Parish Bulletin – June 2, 2013

FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER PASCHA 

SUNDAY OF THE SAMARITAN WOMAN

TONE 4

Acts 11:19-26, 29-30
John 4:5-42

samaritan woman


Choir Director: Veronika


 

Welcome

We welcome you to the Orthodox Church. Please feel at ease and free to participate in the singing. As a visitor you are welcome to come forward at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy and venerate the Cross offered by the priest. Additionally you may receive the blessed bread (Antidoron) that is offered at that time. If you have questions or would like further information, the priest or one of the members of the parish will be pleased to help.

A word to our visitors on Holy Communion

The Orthodox Church does not practice open Communion. Therefore, only members of Canonical Orthodox Churches exercising jurisdiction in America may approach the Chalice for Holy Communion. The Orthodox do not regard Holy Communion solely as an act of personal piety, but also as an expression of union with the Orthodox Church’s faith, doctrine, and discipline. Orthodox visitors wishing to receive Holy Communion should make their intention known to the priest in advance — ask any member of the parish for help in relaying your intention to the priest. Orthodox Christians should prepare themselves to receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion through recent Confession, prayers of preparation for Holy Communion, and fasting (at minimum, from midnight before receiving).

“Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in a an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord.” – I Corinthians 11:27


TROPARIA AND KONTAKIA

Troparion for the Midfeast, in Tone VIII

In the middle of the feast, O Savior, / fill my thirsting soul with the waters of piety as Thou didst cry to all: / “If anyone thirst, let him come to Me and drink!”// O Christ God, Fountain of our life, glory to Thee!

 

Kontakion from the Pentecostarion, in Tone VIII

The Samaritan Woman came to the well in faith; / she saw Thee, the Water of wisdom and drank abundantly.// She inherited the Kingdom on high, and is ever glorified!

 

Kontakion for the Midfeast, in Tone IV

Christ God, the Creator and Master of all, / cried to all in the midst of the feast of the Law: / “Come and draw the water of immortality!” / We fall before Thee and faithfully cry:// “Grant us Thy mercies, for Thou art the Fountain of our life!”

 


Opportunities to give:

➢ Food donations to the Ashland Food Project

Announcements:

  • Please sign up for coffee fellowship/kitchen cleanup.
  • Next Sunday (June 9), there will be a Panikhida following the fellowship meal, requested by the Krupnaks.
  • Our parish Patronal Feast will be Saturday, July 13. Vigil will take place the night before (Friday, July 12), with Liturgy on Saturday morning, followed by a barbeque picnic. Mark your calendars now!

 

Service Schedule this Week:

Wednesday – 6.00 pm, Vespers

Thursday – 6.40 am, Hours, Divine Liturgy

Saturday – 6.00 pm, Great Vespers

Sunday – 8.40 am, Hours, Divine Liturgy

 

Confession after Vespers or by appointment!

 

Other Activities Next Week:

  • Wednesday (following Vespers) – Introduction to Orthodoxy
  • Saturday, 4.30 PM – Choir practice

 


How does One Live a Holy Orthodox Life amidst Worldliness?

“For now I will just say that, for you to shun everyone is, of course, impossible; but refuse as much as possible to enter into this circle of worldly life. When it does pull you against your will, act as if you were not there; look, but do not see; listen, but do not hear. Let what you see pass by your eyes, and what you hear pass by your ears. Outwardly behave like everyone else, be straightforward and sincere; but guard your heart from sympathies and attractions. The main thing is to guard the heart, then you will be there in body only, but not in soul, faithfully carrying out the commandment of the Apostle: Be as…they that use this world, (but) don’t abuse it (I Cor. 7:31). ‘World’ here refers to worldly life. You will be using the world, that is, you will have a need to come into contact with worldly life; but when you keep your heart at a distance, then you will not be abusing that life; that is, you will not be participating in it out of sympathy and desire, but out of being obliged by your present circumstances.”

St. Theophan the Recluse


Repentance and Salvation: The Healing of the Human Soul

In our Orthodox Tradition it is known that sin is not something moralistic, it is ontological, namely, the course from life “according to nature” to life “contrary to nature”. Thus, repentance is man’s return from life contrary to nature to life according to nature. With sin, man lost his communion with God, with his brother and with the creation. With repentance he acquires this communion once again.

So, repentance is associated with a progression in man’s liberation from everything enslaving him. The Fathers described this progression in three words: purification, illumination, deification, and this is what is called therapy. This happens throughout life.

Therefore, salvation is related to therapy. The physician of the body examines us, makes a diagnosis and recommends an appropriate therapeutic method which we should apply. The same holds true for the illness of the soul. A confession at the time of death opens for man the way to salvation. If he did not have time to be cured spiritually, then the Church with its prayers helps man to salvation, bearing in mind that perfection is endless, it is a dynamic not a static state.

Throughout our life we must have this “spirit of repentance”. We should consider how we were created by God and the point we have reached because of sin. If we read carefully the book of Genesis, according to the teachings of the Fathers of the Church, and see how Adam and Eve lived and what they became afterwards because of sin, then repentance will develop inside us. So, someone who has the “spirit” of repentance throughout his life feels this repentance at the hour of death, and actually he feels it to a great degree.

On the contrary, when he lives his life without repentance it is difficult to show repentance at the last moment. My Elder, of everlasting memory, the Metropolitan of Edessa Kallinikos, lived continuously with the memory of death. When he was told by the doctors that he had a tumor in the brain, he confessed right away, he wrote his will, he prayed and had absolute faith in God, saying: “Perhaps God said to me ‘stop’. I don’t need you any more”. He would pray continuously saying “Thy will be done”. He gave himself up to God and had a peaceful and saintly end, similar to his whole life.

Therefore, even though there is a possibility for someone who had some spark of love for God in him to repent at the hour of death, we should repent when we are healthy, so as to have the ability to be cured, that is, to proceed from self-love to the love of God and love of men, to reach selfless love out of selfish love.

– Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos

confession

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