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The Orthodox Messenger

The Weekly Newsletter of the Hellenic Orthodox Mission of Hernando County
Vol. I, No. 13– Sunday, April 14, 2002
Hellenic Orthodox Mission of Hernando County
“A Pan-Orthodox Community”
Ecumenical Patriarchate + Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America + Diocese of Atlanta
Meeting at St. Nicholas Chapel, 13460 Olympic Village Lane, Brooksville, FL -  (352) 796-8482
The Hellenic Orthodox Mission Website: http://worship.nu/hellenicorthodoxmission/index.htm
FR. STANLEY S. HARAKAS, PROTOPRESBYTER - (352) 688-2382 (Afternoons and Evenings)
CLIMBING TO GOD
There is a paradox about our Orthodox Christian way of understanding our relationship with God. On the one hand, God came down to us. The second person of the Holy Trinity, the Son, at a particular time in history took on human nature and lived among us. The New Testament book of the Acts of the Apostles tells us that the "Lord Jesus went in and out among us" (Acts 1:21).
Yet at the same time, our Orthodox Faith calls upon us to ascend toward God. The idea is that with our sins and our disregard of God in our daily lives, we have fallen low into an "earthly" style of life, concerned only with the things that satisfy our lower instincts and desires.
     “Ascending to God" is a spiritual and bodily practice that characterizes the Orthodox Christian way of life. Thus one of the hymns of our Church sings, "Come, my soul, let us ascend the mountain yonder, from which comes my help." And the Psalmist asks, "Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place?" (Psalm 24:3).
    About six hundred years after Christ, a monastic writer penned a book about another kind of “ascent” - the ladder of Christian growth toward God. It dealt with the steps that need to be taken in order to rise up from our fallen condition toward God and the heavenly life. He called his book The Ladder of Paradise (in Greek, "Klimax tou Paradeisou"). Thus, he is known as St. John of the Ladder (or, Climacos, from the Greek for “Ladder”). He wrote about thirty bodily or spiritual "steps" contributing to our life of spiritual and moral "ascent" toward God.
    On the Fourth Sunday of Great Lent, our Church commemorates St. John and his book, "The Ladder." In the Epilogue of his book, John summarizes his message  to us: "Ascend! Eagerly ascend the steps!"
 
Service Hours:
Sundays and Feast days: Orthros at 9:30 a.m.; Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m. - Evening Services as announced.
 
4th  Sunday of Lent: St. John of “The Ladder”  – 4th  Tone – Liturgy of St. Basil
Saints: John of “The Ladder”; Aristarchos, Poudes and Tropphimos of the 70 Apostles (1st c.); Thomais, Martyr (+476); Demetrios of Tripolis, Neomartyr (19th c.)

 

EPISTLE – Hebrews 6:13-20
Brethren, God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, "Surely I will bless you and multiply you." And thus Abraham, having patiently endured, obtained the promise. Men indeed swear by a greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he interposed with an oath, so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible that God should prove false, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

 

GOSPEL –  Mark 9:17-31
At that time a man came to Jesus kneeling and saying, "Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a dumb spirit; and wherever it seizes him, it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able." And he answered them, "O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me." And they brought the boy to him; and when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, "How long has he had this?" And he said, "From childhood. And it has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him;  but if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us." And Jesus said to him, "If you can! All things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!" And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You dumb and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again." And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse; so that most of them said, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" And he said to them, "This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting." They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he would not have any one know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he will rise."

 

GOSPEL ENTRANCE HYMNS
Dismissal Hymn – 4th Tone, Divine Liturgy Hymnal, p. 84-85.
  (Sing in Greek) (“To faidron tes Anastaseos”) before the Gospel Entrance. 
  (Sing in English) (When the tidings) after the Gospel Entrance
Hymn of St. John of the Ladder
  (Read) The barren wilderness you made fertile with the streams of your tears; and by
   your deep sighing in your struggles you produced fruit a hundred fold. Accordingly,
   you have become a star for the universe, sparkling with miracles. Therefore, O right-
   eous Father Saint John of “The Ladder,” intercede with Christ God to save our souls.
Hymn of St. Nicholas (Sing in English) - Divine Liturgy Hymnal, pp. 110-111.
  "An example of the Faith and a life of humility. . ."
The Kontakion of the Sunday of Orthodoxy - Divine Liturgy Hymnal, pp. 98-99
  (Sing in Greek) (“Tee Eepermacho . . .)
 
ANNOUNCEMENTS
 STEWARDS OF PROSFORON BAKING: Bette Ferriero – Apr. 14; Fran Mather – Apr. 21; Connie Mourgides Apr. 28 (Palm Sunday); Helen Nicolelis – May 2 (Holy Thursday); George Nikas – May 4 (Holy Saturday); Fran Triantafilon – May 5 (Pascha). Gloria Vardakis – May 12; Venice Cosmadelis – May 19. Prosforon Coordinator is George Nikas (597-1375).
   PARISH EDUCATION PROGRAM (P.E.P.): “Poikilia” 1) The Sacrament of Holy Unction; 2) The Prayer of St. Ephraim; 3) St. Maximos the Confessor on Fighting Temptation. Next Friday, April 19. Join Us! Starts at 2:30 p.m. Coffee and . . . .
   THE AKATHIST HYMN TO THE THEOTOKOS will be conducted this Friday, April 19 at 4:00 p.m. Please prepare a “Lenten Covered Dish,” for our evening meal following the service.
   CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE: http://worship.nu/hellenicorthodoxmission/index.htm .
   FLOWERS FOR SALUTATIONS ICON: Many thanks to Connie & Steve Mourgides and Helen and Tyke Nicolelis for donating the wreath for the icon of the Theotokos at the Salutations this past week, April  12.
   PALM SUNDAY FISH DINNER: Our annual FISH DINNER will be held immedi- ately following Divine Liturgy on Palm Sunday, April 28. The price will be $6. Bring friends and relatives. Let Venice Cosmadelis (686-1199) know the numbers so proper arrangements can be made. Mark your calendar.
   COOKBOOKS: Information about cookbooks was passed out at the GeneralAssembly by the Parish Council Fundraising / Sales Committee. Please return your order forms with your check to Cathy Lemonedes.  For more forms call Cathy at 684-4082.
   HOSPITALIZED at Spring Hill Regional, Robert McGraw. We pray for his rapid recovery. Inform Fr. Harakas of hospitalizations.
   CLEAN-UP DAY: Many thanks to all those who helped in the parish “Clean-up Day” on Saturday April 6: Paul & Venice Cosmadelis, Charlie Dumas (visiting from Garden City, NY), Feenie & Bette Ferriero, John & Dora Halvatzes, Presbytera Emily Harakas, Costa Hronas, Nick & Nancy Kastelan, Spero Lemonedes, Fran Mather, Steve & Connie Mourgides, Tyke Nicolelis, George Nikas, Bill Pasisis, Mike Triantafilon, Anthony and Gloria Vardakis, Helen Vangel. In charge was Bette Ferriero who said, “The women always do well, but the guys were spectacular!”  
   HOLY CONFESSION: Saturday, April 13, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. 
   HELP START OUR NEW PARISH LIBRARY AND BOOKSTORE! A Library/ Bookstore Committee is being formed. Contact Fr. Stanley at 688-2382. Thanks!

THIS WEEK’S SPONSOR:

In Memory of Katherine Harakas DeFilippo (+ 1998)

Daughter of Fr. & Presbytera Emily Harakas

 
HELLENIC ORTHODOX MISSION
OF HERNANDO COUNTY
P.O. BOX 5566
SPRING HILL, FL 34611
“A Pan-Orthodox Community”
  
 

 
 

 
Meeting at St. Nicholas Chapel, 13460 Olympic Village Lane, Brooksville. Florida
Ecumenical Patriarchate + Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America + Diocese of Atlanta
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