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Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Forefeast of the Nativity of the Mother of God
St. Nicholas Bulletin - September 18, 2022
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Christ is in our midst! Христос међу нама! Cristo está entre nosotros! | |
Homily on the Warnings from the Wedding
by Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick
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In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen.
The Gospel passage this morning is one that we do not hear every year in our lectionary. It is appointed for the Fourteenth Sunday of Matthew, but this reading is heard only if Pascha is fairly early in the year, since usually beginning around the second week of September, we switch to readings from Luke.
In this passage from Matthew, the Lord tells the parable of a king who gives a marriage feast for his son. He sends out his servants to call those who have been invited, but the guests refuse to come. They all have more important things to do, and some of them even kill the servants.
In this version of the parable, the king in his anger destroys the city of those who refuse to come. And then he tells his servants to go out into the streets and find new people to attend the feast. This parable parallels the story told in Luke 14, where we hear about the specific excuses of those who will not come—one has just gotten married, another has bought some land, another has bought some cattle, etc. (Luke 14:16-24).
This portion of the parable as heard in the first century served as a warning to the Jewish people—God’s original “wedding guests.” They were the chosen people. But when He sent His Son Jesus to gather them into the wedding banquet which is the Church, they would not receive Him and instead killed Him. And then God permitted the Romans to come and destroy even the great Jewish Temple in Jerusalem in the year 70. It remains destroyed to this day.
And those who are gathered in from the streets to be part of the wedding banquet represent the Gentiles, who are now called into the Church to feast with Christ.
We should not leave that interpretation there, however. This is not just about Jews and Gentiles. This is about anyone who has been given the invitation to the feast of faith and refuses to take advantage of it. Yes, the Jews as a nation lost their status as the chosen people because they would not join the new chosen people, which is the Church. But any Orthodox Christians can also lose his status as being among the chosen if he will not accept Christ’s invitation to the feast of faith. Just because we are formal members of a parish does not mean that we are feasting at the banquet. It is not only Jews who have lost their place at the table—whole parishes and even nations who have abandoned Christ have found themselves outside the communion of the chosen.
That is why this parable should serve as a warning to any church and to any Christian who do not avail themselves of what the Son of God is offering as He calls us into the marriage banquet. You cannot count yourself as a wedding guest if you do not show up to the wedding. It is not enough merely to have received the invitation. It is not enough merely to send a gift or a card. You have to show up. You have to participate. You have to be engaged. Or else you are not a guest at the banquet.
But there is more to this story.
This version of the parable of the marriage feast here in Matthew 22 adds another detail not found in Luke’s account—the man who comes to the feast and is found without a wedding garment. The king is visiting with his guests, and he sees this man without a wedding garment on. And he asks him how he got in there without that garment. And the man says nothing. He is “speechless.” So the king casts him out from the feast.
Now, this may seem like a strange detail—why would this man be cast out of the marriage feast just because he’s not wearing the right clothing? Didn’t the king insist on finding people out in the streets to come to the feast? Are they really all supposed to be suited up?
There is a cultural detail we need to know to understand this piece of the story. In that time and place, the wedding garment was provided by the host and given to the guests as they came into the feast. So why did this man not have one on? The answer is that he must have been given one but either refused to put it on or that he put it on and then later decided to take it off.
Even though we don’t hear this Gospel every year, the image presented here of the wedding garment should be quite familiar to us, as it is sung about at the Bridegroom Matins services served in the evenings of the first part of Holy Week. It is one of the most famous hymns and most famous melodies in the Byzantine musical tradition. Here is the text:
I see Thy bridal chamber adorned, O my Savior, but I have no wedding garment that I may enter. Make radiant the vesture of my soul, O Giver of Light, and save me.
This is the prayer of someone who has heard the call and come to the wedding banquet and is standing outside ready to come in. He sees the bridal chamber “adorned” but confesses that he has “no wedding garment” so that he can enter. And he prays to the “Giver of Light” that He would make his soul’s vesture “radiant” so that he can enter into the bridal chamber and therefore be saved.
So what is this “wedding garment” for us?
It is the grace of baptism. If you have ever been to an Orthodox baptism, you know that a white baptismal garment is placed on the newly baptized Christian. It is perhaps less noticeable for babies than it is for adults, but there is still that white garment put on. This is the “wedding garment” that is needed for entrance into the marriage feast. But the physical garment is a symbol of the garment of baptism, which is Christ. “As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ,” as we sing, quoting St. Paul (Gal. 3:27). Christ Himself is the “wedding garment,” the “vesture of [the] soul” that we sing to be made “radiant.”
But we should not think that, just because we have entered into the marriage feast that begins by becoming part of the Church through baptism and eating and drinking from the Table of the Lord—the Holy Eucharist—that we are thereby guaranteed to be able to stay at the feast.
This man from the parable was definitely at the feast. And he had been given the wedding garment. But when the King came for him, he was not wearing his garment. He was not “wearing” Christ. So he was bound, hand and foot, and “cast into outer darkness”; “there men will weep and gnash their teeth.” Why? Because he did not obey the Lord of the feast.
So we have two warnings in this passage: The first is for those who were invited to the marriage feast but refuse to come—these are those who make excuses. Historically, they were the Jews, who did not heed Christ’s call and instead killed Him. And the Gentiles were therefore invited in and took their place. But this applies even now to any who are invited but do not come. This is not just about Jews and Gentiles. It is also about “members” and “not yet members.” Just because someone is a “member” or has an Orthodox Christian heritage does not mean that he is actually at the marriage feast. He has to respond to the invitation and enter in.
The second warning is for those who accept the invitation but do not do what is needed in order to remain at the feast. The man found without his wedding garment was cast out by the king. And if we do not keep the wedding garment on for ourselves, keeping Christ on by imitating Him, by repenting of our sins, by receiving the sacraments, by sacrificing ourselves and our possessions, then we who once put on Christ by baptism have put off Christ by our failure to obey Him.
May we see the beauty of the feast and enter in. And coming to that great marriage banquet, our prayer will be that glorious hymn from Holy Week:
I see Thy bridal chamber adorned, O my Savior, but I have no wedding garment that I may enter. Make radiant the vesture of my soul, O Giver of Light, and save me.
To the Giver of Light and the Lord of the Feast be all glory, honor and worship, to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
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Commemorating Holy Prophet Zachariah and Righteous Elizabeth parents of St John the Baptist, Martyr Sarbelus of Edessa, Martyrs Juventinus and Maximus the soldiers at Antioch, Martyrs Urban, Theodore, Medimnus and 77 companions at Nicomedia, Martyr Abdias of Persia, Martyr Athanasius Abbot of Bretsk, Passion-Bearer Gleb, Martyr Tathuil and his sister Bebaia
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.
FOREFEAST TROPARION—TONE 4
Today from the stem of Jesse and from the loins of David, the handmaid of God Mary is being born for us. Therefore all creation is renewed and rejoices. Heaven and earth rejoice together. Praise her, you families of nations, for Joachim rejoices and Anna celebrates crying out: “The barren one gives birth to the Theotokos the Nourisher of our life!”
ZACHARIAH & ELIZABETH TROPARION—TONE 2
Celebrating the memory of the Righteous Zachariah and Elizabeth, O Lord, together with them we pray to You: "Save our souls."
ZACHARIAH & ELIZABETH TROPARION—TONE 4
Robed in the vestments of the priesthood, according to the Law of God you offered whole-burnt offerings in a sacred manner, wise Zachariah. You became a luminary and a seer of the mysteries, bearing within yourself the signs of grace, all-wise one. Slain by the sword in the temple of God, O prophet of Christ, intercede together with the Forerunner that our souls may be saved.
HOLY FATHER NICHOLAS TROPARION—TONE 4
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!”
FOREFEAST KONTAKION—TONE 3
Today the Virgin Theotokos Mary, the bridal chamber of the Heavenly Bridegroom, by the will of the God is born of a barren woman, being prepared as the chariot of God the Word. She was foreordained for this, since she is the divine gate and the true Mother of Life.
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~Scripture Readings of the Day~ | |
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READERS:
This Week: Matins: Lenny Tepsich, Epistle: Marko Rocknage
Next Week: Matins: Nick Ressetar, Epistle: Dasha Gencturk
EPISTLE: 2 Corinthians 1: 21-2:4
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 second Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Corinthians.
DEACON: Let us attend!
READER: Brethren, now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. Moreover I call God as witness against my soul, that to spare you I came no more to Corinth. Not that we have dominion over your faith, but are fellow workers for your joy; for by faith you stand. But I determined this within myself, that I would not come again to you in sorrow. For if I make you sorrowful, then who is he who makes me glad but the one who is made sorrowful by me? And I wrote this very thing to you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have joy, having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all. For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you.
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: 2 Коринћанима 1: 21-2:4
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 Галатима
Ђакон: Пазимо
Читач: Браћо, Бог је онај који нас утврђује с вама у Христу, и који нас помаза, Који нас и запечати, и даде залог Духа у срца наша. А ја призивам Бога за свједока на своју душу, да штедећи вас не дођох више у Коринт. Не као да господаримо над вјером вашом, него смо помагачи ваше радости; јер у вјери стојите чврсто. А ово одлучих у себи да вам опет не дођем у жалости. Јер, ако вас ја жалостим, ко је тај који мене весели, ако не онај кога ја жалостим? И ово вам баш написах, да када дођем не будем ожалошћен од оних од којих би требало да се радујем, уздајући се у све вас, да је радост моја радост свију вас. Јер од многе жалости и с болом срца написах вам са многим сузама, не да се ожалостите него да познате преобилну љубав коју имам према вама.
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
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LITURGY GOSPEL:
Matthew 22: 1-14
At that time, Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.”’ But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ “For many are called, but few are chosen.”
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ЈЕВАНЂЕЉЕ:
Матеј 22: 1-14
Каза Господ причу ову: Царство небеско је као човјек цар који начини свадбу сину своме. И посла слуге своје да зову званице на свадбу; и не хтједоше доћи. Опет посла друге слуге говорећи: Кажите званицама: Ево сам објед свој уготовио, јунци моји и храњеници поклани су, и све је готово: дођите на свадбу. А они не маривши отидоше, овај у поље своје, а онај у трговину своју; А остали ухватише слуге његове, изружише их, и побише. И када то чу цар онај, разгњеви се и пославши војску своју, погуби крвнике оне, и град њихов запали. Тада рече слугама својим: Свадба је готова, а званице не бјеху достојне. Идите, дакле, на раскршћа и кога год нађете, позовите на свадбу. И изишавши слуге оне на путеве, сабраше све које нађоше, и зле и добре; и напуни се свадбена дворана гостију. А ушавши цар да види госте, угледа ондје човјека необучена у свадбено рухо. И рече му: Пријатељу, како си ушао амо без свадбеног руха? А он оћута. Тада рече цар слугама: Свежите му руке и ноге, па га узмите и баците у таму најкрајњу; ондје ће бити плач и шкргут зуба. Јер су многи звани, али је мало изабраних.
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~ The Week Ahead: Scriptures and Services ~ | |
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~Prayers for the Faithful~
In Our Prayers
Metropolitan Paul, Archbishop Youhanna, Protopresbyter Srboljub and Protinica Ljubica Jockovic, Protopresbyter Rodney Torbic, Popadija Sara Golic, Matushka Barbara Ealy, the child Katie Elizabeth and her parents Mileva and Michael Repasky, the child Metodija and his parents Fr. Dn. Milan and Mira Damljanovic, the child Danijela and her parents Mark and Jennifer Belo, Melissa Thomason and the child newly born of her, Clare Jurkovic and the child newly born of her, Jazmin Cruz and the child newly born of her, Lauren Spangler and the child newly born of her, Mara Bebeau and the child to be born of her, Addy Andy, Louise Bare, Dori Bert, Jonathan Bertsch, Darlene & Larry Black, Carole Blitva, Stephan and Barbara Blitva, Walter “Bud” Brown, Guiliana & Aleksandar Carricato, Leann Cox, Joseph Derk, Art Dils, Draga Donato, Tommy and Kara (Blitva) Dorsey, Anaya Garvin, Christian & Melanie Geib, Michael Geppert III, Dr Andrea Govelovich, Nick & Terry Govelovich, Kata Gruich, Dan Haizlett, Basil Havalchak, Travis Heilman, Adam Herigan, Edith Herigan, Nicole Stefan Imschweiler, Susan Jacobs, Tijana Jaksic, Slobodan Jovicic, Spencer Klinge, Ljuban Kosovac, Dorothy Krnjaich, Henry Laichak, Peter Lalic, Dragan Lalovic, Stella Wren Lappas, Catherine Lewis, Dick Livingston, Maggie Livingston, Stephen Lundingrin, Dianne & Jim Martin, Rowan Martin, Jack McFall, Annabelle McLaughlin, Marija Miljkovic, Daria Milletics, Infant of God Ryan Leigh Moffitt, Peter Mrgich, George Myers, Patty Navarro, Bosiljka Ninkovic, Eva Orr, Lila Packer, Daniel Paddock, Ljubomir Pejanovic, Vid & Marica Pejcic, Hope Pesner, Tracy Petrovich, Logan Roszkowski, Greg Selman, Michael Schaffner, Michael Semic, Steven Semic, Benjamin Shaffer, Tessa Shaffer, Pat Shoemaker, Branko Smitran, Tracey Stanovich, Tim Stefan, Josephine Svitchan, Patricia & Joseph Sypniewski, Leonard Tepsich, Leroy Tepsich Jr, Edie & Michael “Bo” Venesevich, Rita Vorkapich, Kristina Vukalo, Steve Vulich, Paula Werner, Draga Worman, Dewey Yetter, Mileva “Millie” Yezdimir, Demetrios & Eleni Ziogas, Miriam “Mim” Codan Ziolkowski
Those Who Need Special Care
COUNTRY MEADOWS HERSHEY: Eva Stimac; COUNTRY MEADOWS MECHANICSBURG: Florence Ivanoff; MASONIC HOME ELIZABETHTOWN: Ray Foltz; RS: Cedo Lukic; SPRING CREEK: Chuck Belic
Those to be Baptized
Sloane Ivey & Berkeley Blythe Semic, Emilia Renee Peterson, Barrett Scott, Divna and Danica Mitrovic, Nora Katherine Van Huysen, Sloane York, Logan Michael Livingston, Misha Aleksander Bowser
Our College Students
Anastasija Gligorevic, Cayden Healy, Matthew Hoover, Sophia Mummert, Kobe Petrovich, Christina Radanovic, Ioanna Radanovic, Kyranna Radanovic, Maxim Reznitchenko, Madison Vorkapich
Our Dearly Departed Loved Ones
Matushka Anna Hopko, Protinica Miryana Trbuhovich, Protinica Donna Merick, Elizabeth Rupich, Margaret Radanovic, Nenad ‘Nesho’ Pantelich, Mark Gruin, Slobodanka Balaban
~ Parastos to be Offered ~
Vjecnaja Pamjat! Memory Eternal!
†MARK GRUIN Offered in honor of the 40th Day of his repose by his beloved wife and family on Thursday, September 22 at 6:30pm. Vjecnaja Pamjat! Memory Eternal!
~Congratulations ~
We humbly offer congratulations in joyous celebration of the birth of Bennett Noah born on September 12 to Lauren & Ross Spangler, as well as to big brother Ryan, and grandparents, Steve & Doni Cashman. Živeli I Mnogoja I Blagaja Ljeta!
~Vigils Offered~
BRIAN & CATHERINE LEWIS Offered in celebration of their 2nd Wedding Anniversary (September 19). May God grant you many more years! Ziveli! Mnogaja Ljeta! Love mom & dad.
BRIAN & CATHERINE LEWIS Offered in congratulations on their Wedding Anniversary (September 19) and with prayers for God’s blessings of many more years! Mnogaja Ljeta! With much love and congratulations from Baba.
TIM & KAITLYN HOOK Offered in celebration of their 7th wedding anniversary (Sept 19) with much love and pray our Lord continues to crown them with glory and honor! Offered by son Baylor, their family & Kumovi. Mnogaja Ljeta! Many Years!
JOYCE MATICH Offered as we honor and celebrate our cousin Joyce’s birthday (Sept 22) with great joy and love, and pray our Lord blesses her with continued good health and well being. Offered by 4 generations of cousins! Mnogaja Ljeta! Many Years!
JOYCE MATICH Offered with congratulations and best wishes to my God-daughter Joyce on her birthday (Sept 22). May God bless you with good health and happiness. Mnogaja Ljeta! Many Years! With much love, Kuma Millie.
JOYCE MATICH Offered in joyful celebration of our dear friend’s birthday (Sept 22). Wishing her God’s many blessings, good health and happiness! Mnogaja Ljeta! With love from Sandy and Tootsie.
TOOTSIE KRNJAICH Offering vigils and prayers for our Kuma Tootsie. May God’s blessings be with her during her rehab period. From her Godchildren, Kat and families.
TOOTSIE KRNJAICH Offering prayerfully for God’s blessings for improvement of health for our dear friend. With much love from Sandy & Joyce.
DARLENE BLACK Offered with love by the Barber & Geib Families for God’s Blessings during her recovery. We pray that He will bless her with good health. Our Love & Prayers are with her.
MICHAEL GEPPERT Offered prayerfully by Mom & Dad for improvement in health and God’s blessings and loving care during his recovery.
†AARON WHITMYER Offered in loving memory of Aaron (Sept 16). Memory Eternal! Vjecnaja Pamjat! With love from Chloe Lewis Ruff and family.
†ANNA BARBER Offered in loving memory of our Mother, Baba and Great-Grand-Baba’s birthday (Sept 17). Always in our hearts and prayers. Sadly missed by her family. Vjecnaja Pamjat! Memory Eternal!
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Please continue to pray for all of those currently being persecuted for Christ's sake in Kosovo, Metohija, Montenegro, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, the Sudan, China, North Korea, for all of our brothers and sisters in Christ suffering throughout the world, especially in Ukraine, that they might be comforted with the Joy of our Lord, and for all of those suffering from the pandemic, for those who minister, and for those who are unjustly persecuted that they may be strengthened by the love of Christ which knows no race.
LET US PRAY TO THE LORD!
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Stewardship Offering Information
Date 9/11/2022
Collection: $4,350.00
Date 9/4/2022
Collection: $2,125.00
Date 8/28/2022
Collection: $1,850.00
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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), Radomir Raic (Sep 7), Misha Bowser (Sep 8), 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), Clara & Thea Goodling (Sep 25), Fran Radosevich (Sep 29)
September Anniversaries
Frank & Marie Brescia (Sep 2), Mark & Yovanka Hoover (Sep 9), Dori & Steve Barry (Sep 9), Alan & Marina Radanovic (Sep 9), Proto Ilija & Protinica Carole Balach, 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), Jon & Mara Bebeau (Sep 25), John & Cindy Semic (Sep 26)
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OFFICE CLOSED THIS WEEK
The office will be closed this week (Sept 19 thru 23).
SPECIAL THANKS TO GOD
We thank God for all who helped with Serb Fest—whether it was with event prep, baking pastries, working the day of, or giving monetary donations. And, of course, thanks to those who came to share in the day with us. Glory to God!
CHURCH SCHOOL RESUMES
Today, September 18, we will bless the new Church School Year, our children and teachers at the end of liturgy. Classes will begin in person next week, on Sunday, September 25 after liturgy. Glory to God!
LIVING THE FAITH—FIRST CLASS: BODY OF CHRIST
A class dedicated to answering the questions of how to live a Life in Christ according to the Orthodox Faith. The first class will be on Wednesday, September 21 after Vespers (6:30pm). This class will focus on how we are in and becoming the Body of Christ, the Church. Each Wednesday, we will meet, pray together, and explore some of the beauty of a life well lived: a Life in Christ.
ANNUAL KSS PULLED PORK & PALACINKE SALE
The Kolo Srpskih Sestara/Circle of the Serbian Sisters will hold their annual fundraiser on Sunday, October 9. All sales are PRE-ORDER by Oct 2. The menu will include pulled pork sandwiches for $6, cheese palacinke for $2, strawberry and applebutter palacinkes for $1.50. Pick up will be from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm on October 9. Forms are available on the tutors stand, or call Linda Yandric at 717-939-5309 or Daria Milletics at 717-939-3872
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ST NICHOLAS SENIORS SLAVA
The seniors will be celebrating their Slava next Sunday, September 25 during Divine Liturgy. There will be refreshments available after the Slava in the Church Social Hall and all are welcome.
SOTAYA ČEVAPI SALE
Our SOTAYA Group is once again selling frozen packs of cevapi at $15/pack (2 pounds, 32 pieces). To order see Dn. Bojan Gligorevic or call the office at 717-939-3872
FALL EMAIL MESSENGER
The Fall 2022 Messenger will be distributed on Saturday, October 1 in our new e-mail format. Hard copies will be available upon request in the office.
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September Charity
St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary
575 Scarsdale Road, Yonkers, NY 10707
(914) 961-8313
http://www.svots.edu/
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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GIVING THANKS IN PRAYER AFTER RECEIVING HOLY COMMUNION
A Prayer of St. Basil the Great
I thank Thee, O Lord my God, for Thou hast not rejected me, a sinner, but hast made me worthy to be a partaker of Thy Holy Things. I thank Thee, for Thou hast permitted me, the unworthy, to commune of Thy most pure and Heavenly, Gifts. But, O Master Who lovest mankind, Who for our sakes didst die and rise again, and gavest us these awesome and life-creating Mysteries for the good and sanctification of our souls and bodies; let them be for the healing of our soul and body, the repelling of every adversary, the illumining of the eyes of my heart, the peace of my spiritual power, a faith unashamed, a love unfeigned, the fulfilling of wisdom, the observing of Thy commandments, the receiving of Thy divine grace, and the attaining of Thy Kingdom. Preserved by them in Thy holiness, may I always remember Thy grace and live not for myself alone, but for Thee, our Master and Benefactor. May I pass from this life in the hope of eternal life, and so attain to the everlasting rest, where the voice of those who feast is unceasing, and the gladness of those who behold the goodness of Thy countenance is unending. For Thou art the true desire and the ineffable joy of those who love Thee, O Christ our God, and all creation sings Thy praise forever. Amen.
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The Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God
By Fr. Alexander Schmemann
The Church’s veneration of Mary has always been rooted in her obedience to God, her willing choice to accept a humanly impossible calling. The Orthodox Church has always emphasized Mary’s connection to humanity and delighted in her as the best, purest, most sublime fruition of human history and of man’s quest for God, for ultimate meaning, for ultimate content of human life.
If in Western Christianity veneration of Mary was centered upon her perpetual virginity, the heart of Orthodox Christian East’s devotion, contemplation, and joyful delight has always been her Motherhood, her flesh and blood connection to Jesus Christ. The East rejoices that the human role in the divine plan is pivotal. The Son of God comes to earth, appears in order to redeem the world, He becomes human to incorporate man into His divine vocation, but humanity takes part in this. If it is understood that Christ’s “co-nature” with us is as a human being and not some phantom or bodiless apparition, that He is one of us and forever united to us through His humanity, then devotion to Mary also becomes understandable, for she is the one who gave Him His human nature, His flesh and blood. She is the one through whom Christ can always call Himself “The Son of Man.”
Son of God, Son of Man…God descending and becoming man so that man could become divine, could become partaker of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4), or as the teachers of Church expressed it, “deified.” Precisely here, in this extraordinary revelation of man’s authentic nature and calling, is the source that gratitude and tenderness which cherishes Mary as our link to Christ and, in Him, to God. And nowhere is this reflected more clearly that in the Nativity of the Mother of God.
Nothing about this event is mentioned anywhere in the Holy Scriptures. But why should there be? Is there anything remarkable, anything especially unique about the normal birth of a child, a birth like any other? The Church began to commemorate the event with a special feast…because, on the contrary, the very fact that it is routine discloses something fresh and radiant about everything we call routine and ordinary, it gives new depth to the unremarkable details of human life…And with each birth the world is itself in some sense created anew and given as a gift to this new human being to be his life, his path, his creation.
This feast therefore is first a general celebration of Man’s birth, and we no longer remember the anguish, as the Gospel says, “for joy that a human being is born into the world” (Jn. 16:21). Secondly, we now know whose particular birth, whose coming we celebrate: Mary’s. We know the uniqueness, the beauty, the grace of precisely this child, her destiny, her meaning for us and for the whole world. And thirdly, we celebrate all who prepared the way for Mary, who contributed to her inheritance of grace and beauty…And therefore the Feast of her Nativity is also a celebration of human history, a celebration of faith in man, a celebration of man.
Sadly, the inheritance of evil is far more visible and better known. There is so much evil around us that this faith in man, in his freedom, in the possibility of handing down a radiant inheritance of goodness has almost evaporated and been replaced by cynicism and suspicion. This hostile cynicism and discouraging suspicion are precisely what seduce us to distance ourselves from the Church when it celebrates with such joy and faith this birth of a little girl in whom are concentrated all the goodness, spiritual beauty, harmony and perfection that are elements of genuine human nature. Thus, in celebrating Mary’s birth we find ourselves already on the road to Bethlehem, moving toward the joyful mystery of Mary as the Mother to God.
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