Sunday of the Publican & Pharisee | |
Христос Међу Нама! Christ is in our midst! Cristo esta' entra nosotros! | |
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Homily on the Publican and the Pharisee
Fr. Paul Coats
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
In today’s Gospel, Christ tells what must be a shocking parable to many who were doing their best to obey God, as good Jews, and be obedient to the law to the best of their ability. In this parable, it seems that all the best efforts of those trying extra hard to follow God, the Pharisees, are said to be of little value.
With this parable and others like it, for some Christ shattered their whole belief system. He takes someone despised as a lawless sinner, a tax collector, and says that this man can be justified simply by a sincere acknowledgment of his sin, and a request for mercy. This must have been outrageous to those who were convinced that strict obedience to God’s law was the only way to please God and have salvation. After all, isn’t this what all the prophets, beginning with Moses, had said? Isn’t this what God had been communicating with his people all along?
In regard to zealously following the Law and trying to obey the commandments, Christ was on the side of the Pharisee! We must remember that at the very beginning of his teaching ministry, Christ said, Do not think I have come to abolish the Law and the Prophets, I have come to fulfill them. And further, whoever relaxes the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; he who does them and teaches others to do so, will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. Christ was pleased with the Pharisee’s good works.
But listen to his next words: For unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. And Christ goes on to talk about the kind of righteousness that exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees: not only do not kill, but do not even be angry with another. Not only stay chaste in marriage, but do not lust—you must be chaste in your mind, too. Instead of being fair (an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth), suffer injustice. Instead of loving those who love you, love those who hate you. And lest we think the bar is set too high, he simply confirms it: You must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
This is the radical inner righteousness that Christ requires of us.
Christ does not condemn the Pharisee for being honest, just, and moral as the Pharisee claimed himself to be. But the Pharisee’s righteousness was incomplete. His pursuit of righteousness did not lead to love for God or men. He had started down the path of righteousness, toward God, but on the way he took a wrong turn! He had probably started honestly, as many of the Pharisees, such as St. Paul, had started out honestly in pursuit of God. But it had taken such a wrong turn that even someone who had not even started on the path—the tax collector in the story—was ahead of him.
What was the problem here?
One of the things I learned very early growing up in rural northern Illinois was how to find the North Star in the night sky. We would sometimes be out camping or even hiking in the woods at night, and we needed a way to orient ourselves and find our way back home, back to the road, or back to the camp. If we tried to get a sense of direction from things on earth, things around us, the landscape, some lights in the distance, or trees, we were very likely to get lost in the dark. . . things didn’t seem as they really were at night, and so forth. But if we could find the North Star, we could find our way. In other words, it took a permanent, unchanging reference point to find our way; the moon didn’t work, it changed locations constantly . . . the other stars didn’t work, they also changed directions. But the North Star is always in the same location, directly north, and never moves.
How had the Pharisee gotten so far off track? I think it was this: the Pharisee had as his reference point other people, instead of God. He didn’t have his eyes on God’s righteousness and holiness, he had his eyes on other people.
And this was disastrous, because in his sinfulness and pride, this led to exalting himself above others, inwardly condemning others, and despising them. And so therefore he really blew it. Because of this wrong turn, all his good works were useless, because they strayed from the ultimate goal. Not only that, but he had turned 180 degrees and was using his works of righteousness as a weapon against others, to condemn them, and to despise them.
The tax collector, on the other hand, saw no one but God. He wasn’t looking at the Pharisee . . . he didn’t even physically look up to God, out of shame. But this was because God was too present in his vision. It’s safe to say the only thing in his mind, the only thing in his inner vision, was God and his righteousness. And making God his reference point, he was able to honestly pray the prayer, God, be merciful to me, a sinner. And here, we have what is essentially the Jesus Prayer, one more time. In recent Sundays we heard it from the blind beggar, we heard it from the Canaanite woman, and today we have it from Christ’s own words, which he put in the mouth of the tax collector as he tells this story.
This story that Christ tells should never be used to somehow try to promote “having faith” over and against good works. This is a false opposition. Christ commanded good works. Good works are meant to be a means to learn true love of God and others, just as the Law was also meant as a means to learn to love God, for the Jews. Orthodox spirituality teaches that we cannot cultivate love for God in our hearts without overt acts of mercy and service to others. In two weeks, we will hear the parable of the Last Judgment to drive this home.
But this parable is a strong warning from Christ that our good works can become a curse if we turn from our true reference point; that good works are meant to lead us to repentance, not self-justification; that our good works are a necessary beginning, and paradoxically the end fruit, of a heart turned toward God, a heart that recognizes its own need for God, a heart that truly loves God with everything it has, and other people as well.
So today Christ warns us strongly about comparing ourselves to others. . . using others, instead of God, as our reference point. I have found this to be very subtle. Do you find yourself subtly judging others? This is an inward disposition that leaves no room for true love. It’s destructive to others because it is not loving them; it’s destructive to ourselves, because it breeds a confidence in oneself, a trusting in ourselves for our own salvation.
Not everyone struggles with this. There are those who have been given the grace of compassion and full acceptance of others. But for those of us who do struggle with it, it is one of the hardest things to stop. When we see someone who bothers us, or who is so different from us in personality and interests and approach, we may almost involuntarily and automatically judge that person. But we become the Pharisee in the parable when we do that.
I have one suggestion in this regard: one of the quickest cures for this is to pray for people we are tempted to judge, and ask God to bless them with all the same things that we ask God to bless us with. Inwardly, then, we’re giving to that person, serving them, and not judging and condemning them. It’s a double blessing—we are released from the sin of comparison, judgment, condemnation and pride, and they are the recipients of a prayer heard by God, and God will honor that prayer in the way best for both the one who prays and the one prayed for.
Brothers and sisters, we are in the preparatory Sundays leading up to Great Lent. We will soon be saying the prayer of St. Ephraim, which ends with “grant me to see my own transgressions, and not to judge my brother.” Let us begin to prepare, then, by trying to set aside the comparing of ourselves to others, completely. Let us set our eyes on the true reference point, our Lord Jesus Christ. The more we do this, the more we will be able to pray the prayer of the tax collector with sincerity, God, be merciful to me, a sinner. We will not inwardly exalt ourselves over others, and our good works will be a blessing to us and to others and will lead to the love of God. May Christ strengthen us all for this. AMEN.
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Commemorating Holy Father Simeon the Myrrh-flowing, Father of Sts. Sava and Stefan the First-Crowned, St Anthony Patriarch of Constantinople, St Meletius Archbishop of Antioch, St Alexei Metropolitan of Moscow Wonderworker of All Russia, St Meletius Archbishop of Khar’kov and Akhtyrsk, Martyr Nicholas Dvali in Jerusalem, Martyr Luke of Jerusalem the Georgian, Venerable Mary and her father Venerable Eugene at Alexandria, St Kristo the Gardener of Albania, St Prochorus of Georgia, St Bassian of Uglich
RESURRECTION 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 NICHOLAS TROPARION—TONE 4
Truly you were revealed to your flock as a rule of faith, an image of humility and a teacher of abstinence; your humility exalted you; your poverty enriched you. Hierarch Father Nicholas, entreat Christ our God that our souls may be saved.
ST. SIMEON THE MYRRH-FLOWING TROPARION—TONE 3
You were illumined with the image of godly grace, and after death you have shone with the light of your life, by issuing sweet-scented myrrh which flows from the tomb of your relics and sustains your people on this earth. O our father Simeon, discerner of the way of God, pray to Christ our God that He may grant us His great mercy.
RESURRECTION 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!”
PUBLICAN AND PHARISEE KONTAKION—TONE 4
Let us flee from the pride of the Pharisee! Let us learn humility from the Publican’s tears! Let us cry to our Savior: “Have mercy on us, O only merciful One!”
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~Scripture Readings of the Day~ | |
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READERS:
This Week: Matins: Milan Radanovic Epistle: Marijana Rocknage
Next Week: Matins: Lenny Tepsich Epistle: Natalija Gligorevic
EPISTLE: 2 Timothy 3: 10 - 15
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 Timothy.
DEACON: Let us attend!
READER: Timothy my son, you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
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 Тимотеју 3: 10-15
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
Читац: Читање је од посланице Светог апостола Павла до Тимотеја.
Ђакон: Пазимо
Читач: Чедо Тимотеје, ти си следовао мојој науци, живљењу, настројењу, вјери, дуготрпљењу, љубави, истрајности, гоњењима, страдањима која ми се догодише у Антиохији, у Иконији, у Листри. Каква гоњења претрпјех и од свих избави ме Господ! А и сви који хоће да живе побожно у Христу Исусу биће гоњени. А зли људи и опсјенари напредоваће од зла на горе, варајући и варајући се. Но ти стој у томе што си научио и што си се увјерио, знајући од кога си се научио, и што из дјетињства знаш свештене списе који те могу умудрити за спасење кроз вјеру у Христа Исуса.
Свештеник: Мир ти 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:
Luke 18: 10-14
At that time the Lord spoke this parable, “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
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ЈЕВАНЂЕЉЕ:
Лука 18: 10-14
У вријеме оно, два човјека уђоше у храм да се моле Богу, један фарисеј а други цариник. Фарисеј стаде и мољаше се у себи овако: Боже, хвала ти што нисам као остали људи: грабљивци, неправедници, прељубници или као овај цариник. Постим двапут у седмици; дајем десетак од свега што стекнем. А цариник издалека стајаше, и не хтједе ни очију уздигнути небу, него се бијаше у прса своја говорећи: Боже, милостив буди мени грјешноме! Кажем вам, овај отиде оправдан дому своме, а не онај. Јер сваки који себе узвисује понизиће се, а који себе понизује узвисиће се.
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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, 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 Louise Bare and her parents Zachary & Elizabeth, Shayle York and the newborn Šeren Lily, Kaitlyn Hook and the newborn Bowen William, Cassandra Semic and the child to be born of her, Catherine Lewis and the child to be born of her, Kyranna Baker and the child to be born of her, Mara Bebeau and the child to be born of her, Michelle Adams, Addy Andy, Lori Bare, Dori & Doug Bert, Jonathan Bertsch, Darlene & Larry Black, Carole Blitva, Stephan and Barbara Blitva, Walter “Bud” Brown, Rebecca Cappetta, Guiliana & Aleksandar Carricato, Susan & Jim Cibort, Leann Cox, Victoria Cox, Art Dils, Tommy & Kara (Blitva) Dorsey, JoAnn Filepas, Anaya Garvin, Christian & Melanie Geib, Michael Geppert III, Nevenka Gojkovic, Dr Andrea Govelovich, Nick & Terry Govelovich, Kata Gruich, George Gutshall, Dan Hazlett, Travis Heilman, Adam Herigan, Edith Herigan, Kay Himes, Edward Hojnicki, Nicole Stefan Imschweiler, Susan Jacobs, Slobodan Jovicic, Myong Sook Kim, Spencer Klinge, Dorothy Krnjaich, Henry Laichak, Peter Lalic, Dragan Lalovic, Stella Wren Lappas, Dick Livingston, Maggie Livingston, Boro Lojpur, Stephen Lundingrin, Dianne & Jim Martin, Rowan Martin, Jack McFall, Marija Miljkovic, Daria Milletics, Peter Mrgich, George Myers, Katherine Nation, Patty Navarro, Bosiljka Ninkovic, Lila Packer, Daniel Paddock, Vid & Marica Pejcic, Hope Pesner, Kobe Petrovich, Sue Petrovich, Tracy Petrovich, Linda Rodgers, Logan Roszkowski, Chloe Ruff, Nathan & Jane Rush, Greg Selman, Michael Schaffner, Maryann Seiders, Steven Semic, Benjamin Shaffer, Tessa Shaffer, John Sheaffer, Branko Smitran, Zorka Starcevich, Tim Stefan, Stevan and Mary Stojic, Patricia & Joseph Sypniewski, Leonard Tepsich, Leroy Tepsich Jr, Savka Trivun, Edie & Michael “Bo” Venesevich, Michael Vishnesky, Rita Vorkapich, Kristina Vukalo, Steve Vulich, Paula Werner, Draga Worman, Beverly Yanich, Tosh Yanich, Dewey Yetter, Mila “Millie” Yezdimir, Marija Zabrodnaya, Jason Zeigler, Ashley Ziobrowski, Demetrios & Eleni Ziogas, Miriam “Mim” Codan Ziolkowski
Those Who Need Special Care
HOMELAND: Draga Donato; MASONIC HOME ELIZABETHTOWN: Ray Foltz; RS: Cedo Lukic
Those to be Baptized
Sloane & Berkeley Semic, Barrett Scott, Divna & Danica Mitrovic, Nora & Maeve Van Huysen, Sloane & Šeren York
Our College Students
Sophia Adams, Cameron Barber, Michael Geppert, Anastasija Gligorevic, Cayden Healy, Matthew Hoover, Kalei Howard, Faith Kingsbury, Sophia Mummert, Kobe Petrovich, Christina Radanovic, Ioanna Radanovic, Madison Vorkapich, Anastasija Vukalo
Our Dearly Departed Loved Ones
Helen Kapac, Basil Havalchak, Dragoljub (Don) Maransky, Marshall Vujasinovich, Goran Stekovic, Louis 'Chuck' Belic, Florence Ivanoff, Sofija Wuselich, Dr Stevan 'Rick' Zivic, Radenko Kuzmanovic
~Our Deepest Sympathy~
We offer our heartfelt condolences to Radmila Rakic and her family on the passing of her father, Radenko Kuzmanovic on Monday, February 19th. May Radenko’s soul dwell with the righteous and be numbered among the just! Vjecnaja Pamjat! Memory Eternal!
~Vigils Offered~
DYLAN PETERSON Offered in celebration of his birthday (Feb 28). God’s blessings for many more healthy, happy and successful years! Mnogaja Ljeta! With all our love, your Babi, your daddy in heaven & the whole family.
DARLENE BLACK Offered with love by the Barber, Geib & McLaughlin Families for God’s Blessings during her recovery. We pray that He will bless her with good health. Our Love & Prayers are with her.
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.
MICHAEL GEPPERT Offered prayerfully by Mom & Dad for improvement in health and God’s blessings and loving care during his recovery.
†PETER BARBER SR Offered in loving remembrance of our Father/Grandfather on his birthday (Feb 28). Always in our hearts and prayers. Sadly missed by his family. Memory Eternal! Vjecnaja Pamjat!
†DEE (GRUICH) BRESKI Offered by her loving family in remembrance of her repose (16 years—Feb 29). 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, Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea, Morocco, China, North Korea, for all of our brothers and sisters in Christ suffering throughout the world, especially in Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, that they might be comforted with the Joy of our Lord, and for those who are unjustly persecuted that they may be strengthened by the love of Christ which knows no division.
LET US PRAY TO THE LORD!
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Stewardship Offering Information
Date 2/18/2024
Collection: $6,220.00
Date 2/11/2024
Collection: $4,257.00
Date 2/4/2024
Collection: $3,416.00
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Remaining February Birthdays
Natasha Milanovich (Feb 26), Steve Cashman (Feb 27), Emma Howell (Feb 28), Alan Radanovic (Feb 28), Mike Sunajko
Remaining February Anniversaries
Ferris & Jody Atty (Feb 28)
March Birthdays
Ruth Yovanovich (Mar 1), Gregory Yanich (Mar 1), Karen Stefan (Mar 2), Matea Jovic (Mar 3), George Radanovic (Mar 4), Dasha Gencturk (Mar 4), Donald Semic (Mar 5), Alex Bazdar (Mar 5), Nick Ressetar (Mar 7), Eric Garvin (Mar 8), Kirsten Geib (Mar 10), Monroe Semic (Mar 10), Sylvia Velencia (Mar 11), Stephani Yanich (Mar 13), Millie Trayer (Mar 14), Vega Stevenson (Mar 14), Tootsie Krnjaich (Mar 16), Donna Carricato (Mar 18), Tosha Yanich (Mar 19), Natalija Gligorevic (Mar 19), Rohan Radanovic (Mar 19), Mileva Jovic (Mar 21), Danielle Van Huysen (Mar 21), Protinica Carole Balach (Mar 22), Val Radosevich (Mar 26), Anastasija Vukalo (Mar 27), Ava Kingsbury (Mar 28), Zorka Starcevich (Mar 29), Beba Yanich (Mar 30), Blagica Raic (Mar 30), Clark Filepas (Mar 30), Mya Rose Petrovich (Mar 30), Mitch Matovich (Mar 31)
March Anniversaries
Igor & Brankica Skinder (Mar 21)
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HOUSE BLESSING 2024
No House blessings for this week.
PASTORAL EMERGENCY CALLS
This week, please contact Father Ilija Balach in case of pastoral emergency at 425.736.3016.
RESET THE ALTAR
God-willing, we will “reset” the Church into the sanctuary once again on Saturday, March 2, 2024 at 3:00pm. All able stewards are asked to help in bringing everything back to the Church so we may once again serve the Liturgy there. This cannot happen without your help.
HELP NEEDED TO CLEAN THE CHURCH (PRIOR TO THE RESET)
Before we can reset the altar, we need help cleaning the church. Such as wiping down the pews, walls, iconostas, radiators, and sweeping the floors. Please consider donating some time this week on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday evening, or Saturday morning.
ST NICHOLAS MOTHERS CLUB MEETING
Our next meeting will be March 10, 2024 in the Church Library after Divine Liturgy. All members are urged to attend.
WAYS TO BE A GOOD STEWARD
If you are wondering what you can do as a Steward of the Church, please consider becoming a Greeter or a Tutor. A Greeter does just that, they greet those who come to share in the services held in our church (Divine Liturgies as well as other events such as Lenten services or Pan Orthodox events). If you are willing to serve the church as a Greeter or Tutor please contact the church office or Terry Govelovich at 717-561-1590 (leave a message if there is no answer).
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CHURCH OFFICE HOURS
Office hours are Monday thru Friday from 9 am until noon. You may call the office during these hours at (717) 939-3872 or come by the office in person. Office hours will be adjusted when services are occurring during those hours.
BULLETIN DEADLINE
Bulletin Deadline is Wednesday at 11 am
Please send all bulletin requests to the church office at office@stnicholassteelton.org
You may also call at (717) 939-3872
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February Charity
St Sava School of Theology – Libertyville IL
St. Sava School of Theology is named in memory of St. Sava, the first archbishop, teacher and enlightener of the Serbian people. On January 28th we celebrated St. Sava’s Day and it is fitting that we also offer support to the theological seminary in the US named for him. The main mission and goal of the school is to provide religious education and train candidates for the Holy Priesthood in the Serbian Orthodox Church specifically as well as interested Orthodox Christian individuals of other ethnic jurisdictions. St. Sava School is the educational center for individuals committed to serving the Serbian Orthodox Church and her people in a multi-lingual environment. The school presently offers study leading to the Bachelor of Divinity Degree. Graduate level programs of study are also being developed at the School and in conjunction with other institutions. Funding is provided by an annual budget proposed by the School and adopted and implemented by the Central Council of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the US and Canada. Financial support is sought from all the Serbian Orthodox Dioceses and church congregations. More information about the School’s programs, plans and course of study may be found at the diocesan website at the following link: http://www.serborth.org/education.html
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Stewardship Reflection
Sunday, February 25, 2024
Today, the Gospel reading about the Publican and the Pharisee focuses on humility. In reflecting on these verses, we are asked to consider which person do we typically act like? Are we humble in our actions with family, at work, with fellow parishioners? In Father Alexander Schmemann's book entitled Great Lent-Journey to Pascha - he says "Humility - be it individual or corporate, ethnic or national - is viewed as a sign of weakness, as something unbecoming of real man. Even our Churches - are they not imbued with the same spirit of the Pharisee? Do we not want our every contribution. every good deed, all that we do for the Church to be acknowledged, praised and publicized?"
God asks us to consider our Stewardship through prayer and focus on how we will be judged as stewards of what He provides. This should be done with humility, between the Steward and God.
Matthew 6:1-4
"Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Данашње Јеванђеље је о Мирату и Фарисеју као и о понизности - смирењу. Када размишњамо о прочитаном Јеванђељу и ми треба да се се запитамо какви ссмо као људи. Да ли смо смирени када је у питању породица , посао и са свим парохијанима које срећемо? У књизи оца Александра Шмемана која се зове Велики Пост- Пут ка Васкрсењу", он каже да је понизност- смирење , било да је лично или заједничко , етичко или начионално- углавном се види као знак слабости , као неко ко престаје да буде човек. Чак и наше Цркве - нису ли ипињене истим духом као и Фарисеј? Ми желимо да сваки наш прилог , сваки наш рад буде јавно похваљен , штампан у билтенима итд.
Бог од нас тражи да наше Старатељство буде кроз молитву и да обратимо пажњу како ће мо бити осуђени као старатељи онога што је ОН дао. Ово би требало да буде у понизности-смирењу , да буде између Старатеља и Бога.
Матеј 6: 1-4
Пазите да правду своју не чините пред људима да вас они виде; иначе плате немате од оца својега који је на небесима. Кад дакле дајеш милостињу, не труди пред собом, као што чине лицемјери по зборницама и по улицама да их хвале људи. Заисто вам кажем: примили су плату своју. А ти кад дајеш милостињу, да не зна љевака твоја што чини десница твоја. Тако да буде милостиња твоја тајна; и отац твој који види тајно, платиће теби јавно.
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KSS ANNUAL
MEATLOAF FUNDRAISER
PRE-ORDERS ONLY
ORDER FORMS WILL BE AT THE TUTOR DESK
Order Deadline is TODAY, February 25, 2024
Pickup is March 3, 2024
Following Divine Liturgy
Cost $8.00 per dinner
Menu includes
Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes & Gravy, Stuffing, Corn, Apple Sauce & Roll
You may turn your order forms into the Church Office.
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Upcoming House Blessing Schedule
Monday, March 4 — Friday, March 8
17028, 17032, 17038, 17042, 17045, 17078
17502, 17512, 17522, 17540, 17543, 17545, 17552, 17557, 17601, 17602, 17603
Monday, March 11 — Saturday, March 16
Make-ups
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