Weekly Newsletter for the week of Friday, August 17, 2007 through Thursday, August 23, 2007
Weekly Newsletter
for the week
Friday, August 17, 2007 through Thursday, August 23, 2007
NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS
FR. ANTONY - Because of the death of his father, Fr. Antony is in Tennessee this week. Funeral services for Frank Hughes were held Tuesday, August 14, at Erwin Presbyterian Church in Erwin , TN , with interment at Evergreen Cemetery . Memorial donations may be sent in his memory to Holy Resurrection Mission, Building Fund, and mailed to P.O. Box 841 , Johnson City , TN 37643 . Flowers were sent on behalf of all the parishioners here at St. Mary Church.
Fr. Antony is expected to return on Monday, August 20. There will be no Vespers this Saturday, and V. Rev. Joseph Purpura, Chairman of the Archdiocese Department of Youth & Parish Ministries, will be celebrating the Liturgy this Sunday in Fr. Antony's absence.
LITURGICAL SERVICE - The Epistle each Sunday is read by a member of the congregation, and six members of the congregation hold the cloth and Holy Bread baskets during Communion. More volunteers are needed for the next few weeks. If you would like to help with these services, please contact Jeff Wasilko at jeffw@smoe.org or 781-820-0882.
REMINDERS
NATIONAL YOUNG ADULT RETREAT - Young adults age 18-35 are invited to a retreat September 14-16 at Hellenic College/Holy Cross, Brookline , MA The keynote speaker is Fr. Luke Veronis, whose topic will be Responding to God's Call: Love that Makes a Difference. Information and online registration are available at www.yal.org
WOMEN'S BOOK CLUB - This summer Women's Club members (and anyone else who'd like to join us) are reading A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini. The author of The Kite Runner takes his storytelling powers to the next level with this instant classic. Following the lives of two Afghan women over 30 years, this beautiful, heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting novel will sweep you away. We'll be discussing it on Wednesday, September 19 - start your summer reading now!
ST. THEKLA PILGRIMAGE - The 2007 St. Thekla Pilgrimage at the Antiochian Village will be September 21-23. The keynote speaker is H. Tristram Engelhardt, whose topic will be Wholeness and Health in a Secular World. Information and registration forms are available at
http://www.antiochian.org/2007-pilgrimage
FOOD PANTRY - Two to four St. Mary's volunteers are needed each week to help in the food pantry at St. Paul 's RC Church in Harvard Square , Saturday mornings from 9:30-11:45. Contact Christian Alcala at 617-876-5684 or cmalcala1989@yahoo.com.
SOUP KITCHEN - Three or four St. Mary's volunteers are needed to help each week at the Open Doors Meal Ministry at Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church in Allston, Mondays any time between 4:00 p.m. and 7:30. Contact Liz Tutella at 617-974-5005 (note new phone number) or ETutella@sovereignbank.com.
INSIGHT
THE DORMITION OF THE MOST-HOLY THEOTOKOS
The Lord Who, on Mt. Sinai , commanded by His Fifth Commandment: "Honor your father and your mother" (Exodus 20:12), showed by His own example how one should respect one's parent. Hanging on the Cross in agony, He remembered His mother and indicating to the Apostle John, said to her: "Woman behold your son" ( St. John 19:26). After that, He said to John: "Behold your mother" ( St. John 19:27). And so providing for His mother, He breathed His last.
John had a home on Zion in Jerusalem in which the Theotokos settled and remained there to live out the end of her days on earth. By her prayers, gentle counsels, meekness and patience, she greatly assisted the apostles of her Son. She spent most of her remaining time on earth in Jerusalem , often visiting those places which reminded her of the great events and of the great works of her Son. She especially visited Golgotha, Bethlehem and the Mount of Olives . Of her distant journeys, her visit to St. Ignatius the God-bearer in Antioch is recorded, as well as her visit to Lazarus (whom our Lord resurrected on the fourth day), the Bishop of Cyprus. She also visited Mount Athos, which she blessed, and she stayed in Ephesus with St. John the Evangelist during the time of the great persecution of Christians in Jerusalem .
In her old age, she often prayed to the Lord and her God on the Mount of Olives , the site of His Ascension, that He take her from this world as soon as possible. On one occasion, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to her and revealed to her that within three days she would find repose. The angel gave her a palm-branch to be carried at the time of her funeral procession. She returned to her home with great joy, desiring in her heart once more to see in this life, all of the apostles of Christ. The Lord fulfilled her wish and all of the apostles, borne by angels in the clouds, gathered at the same time at the home of John on Mount Zion . With great rejoicing, she saw the holy apostles, encouraged them, counseled them and comforted them. Following that, she peacefully gave up her soul to God without any pain or physical illness. The apostles took the coffin with her body from which an aromatic fragrance emitted and, in the company of many Christians, bore it to the Garden of Gethsemane to the sepulcher of her parents, Saints Joachim and Anna. By God's Providence , they were concealed from the evil Jews by a cloud. Even so, Anthony, a Jewish priest, grabbed the coffin with his hands with the intention of overturning it but, at that moment, an angel of God severed both his hands. He then cried out to the apostles for help and was healed upon declaring his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Apostle Thomas was absent, again according to God's Providence , in order that a new and all-glorious mystery of the Holy Theotokos would again be revealed. On the third day, Thomas arrived and desired to venerate the body of the Holy All-pure one. But when the apostles opened the sepulcher, they found only the winding sheet and the body was not in the tomb. That evening, the Theotokos appeared to the apostles surrounded by a myriad of angels and said to them, "Rejoice, I will be with you always." It is not exactly known how old the Theotokos was at the time of her Falling Asleep but the overwhelming opinion is that she was over sixty years of age.
- St. Nikolai Velimirovic, The Prologue of Ohrid
LITURGICAL SCHEDULE FOR THIS WEEK
Saturday, August 18: No Great Vespers at St. Mary's
Sunday, August 19: Summer hours - Orthros 8:15 a.m.; Divine Liturgy 9:30 a.m.
SCRIPTURE READINGS for August 19:
Epistle: St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 15:1-11 BRETHREN, I would remind you in what terms I preached to you the gospel, which you received, in which you stand, by which you are saved, if you hold it fast - unless you believed in vain. (The entire reading may be found at http://www.goarch.org/en/chapel/lectionary.asp?type=epistle&code=96&event=1126
Gospel: Matthew 19:16-26
And Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God ." When the disciples heard this they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (The entire reading may be found at http://www.goarch.org/en/chapel/lectionary.asp?type=gospel&code=133&event=1126&DL=EN )
LOOKING AHEAD
Saturday, August 25: Great Vespers 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, August 26: Last day of summer hours - Orthros 8:15 a.m.; Divine Liturgy 9:30 a.m.
Saturday, September 1: Great Vespers 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, September 2: Regular schedule resumes - Orthros: 8:45 a.m., Divine Liturgy 10 a.m.
VOLUNTEER SCHEDULES
FOOD PANTRY
Two to four volunteers help each week in the food pantry at St. Paul 's RC Church in Harvard Square , Saturday mornings from 9:30-11:45. If you are willing to help, contact Christian Alcala at cmalcala1989@yahoo.com or (617) 876-5684.
August 18: Steve Walker and Socrates Deligeorges
LITURGICAL SERVICE
The Epistle each Sunday is read by a member of the congregation, and six members of the congregation hold the cloth and Holy Bread baskets during Communion. If you would like to help with these services, please contact Jeff Wasilko at jeffw@smoe.org or 781-820-0882.
August 19: Epistle - Walter Porr
Communion Assistance - Thomas Marge, Anthony Marge, and four others
COFFEE HOUR
To sign up for an available Sunday, please put your name on the signup sheet on the bulletin board outside the Hall or call Marilyn in the Office 617-547-1234 and she'll write your name in.
August 19: Erick Straghalis, Liz Tutella and Jamil Samara
August 26: The Chin family