From:
COME, Holy Spirit, Sanctify Our Lives! -1
Metropolitan John Zizioulas
of Pergamon
The cry for transformation and sanctification conforms to the
deepest longings of human beings. The world as it is, as it
actually is, needs transformation. We cannot be content with things
as they are. We must change ourselves and the way things are. But
how?
Two Avenues: There are two
ways of asking the Holy Spirit to be involved in any process of
transformation leading to holiness. One is to ask him to assist with
our efforts. We do the planning, we make the efforts, and the Spirit
is asked to help. The other way is to leave everything to the
Spirit. We do nothing but pray, and leave everything to the Spirit.
Both of these extremes are wrong, but of these two the first one is
probably the one we have to watch out for more carefully. We must
certainly try, and we must definitely do our best, but when we pray
for the Spirit to come we must be prepared for the unexpected.
Sanctification has always been associated with the specific
operations of the Holy Spirit. But the way this sanctification and
the holiness that results from it have been understood through the
centuries has turned spirituality into a concept almost irrelevant
for the world at large. How can we make the concept of holiness
relevant today?
The Ethos of Holiness: Holiness means setting apart
someone or something for God. Holiness requires an attitude towards
all that exists (our bodies, our minds, the material world, etc.)
that sees everything as belonging to God. We cannot own ourselves,
our bodies, our lives, our natural resources - they belong to God.
We are in the world as the priests of creation endowed with the
privilege of offering creation back to its Creator. We need to be
redeemed from humanistic and human-centered attitudes to existence.
Holiness and Community:
Holiness is often understood individualistically, as the
transformation of an individual into a holy person, characterized by
certain virtues and shining forth qualities of goodness, humility,
love, etc. But we tend to forget that when the Holy Spirit blows, He
always brings about communion and therefore creates community. There
is no such thing as holy individualism. All holiness stems from the
communion of the Spirit. It is this that makes the church holy and
at the same time so important for spirituality. (Continued Next
Week- Please save this first part.)
Service
Hours: Sundays and Feast Days: Orthros at 9:30 a.m.; Divine Liturgy
at 10:00 a.m.
Evening Services as Announced
Today’s Saints:
Commemoration of the Descent of the Holy
Spirit on the Apostles at Pentecost, the Fiftieth Day after Pascha;
Bartholomew of the Twelve Apostles; Barnabas of the 70 Apostles;
Righteous Barnabas; Synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel.
===============================================================
8TH
SUNDAY OF PASCHA - PENTECOST SUNDAY
GOSPEL ENTRANCE AND OTHER HYMNS
Dismissal Hymn
after Doxology – “Evloghetos e Christe” Hymnal, 115
Instead of “Save O Son of God” Hymnal, 18, we sing
“Save us O gracious Paraklete, we sing to you
alleluia.”
Dismissal Hymn of Pentecost. Sing in Greek before the Entrance
("Evloghetos e Christe…"). Hymnal, 115.
Priest: “Be exhalted, O Lord in Your strength! We will sing and
chant the praise of your might.” Priest & People: “Save us
O gracious Paraklete, we sing to you alleluia.”
Dismissal Hymn of Pentecost. Sing in English before the Entrance
("O blessed are You") Hymnal, 115.
Kontakion of Pentecost Sung in Greek by the leaders “O
katavas tas glossas. . .”
Read: When the Most High came down / and confused the
tongues / at the tower of Babel, / He divided the nations; / but
when He distributed the tongues of fire at Pentecost, / He called
all persons to unity. / Wherefore, we glorify / the Holy Spirit with
one accord.
In the place of “Holy God” sing “Osoi eis Christon . . .” –
“Those who have been baptized . . . Hymnal, 109.
Return
to page 28 for the Epistle and Gospel Readings
EPISTLE
–
Acts 2:1-11
(Pentecost) +
When the day of Pentecost had come, they
were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from
heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house
where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of
fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all
filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as
the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem
Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound
the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each
one heard them speaking in his own language. And they were amazed
and wondered, saying, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?
And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?
Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea
and Cappadocia, Pontos and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and
the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both
Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians, we hear them telling in
our own tongues the mighty works of God."
GOSPEL –
John 7:37-52,8:12
(Pentecost)
+ On the last day of the
feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and proclaimed, "If any one
thirst, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the
scripture has said, 'Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living
water.'" Now this he said about the Spirit, which those who believed
in him were to receive; for as yet the Spirit had not been given,
because Jesus was not yet glorified. When they heard these words,
some of the people said, "This is really the prophet." Others said,
"This is the Christ." But some said, "Is the Christ to come from
Galilee? Has not the scripture said that the Christ is descended
from David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?"
So there was a division among the people over him. Some of them
wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.
The officers then went back to the chief
priest and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why did you not bring him?"
The officers answered, "No man ever spoke like this man!" The
Pharisees answered them, "Are you led astray, you also? Have any of
the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd,
who do not know the law, are accursed." Nikodemos, who had gone to
him before, and who was one of them, said to them, "Does our law
judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he
does?" They replied, "Are you from Galilee too? Search and you will
see that no prophet is to rise from Galilee." Again Jesus spoke to
them, saying, "I am the light of the world; he who follows me will
not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
In the place of “Truly it is proper” Hymnal 54-56, the
leaders sing “Me tis fthoras. . .”
Read: O Mother who has known no man, / you did not
conceive experiencing marital relations, / lending a body to the
Word, / the Creator of all, / you became a receptacle to your
gracious Creator, / and a dwelling place for your incomprehensible
Maker. / Wherefore, O virgin Theotokos, / you do we magnify.
In the place of the Communion Hymn “Praise the Lord”
Hymnal, 66, the leaders sing “To Pnevma Sou to agathon . . .”
Read Your Good Spirit shall guide me on level ground.
Alleluia!
In the place of “We have seen the light” Hymnal, 70, we
sing the Dismissal Hymn for Pentecost. Sing in English ("O
blessed are You"). Hymnal, 115.
PENTECOST
VESPERS: Following the Divine Liturgy and a brief message, we
will conduct the service of Kneeling, the Pentecost Vespers, as is
the tradition of the Orthodox Church. We pray for the blessing and
healing of the Holy Spirit.
Two Trays
Today -1) Stewardship & Visitors’ Offering; 2)Building Fund
Offering
BAPTISM:
On Saturday, June 3, Matthew, the son of Demetri & Kara Hazivasilis,
was Baptized at our Church. Sponsor was Vasili Urling.
Congratulations and “Many Years!”
FOR THE RECORD: June 4-Attendance 36;
Candles $104;. Visitors’ Offering $45; Many thanks for your valued
support!
SIGN UP to host
the Coffee Hour: Signed up as Coffee Hour host for today
is Gloria Vardakis; June 18, Fathers’ Day International Pot-Luck
Supper! Sign up today!
BULLETIN SPONSORSHIPS NEEDED! The cost is only $25.
To reserve your date please contact Gloria Vardakis and give her the
information (688-2270).
PROSFORON BAKERS: George Nikas 6/11 (Pentecost); Connie
Mourgides (Fathers Day) 6/18; Fran Mather 6/25; Argiris & Carol
Gynmaos 6/29 (Apostles Peter & Paul); Fran Triantafilon 7/2; Helen
Nicolelis 7/9; Gloria Vardakis 7/16, Venice Cosmadelis 7/23;
Presbytera Emily Harakas 7/30;. Call George Nikas, Chair.
WELCOME VISITORS! We are happy that you are worshiping
with us today. Please know that HOLY COMMUNION is offered in the
Orthodox Church only to Orthodox Christians in good spiritual
standing. If you are not an Orthodox Christian, please
receive the blessed bread at the end of the Divine Liturgy and
join us at Coffee Hour. To learn more about the Orthodox Church,
contact Fr. Stanley at 796-2377.
