit only for God. But the simple-hearted multitude, seeing the miracle of a paralytic suddenly healed, leaping, “marveled and glorified God Who had given such power unto men,” having perceived that only God could do such wonders.

“Bless and curse not,” says the Apostle. Herein lies the essence of our whole Orthodox Faith, Life and Worship. This is the essence and guiding rule of our Orthodox hymnody. Eulogizing the Saints of God, it blesses them and glorifies them. It speaks not of any faults that may have been in them. It speaks not of them as common men, but as gods by grace, transformed into all-pure members of Christ by the divine power and energy of the Holy Spirit, adopted sons of the Father.

“Bless and curse not!” This is the essence and guiding rule of our Orthodox iconography. Painting the Saints of God, the iconographer does not seek to reproduce a corruptible earthly image, a simple portrait. They do not paint them with glasses if they wore glasses, nor maimed if they were maimed; but in their future resurrected state, perfectly whole, deified, thus immersing us in the reality of that blessed future mode of life.

“Bless and curse not!” This is the essence and guiding rule of our Orthodox hagiography. The Lives of the Saints do not seek first and foremost a historical biography, a simple account of human existence, although they contain this. They seek to paint in words the divinely-lived life of God’s Saints. Sometimes they leave out their all-too-human defects. Sometimes not. If they leave them out, they are not lying or falsifying the truth. But, just as one who eulogizes a departed loved one, or just as one introduces another before an audience, so the hagiographers praise their subject in humility, seeking to impress within the souls of others the graces and virtues of the transfigured Saint, that all may zealously seek the infinite heights of the life in God, Who transcends all the heavens of angels.

“Bless and curse not!” St. Symeon the New Theologian teaches this as a rule of life for our ascetic struggle against the passions, saying that we should strive to see and bless all as angels of God, and see only ourselves as sinners. Such is the struggle of the soul of one who desires the purification which illumines one with the divine vision of God—seeing God in all and all through the eyes of God. This ascetic theology seeks to make us into spiritual and moral hymnographers, iconographers and hagiographers: to make us find and bless even the smallest good in men; to see the image, the icon, of God in them; to publish their good deeds and to mercifully overlook their sins, just as the Most-Merciful Christ Who died for all does.

This Orthodox understanding of the ineffaceable image of God in every man is depicted in some icons, such as the icon here of our beloved patron St. Panteleimon. Looking at the faces of the Saint’s torturers, one will notice that they are meek, filled with innocent simplicity, not fierce with wicked deformity. Although these men may have had such evil passion in their hearts and faces, nonetheless, this iconographic tradition of the Church shows forth—not only the likeness of God which shines forth in the Saints who actualized the reality of God’s image in themselves, but also—the inner reality of the potentiality of every man; that they are made in the image of God and able to be conformed to God’s likeness.

“Bless and curse not!” Such words are spoken by St. Paul through the inspiration and example of Christ Himself Who taught: “Love your enemies, do good to those who do evil to you, bless those who curse you and pray for those who abuse you!” Such He spoke, and such He did upon the Cross when He—being crucified in cold blood, mocked and blasphemed, by His own people and creation—cried out: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!”

What sign of love for one’s enemies is greater than this? What greater good could one do to those who do evil to him than this intercession of the Only Son with the Father? What blessing upon those who curse could be better than this? For, this is to truly pray for those who mistreat one! For, there has never been a greater evil, a deeper chasm of lovelessness, a more wicked curse, and a more grave sin of abuse than the killing of God Incarnate, the spilling of His precious and all-pure blood, and the blasphemy and cursing of Blessedness Himself Who seeks to bless all with His grace and divine life!

“Bless and curse not!” What power such blessing has! For, it was this blessing and prayer for forgiveness of the God-Man that softened the hardness of St. Dismas’ heart. St. Matthew and St. Mark tell us that both thieves—the one on the right and the one on the left of the Lord—at first mocked Christ with the people. But St. Luke says that the Good Thief confessed his own sinfulness and Christ’s sinlessness. When did he do this? Right after Christ’s prayer for forgiveness. There is no contradiction between the four-part harmony of the Holy Evangelists. The Good Thief repented, came to believe in Christ, confessed Him as Lord, and sought of Him eternal blessedness after he was transformed from his blindness by the long-suffering love and blessing of the Man-Loving Christ.

Such is the power of love! Such is the grace and divinely-transformative nature of blessing! Such is what we see in the life of St. Macarius the Great, whose name itself means blessedness. It is told that he and his disciple were on the road. He sent his disciple along in front of him. His disciple saw a pagan priest, and said to him: “Hey, you demon, where are you going?” The pagan beat him half to death and then took off running. St. Macarius then met him along the way and saw him running and said: “I hope you are well, I hope you are well, O weary laborer!” The pagan, shocked, stopped and asked: “What good do you see in me that you greet me so?” St. Macarius said: “I have seen you toiling, but all in vain.” The pagan said: “I have been touched by your greeting and realize that you are on God’s side. But another, an evil monk, met me and insulted me, and so I beat him almost to death.” St. Macarius perceived that it was his disciple. And the priest then fell at his feet and begged the Saint: “I will not let you go until you have made me a monk.” So, the two of them went to the Saint’s disciple and took him to the nearby Church. Then the pagan was baptized, made a monk, and made many other pagans Christians. So, Abba Macarius said: “One evil word can make even the good evil; while one good word makes even the evil good.”

What a blessed story! What a holy image! What a wonderful miracle! Such a miracle is equal to that revealed today in the Gospel. For the Lord raised a paralytic man and blotted out all his sins by one blessed word. And, whole-heartedly believing in Christ and thus doing works equal to His (even as the Lord testified that many who believe on Him would do), St. Macarius, through one word of blessing, raised a darkened soul paralyzed by the demons and washed him pure from all his sins by his gracious love.

Such is the way with all the Saints! Such is seen in the Royal Martyrs whom we have just celebrated. They were so radiantly calm, so meekly courageous, so loving and courteous, to their guards and persecutors, that they softened their hard hearts, made them more human, drawing out the hidden virtue of these corrupt men also made in the image of God. Being truly the salt of the earth, they drew out the life-giving waters of the God-like nature of those dried up by bitter sin. Such is the power of Christ! Such is the way of the Saints! Such is the teaching of the Church! Such is the only path for us today who are surrounded by wickedness, corruption, insanity, lawlessness, heresy, apostasy.

“Bless and curse not!” Such is the all-encompassing rule of the life of Christ! If our brother insults or offends us, then, blessing him, we will make good come out of evil. If we hear tell of godless politicians, then, calling down upon them God’s blessing through prayer, we will expend the energy and gift of our thought, zeal and word in behalf of the enlightenment and salvation of their souls, instead of cursing and criticizing them, doing no good for them or ourselves. If we hear of heretical and apostate leaders in the Church, then, begging God’s blessing on them, hoping for their conversion, praying with warm zeal and humility, we will touch their souls from afar and render our own more holy and Christ-like.

“Bless and curse not!” Let us seek this mode of life which is so divine and powerful, and yet summed up in only four short words. Such a mode of life was sought out by our Holy Father St. Sisoes, whose memory we celebrate today. Once, he confidently affirmed: “Take heart! For here I have been for 30 years and am no longer pleading with God about my sins. But this is what I say when I pray: ‘Lord Jesus Christ, protect me from my tongue,’ for every day even until now I fall because of it and commit sin.”
St. John Climacus, in his chapter on judgment and slander, says that sins of the tongue are even found in otherwise very spiritual men. St. Sisoes spoke no evil word, but still saw as St. John Chrysostom that his mouth and tongue were too polluted for the Holy Word to touch it in Holy Communion. How much more, then, should we pray for the purity of our thought and word, seeing that even the humble Sisoes and the Golden-Mouth John saw nothing golden in their mouth?

If we purify our heart and word through humble prayer, our heart, instead of a source of curses, shall become the divine resting-place of the Most-Gracious Dove-Like Spirit; while our word, instead of a wounding sword, will become a divine key unlocking the flood-gates of the heavenly mercies of Christ’s boundless depths of compassions upon all mankind, upon this fallen world lying in filth and sin. May God grant us to truly pray and to truly live, by the grace of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, Who, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit is glorified, blessed and worshipped unto the ages of ages. Amen.

~Hymnography of the Day~
Commemorating Martyrs Proclus and Hilary of Ancyra, Martyrs Theodore and his son John of Kiev, Martyr Golinduc of Persia, Venerable Michael Maleinos, Venerable Arsenius of Novgorod the Fool-For-Christ, Venerable Simon Abbot of Volomsk, Venerable John and Venerable Gabriel the Georgians of Mt Athos, St Veronica the woman with the issue of blood, St Serapion the New
 
RESURRECTIONAL TROPARION—TONE 5
Let us, the faithful, praise and worship the Word, co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit, born for our salvation from the Virgin; for He willed to be lifted up on the Cross in the flesh, to endure death, and to raise the dead by His glorious Resurrection.

HOLY FATHER TROPARION—TONE 8
You are most glorious, O Christ our God! You have established the Holy Fathers as lights on the earth.
Through them You have guided us to the true Faith. O greatly compassionate One, glory to You!

HOLY STEFAN LAZAREVIC TROPARION—TONE 8
As a strong bulwark, you showed yourself to your suffering family, O Wise Stefan, and you followed your royal parents in your deeds, decorating your homeland with many churches. Steadfastly you have kept the faith of our Holy Fathers, in it do not cease to strengthen us, with your prayers, before the throne of the Most High God.

RESURRECTIONAL KONTAKION—TONE 5
You descended into hell, O my Savior, shattering its gates as Almighty, resurrecting the dead as Creator, and destroying the sting of death. You have delivered Adam from the curse, O Lover of Man, and we cry to You: “O Lord, save us!”

HYMN TO THE MOTHER OF GOD KONTAKION—TONE 6
Steadfast Protectress of Christians and constant Advocate before the Creator; despise not the cry of us sinners, but come speedily to help those who call on You in faith. Hasten to hear our petition and to intercede for us, O Theotokos, for You always protect those who honor You!
~Scripture Readings of the Day~
READERS:
Matins: Milan Radanovic Epistle: Milan Radanovic
Matins Next Week: Lenny Tepsic Epistle Next Week: Dasha Gencturk

EPISTLE: Romans 12: 6-14

DEACON:     Let us pay attention. 
PRIEST:       Peace be unto all!
READER:     And with your spirit!
DEACON:     Wisdom.
READER:     The Prokeimenon in the Fifth Tone: You, O Lord, shall protect us and preserve us from this generation forever.
CHOIR: You, O Lord, shall protect us and preserve us from this generation forever.
READER: v: Save me, O Lord, for there is no longer any that is godly!
CHOIR: You, O Lord, shall protect us and preserve us from this generation forever.
READER: You, O Lord, shall protect us ...
CHOIR: … and preserve us from this generation forever.
DEACON: Wisdom!
READER: The Reading is from the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Romans.
DEACON: Let us attend!
READER: Brethren, having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.  Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
PRIEST: Peace be unto you, reader!
READER: And with your spirit! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
CHOIR: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
READER: I will sing of Your mercies, O Lord, forever; with my mouth I will proclaim Your truth from generation to generation.
CHOIR: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
READER: For You have said: “Mercy will be established forever; My truth will be prepared in the heavens.”
CHOIR: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
 



АПОСТОЛ:  Римљанима 12: 6-14

Ђакон:         Пазимо
Свештеник: Мир свима!
Читач:           I Духу Твоме!
Ђакон:          Премудрост
Читач : ПРОКИМЕН- глас 5 Ти ћеш нас, Господе, одбранити и сачувати од рода овога до вјека.
Хор: Ти ћеш нас, Господе, одбранити и сачувати од рода овога до вјека.
Читач: Помилуј ме Господе, јер неста Светих, јер је мало вјерних међу синовима човјечијим.
Хор: Ти ћеш нас, Господе, одбранити и сачувати од рода овога до вјека.
Читач: Ти ћеш нас, Господе, одбранити 
Хор: и сачувати од рода овога до вјека.
Ђакон: Премудрост
Читач: Читање је од посланице Светог апостола Павла до Римљанима
Ђакон: Пазимо
Читач: Браћо, имамо пак различите дарове по благодати која нам је дата: ако је пророштво, нека је по мјери вјере; Ако је служба, нека је у служењу; учитељство, нека је у учењу; Ако је тјешитељ, нека тјеши; који даје, нека даје искрено; који управља, нека је ревностан; који чини милостињу, нека чини радосно. Љубав да не буде лицемјерна. Мрзећи зло држите се добра. У братољубљу будите једни према другима њежни; чашћу чините једни друге већим од себе. У ревности не будите лијени: будите духом ватрени; Господу служите. Будите у нади радосни y невољи трпељиви, у молитви постојани. Помажите светима у потребама; будите гостољубиви. Благосиљајте оне који вас гоне, благосиљајте а не куните.
Свештеник: Мир свима Читачу!
Читач: I Духом Твоме! Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа
Хор: Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа
Читач: Пјеваћу увјек милости Господње; од кољена на кољено јавићу истину Твоју устима својим.
Хор: Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа
Читач: Јер си рекао: Милост ће бити основана заувјек; на Небесима си утврдио истину Своју.
Хор: Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа
 


 
LITURGY GOSPEL:  
Matthew 9: 1-8

At that time, He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own city. Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.” And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, “This Man blasphemes!” But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” And he arose and departed to his house. Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such power to men.


ЈЕВАНЂЕЉЕ:   
Матеј 9: 1-8

У оно вријеме, Исус уђе у лађу, пређе и дође у свој град. И гле, донесоше му одузетога који лежаше на одру. И видјевши Исус вјеру њихову, рече одузетоме: Не бој се, чедо, опраштају ти се гријеси твоји. И гле, неки од књижевника рекоше у себи: Овај хули на Бога. А Исус, видјевши помисли њихове, рече: Зашто ви зло мислите у срцима својим? Јер шта је лакше, рећи: Опраштају ти се гријеси; или рећи: Устани и ходи? Али да знате да власт има Син Човјечији на земљи опраштати гријехе; тада рече одузетоме: Устани, узми одар свој и иди дому своме. И уставши отиде дому своме. А народ видјевши задиви се и прослави Бога, који је дао такву власт људима.
 

~ The Week Ahead: Scriptures and Services ~
August Birthdays
Ross Spangler (Aug 1), Tim Hook (Aug 1), Kaitlyn Hook (Aug 2), Protostavrophor Ilija Balach (Aug 2), Mara Sunajko (Aug 3), Ted Yanich (Aug 4), Mike Healy (Aug 5), Chris Radanovic (Aug 7), Cathy Fagan (Aug 7), Dieter Geib (Aug 7), Igor Pejcic (Aug 7), Russ Hewitt (Aug 9), Bo Venesevich (Aug 11), Ioanna Radanovic (Aug 11), Theodore Sukernik (Aug 11), Victoria Fithian (Aug 11), Tracey Stanovich (Aug 15), Eva Sutkliffe (Aug 15), Marina Skinder (Aug 20), Stefan Gligorevic (Aug 21), Chase Hewitt (Aug 23), Chuck Belic (Aug 25), Vaciona Petrovich (Aug 25), Ferris Atty (Aug 27), Maryann Seiders (Aug 28), Chuck Miller (Aug 30), Florence Ivanoff
 
August Anniversaries
Chris & Beth Ann Radanovic (Aug 1), Duke & Sue Petrovich (Aug 9), Chuck & Jean Miller (Aug 9), Mike & Stephanie York (Aug 20), Dn. Bojan & Sladjana Gligorevic (Aug 31)

~Bulletin Board~
FELLOWSHIP HOUR TODAY
The Sunajko and Kingsbury family invite you to join them today as they host Fellowship Hour to honor Mara Sunajko’s 90th birthday. 

EMERGENCY CONTACT
In case of a Pastoral Emergency this week (August 2 thru August 6), contact Fr Steve Vernak (717.602.0504) or Fr Tim Hojnicki (717.645.5281)

HOLY RESURRECTION BBQ FUNDRAISER
Holy Resurrection Church in Lebanon will be holding a BBQ Fundraiser on Saturday, August 7 from 10 until sold out (no advanced tickets being sold). Chicken BBQ and Pulled Pork Sandwich meals cost $8 each. Please support our sister church!

MOTHER’S CLUB KIOSK
Don’t forget to check out the new greeting cards available at the Mother’s Club Kiosk in the Lobby!

CONGRATULATIONS and AXIOS (WORTHY!)!!!
We congratulate and shout out AXIOS, WORTHY, DOSTOJIN! For the newly ordained Reverend Father Miloš Zdralić, formerly the protodeacon of our Eastern Diocese. We ask for God’s Blessings upon him and his family as they begin their ministry at St. George in Clearwater, FL.

SPECIAL THANKS TO GOD
We give thanks to God for all of those who helped in providing the wonderful fellowship at our resumed annual Serb Club Picnic. Thanks to Jim and Paula Werner for their leadership, our crew of people to get the park ready, all of the workers, bakers, donors, the attendees, the musicians and those who cleaned up afterward. It was truly a glorious event!

RESUMING ACTIVITIES
This September we will resume our curriculum for Church School (youth and adult), Folklore (youth and adult), and Choir. All organizations are also encouraged to begin actively meeting again. May God bless our efforts as we begin to reunite in community!

SAVE THE DATE
Serb Fest is returning this year to an in-person event! The date will be Saturday, September 18th from 11am to 6pm. Plan on a wonderful day of good food, music and fun! A mailer will be coming out shortly with more information.

August Charity
Zoe for Life

Many women are fortunate to have the love and support structure to lead them to marriage, children, and a meaningful life. Others, however, are from different circumstances, and may find themselves in crisis because of an unplanned pregnancy. Their situation may have them in turmoil and panic, where healthy decisions are difficult to make. ZOE for Life!® serves as a conduit, guiding women to a wider range of support organizations, providing an attractive set of options and a promising outlook on their situation. There is counseling, housing referral assistance, referral for prenatal care, adoption and other services available for which most women in distress are unaware. It is the goal of ZOE for Life!® to offer more opportunities to women in unplanned pregnancies, and to empower them to make decisions everyone can live with. ZOE for Life!® is a pan-Orthodox outreach of Orthodox Christians. It is funded privately, and has received 501(c)(3) status from the Internal Revenue Service. All gifts are tax-deductible as specified by law.