Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost
St. Nicholas Bulletin - September 5, 2021
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Christ is in our midst! Христос међу нама! Cristo esta entra nosotros! |
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Forgiving from the Heart Requires Humility
from Fr. Philip LeMasters
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The Lord often taught in parables. A parable is a very short story that makes a particular point. Parables can spark our imagination and challenge us to see ourselves in a new light. Christ’s parables call us into question and get to the heart of the matter of where we stand before God. They help us to see the truth about ourselves more clearly.
The first servant in today’s parable begged for more time to pay an unbelievably large debt and his master responded with shocking mercy, for he forgave the debt completely. The servant then owed nothing at all. But instead of sharing the mercy that he had received with a fellow servant who owed him much less, the man refused to show any patience at all. He had the second servant put into prison until he could pay the debt. When word of his actions reached the master, he had the first servant put in jail until he could repay the entirety of the massive amount he had owed. Christ concludes the parable with these challenging words, “So also My heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
This parable shows that whether we forgive others reveals the health of our souls. The Lord’s mercy is transformative and participatory. If we have opened our hearts to receive His forgiveness, then His gracious divine energies must permeate our lives. He said, “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.” To become radiant with mercy to the point we do not limit our love only to our friends is necessary in order to “be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matt. 5: 44-48)
If we call upon God’s forgiveness for our sins, we put ourselves in a false position whenever we refuse to forgive other people. He is infinitely holy and death is “the wages of sin” for us all. We are each the chief of sinners against the Father Who sent His Son for the salvation of the world. (Jn. 3:17) As those who dare to call for mercy beyond what we could possibly deserve, how may we refuse to forgive someone else? The God-Man enables us to become like Him in holiness, not to insist on our rights for satisfaction in relation to our neighbors. How we treat them, including those who have offended us, is how we treat our Lord. As St. John wrote, “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ but hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.” (1 Jn 4:20) When we refuse to forgive others, we demonstrate not only a lack of love for them, but for Christ.
As we all know, forgiveness often does not come quickly or easily. It is not simply a matter of what we say or how we act, but concerns our hearts. The Savior said that anger is at the root of murder and lust is at the root of adultery. He calls us to a purity of heart that frees us from bondage to such corrupt desires as we come to share more fully in His fulfillment of the human person in the divine image and likeness. In order to do so, we must turn our hearts away from indulging in holding grudges or obsessing about the wrongs of others, and instead learn to find our joy in the Lord. That is possible only as we open ourselves more fully to the healing power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. St. Paul wrote, “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Gal. 5:22-23) As St. Siluoan the Athonite taught, “One can only love one’s enemies through the grace of the Holy Spirit.” And “He who does not love his enemies, does not have God’s grace.”
How we respond to those who have wronged us reveals the true state of our souls in a way that goes beyond simplistic distortions of the Christian faith. In our world of corruption, the primal relationship between Adam and Eve remains broken and gives rise to resentment, domestic violence, and untold misery across the generations. Cain murdered his brother Abel, and people still kill family members, neighbors, and strangers for no reason other than jealousy and spite. We easily become blind to the image of God in every human person, especially those with whom we disagree or whom we think we should fear or hate for some reason. People build themselves up by putting others down, both individually and collectively, in ways too numerous to count. Our Lord was rejected as a blasphemer because the religious leaders of the time viewed Him as a threat to their power. The Romans crucified Him as an example of what would happen to anyone who dared to threaten their rule. Apart from the healing power of the Holy Spirit, there is no escape from slavery to an endless cycle of resentment and retribution that leads only to the grave.
The Savior endured the full consequences of such depravity in His crucifixion and death in order to provide a path that leads from the grave to the glory of the heavenly kingdom through His resurrection on the third day. He abides in our hearts through the Holy Spirit through Whom we are able to cry out to God “Abba, Father,” for we are not slaves, but children of God, heirs to all the promises to Abraham through Christ. (Gal. 4:6) We will find the strength to offer the desires of our hearts to the Lord for healing by opening ourselves as fully as possible to the healing power of the Holy Spirit. He is “everywhere present and fills all things” and we have received the fullness of His presence in the holy mystery of Chrismation. In order to acquire the fruits of the Spirit, we must actively cooperate with God’s grace by growing in humility, which fundamentally requires learning to see ourselves as we truly are before God. That is what the first servant in today’s parable lacked, for he did not see himself as simply a forgiven debtor who had received mercy he could never have deserved. If we will learn to see ourselves as truly the chief of sinners, as those whose entire existence and hope for fulfillment is dependent upon the mercy of the Lord, then we will no longer take joy in condemning others for their wrongs against us and in refusing to forgive others as we have been forgiven.
Growing in humility is the only way for us to find healing for our passions, for our disordered desires ultimately root in the pride of not accepting the truth about who we are before God. One powerful step for acquiring humility is to ask the forgiveness of those we have wronged, for doing so manifests the truth about who we are as people in need of mercy for the harm that we have we have done to our neighbors, who all bear the image of God. Serving others by putting their needs before our own is another path for becoming humble as we follow in the way of Christ, Who “did not come to be served, but to serve…” (Matt. 20:28) and Who washed the feet of His disciples. Fasting also provides an opportunity to deny ourselves in small ways and to support generosity to the needy with the resources saved by eating a humble diet. The fact that we are usually so bad at fasting can also destroy our illusions of righteousness pretty quickly.
As in all things, we must be mindful, keeping a close watch on our thoughts and desires as we refuse to welcome into our hearts anything that would hinder us from becoming living icons of the merciful healing of Christ. The challenge to forgive others as we have been forgiven is not a matter of religious legalism, but of finding the healing of our souls by the power of the Holy Spirit. If we acquire the humility to see ourselves as we truly are before the Lord, then we will not become like the first servant in today’s parable, but will instead become radiant with the gracious divine energies as we convey to others the same mercy that we have received through our Lord. That is the only way that we will ever be able to forgive others from the depths of our hearts.
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Commemorating the Leavetaking of the Dormition of the Mother of God, Hieromartyr Irenaeus Bishop of Lyons, Sts Eutychius and Florentius of Nursia, St Callinicus Patriarch of Constantinople, Martyr Blandina of Lyons, Martyr Lupus slave of St Demetrius of Thessalonica
RESURRECTIONAL TROPARION—TONE 2
When You descended to death, O Life Immortal, You destroyed hell with the splendor of Your Godhead. And when from the depths You raised the dead, all the powers of heaven cried out: “O Giver of life, Christ our God, glory to You!”
HOLY DORMITION TROPARION—TONE 1
In giving birth you preserved your virginity, in falling asleep you did not forsake the world, O Theotokos. You were translated to life, O Mother of Life, and by your prayers, you deliver our souls from death.
HOLY HIEROMARTYR IRINAEUS OF LYONS—TONE 4
By sharing in the ways of the Apostles, you became a successor to their throne. Through the practice of virtue, you found the way to divine contemplation, O inspired one of God; by teaching the word of truth without error, you defended the Faith, even to the shedding of your blood. Hieromartyr Irenaeus, entreat Christ God to save our souls.
RESURRECTION KONTAKION—TONE 2
Hell became afraid, O almighty Savior, seeing the miracle of Your Resurrection from the tomb! The dead arose! Creation, with Adam, beheld this and rejoiced with You, and the world, my Savior, praises You forever.
HOLY DORMITION KONTAKION—TONE 2
Neither the tomb, nor death could hold the Theotokos, who is constant in prayer and our firm hope in her intercessions. For being the Mother of Life, she was translated to life by the One who dwelt in her virginal womb.
INSTEAD OF “IT IS TRULY MEET”
The angels, as they looked upon the Dormition of the Virgin, were struck with wonder seeing how the Virgin went up from earth to heaven. The limits of nature are overcome in you, O pure Virgin; for birth-giving remains virginal and death is united to life; a virgin after childbearing and alive after death, you ever save your inheritance, O Theotokos.
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~Scripture Readings of the Day~ |
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READERS:
Matins: Lenny Tepsic Epistle: Teddy Sukhernik
Matins Next Week: Milan Radanovic Epistle Next Week: Marijana Rocknage
EPISTLE: I Corinthians 9: 2-12
DEACON: Let us pay attention.
PRIEST: Peace be unto all!
READER: And with your spirit!
DEACON: Wisdom.
READER: The Prokeimenon in the Second Tone: The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation.
CHOIR: The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation.
READER: v: The Lord has chastened me sorely, but He has not given me over to death.
CHOIR: The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation.
READER: The Lord is my strength and my song.
CHOIR: He has become my salvation.
DEACON: Wisdom!
READER: The Reading is from the first Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Corinthians.
DEACON: Let us attend!
READER: Brethren, if I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. My defense to those who examine me is this: Do we have no right to eat and drink? Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working? Who ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock? Do I say these things as a mere man? Or does not the law say the same also? For it is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.” Is it oxen God is concerned about? Or does He say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope. If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things? If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more? Nevertheless we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ.
PRIEST: Peace be unto you, reader!
READER: And with your spirit! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
CHOIR: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
READER: May the Lord hear you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!
CHOIR: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
READER: Save the King, O Lord, and hear us on the day we call!
CHOIR: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
АПОСТОЛ: I Коринћанима 9: 2-12
Ђакон: Пазимо
Свештеник: Мир свима!
Читач: I Духу Твоме!
Ђакон: Премудрост
Читач : ПРОКИМЕН- глас 2 Господ је снага моја и пјесма; Он ми постаде спасење.
Хор: Господ је снага моја и пјесма; Он ми постаде спасење.
Читач: Карајући покара ме Господ, али ме смрти не предаде.
Хор: Господ је снага моја и пјесма; Он ми постаде спасење.
Читач: Господ је снага моја и пјесма;
Хор: Он ми постаде спасење.
Ђакон: Премудрост
Читач: Читање је од Прве посланице Светог апостола Павла до Коринћана
Ђакон: Пазимо
Читач: Браћо, ако другима нисам апостол. али вама јесам, јер сте ви печат мојега апостолства у Господу. То је моја одбрана пред онима који ме осуђују. Зар немамо право јести и пити? Зар немамо право сестру жену са собом водити, као и остали апостоли, и браћа Господња и Кифа? Или само ја и Варнава немамо право ово чинити? Ко икад војује о своме трошку? Ко сади виноград и не једе од рода његова? Или ко чува стадо и од млијека стада не једе? Зар ово говорим по људском? Или не говори ово и Закон? Јер је у Мојсејеву закону написано: Не завезуј уста волу који врше. Брине ли се то Бог за волове? Или говори управо ради нас? Јер се ради нас написа: да који оре, треба у нади да оре, и који врше у нади да ће примити по својему надању. Ако ми вама посијасмо оно што је духовно, зар је много ако ми од вас пожњемо оно што је тјелесно? Ако се други користе вашим правом, како ли не би ми? Али се ми не користисмо овим правом, него све подносимо да не учинимо какве сметње јеванђељу Христову.
Свештеник: Мир свима Читачу!
Читач: I Духом Твоме! Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа
Хор: Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа
Читач: Нека те услиши Господ у дан жалосни, нека те заштити име Бога Јаковљевога.
Хор: Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа
Читач: Господе, помози цару и услиши нас кад Те зовемо.
Хор: Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа
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LITURGY GOSPEL:
Matthew 18: 23-35
At that time, the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”
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ЈЕВАНЂЕЉЕ:
Матеј 17: 14-23
У оно вријеме каза им Усус причу ову: Царство небеско слично човјеку цару, који хтједе да се прорачуна са слугама својим. И кад се поче рачунати, доведоше му једнога дужника од десет хиљада таланата. И будући да он немаше чиме вратити, заповиједи господар његов да продаду њега и жену његову и дјецу и све што имаше, и да се наплати, но слуга тај паде и клањаше му се говорећи: Господару, причекај ме, и све ћу ти вратити. А господар се сажали на онога слугу, и пусти га и дуг му опрости. А кад изиђе слуга тај, нађе једнога од својих другара који му бијаше дужан сто динара, и ухвати га и стаде давити говорећи: Дај ми што си дужан! Паде другар његов пред ноге његове и мољаше га говорећи: Причекај ме, и све ћу ти вратити. А он не хтједе, него га одведе и баци у тамницу док не врати дуг. Видјевши пак другари његови тај догађај, ожалостише се веома, и отишавши, објаснише господару својему све што се догодило. Тада га позва господар његов, и рече му: Зли слуго, сав дуг онај опростио сам ти, јер си ме молио. Није ли требало да се и ти смилујеш на свога другара, као и ја на те што се смиловах? И разгњеви се господар његов, и предаде га мучитељима док не врати све што му је дуговао. Тако ће и Отац мој небески учинити вама, ако не опростите сваки брату својему од срца својих сагрјешења њихова.
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~ The Week Ahead: Scriptures and Services ~ |
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September Birthdays
Elliott Klipa (Sep 2), Andjela Lojpur (Sep 3), Graham Bazdar (Sep 3), Dominik Bowser (Sep 3), Aleksandar Gerhart (Sep 4), Peter Barber (Sep 5), Lincoln Govelovich (Sep 6), Mike York (Sep 6), Stacey Mummert (Sep 9), Tina Tepsich (Sep 10), Nemanja Jovic (Sep 13), Kat Gruich (Sep 14), Ben Shaffer (Sep 18), Zeljko Raic (Sep 18), Angie Vorkapich (Sep 21), Terry Govelovich (Sep 22), Dean Stefan (Sep 22), Milijan Lukic (Sep 22), Ljilja Lazarevic (Sep 24), Fran Radosevich (Sep 29)
September Anniversaries
Mark & Yovanka Hoover (Sep 9), Dori & Steve Barry (Sep 9), Marina & Alan Radanovic (Sep 9), Luke & Waad Jacobs (Sep 13), Val & Fran Radosevich (Sep 16), Tim & Kaitlyn Hook (Sep 19), Brian & Catherine Lewis (Sep 19), Tina & Lenny Tepsich (Sep 20), John & Cindy Semic (Sep 26)
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FEAST OF THE BEHEADING OF ST. JOHN
The Feast of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist will be celebrated Saturday (Sept 11), with Divine Liturgy at 9:00am.
LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEER TEACHERS FOR CHURCH SCHOOL
Our Church School year is just around the corner. This year, some of our most faithful stewards would like to retire from the Church School ministry. We are so thankful for the offering of their time and talents to invite our children to participate in this wonderful and awesome relationship with our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Thus, we now need some new stewards to pick up the torch, continuing to lead our children with the Light of Christ. There are opportunities for main teachers and substitutes available. Please see/call/email Fr. Christopher or Dr. Jevgenija Radanovic for more information and to volunteer.
FOLKLORE MEETING (TODAY)
Today, September 5, 2021, we will have a meeting to discuss our kolo (youth and adult), folklore and tambura rehearsal times. Please meet in the Sunday School area after liturgy.
ST NICHOLAS SENIORS
The regular scheduled meeting/luncheon for September 14, 2021 is being cancelled. You will be informed when our next meeting will take place. The Seniors will celebrate their Slava on September 26, 2021 at Divine Liturgy, and all preparations for this are made. Please attend if possible.
SERBFEST (HELP NEEDED)
Serb Fest is returning this year to an in-person event! The date will be Saturday, September 18th starting at 11am. Plan on a wonderful day of good food, music and fun! You should have already received the mailer with more information. Sign up sheets are in the lobby. And fliers and booster letters are available for distribution to local establishments (see Daria).
COVID19 REMINDER
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that all people wear masks in crowded places while indoors. This is due to the possibility of spreading the Delta variant of the SARS-Cov2 virus among those who are not vaccinated (especially children under 12).
DEADLINE IS APPROACHING
If you are not receiving envelopes and wish to. If you are receiving envelopes and no longer wish to. Or if you need to make an address change. You must inform Andrea Gunther or Daria Milletics by September 15.
ANNUAL KSS PULLED PORK & PALACINKE SALE (DRIVE THRU)
The Kolo Srpskih Sestara/Circle of the Serbian Sisters will hold their annual fundraiser on Sunday, October 3, with a Drive Thru format. All sales are PRE-ORDER by Sept 26. The menu will include pulled pork sandwiches for $5, cheese palacinke for $2, strawberry and applebutter palacinkes for $1.50. Pick up will be from 12 pm to 1 pm on October 3. Forms are available on the tutors stand, or call Linda Yandric at 717-939-5309 or Daria Milletics at 717-939-3872
OFFICE CLOSED MONDAY
The office will be closed this week on Monday, September 6
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September Charity
St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary
The mission of St. Vladimir’s Seminary is to “serve Christ, His Church, and the world through Orthodox Christian theological education, research, and scholarship, and the promotion of inter-Orthodox cooperation”.
The Seminary offers educational programs for clergy, those preparing for clerical ministries, lay leaders and religious scholars so they “may build up Orthodox communities, foster Church growth through mission and evangelism, teach the Orthodox faith, and care for those in need”. The Seminary has a diverse student body and a strong faculty committed to teaching, learning, and serving the Church to the glory of God. Academic programs include Master level degrees in divinity, theology, and religious studies for lay leaders. A stimulating array of special academic programs is also available. We encourage you to visit the St. Vladimir’s Seminary website listed above to learn more about the exciting and challenging learning opportunities, programs and resources.
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