The Orthodox Messenger

Vol. III, No. 12 – Sunday, March 21, 2004

FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT – ST. JOHN OF THE LADDER

t. John of the Ladder (Climacus) was born in 524. When he was sixteen years old joined the Monastery on Mt. Sinai, where he came under the spiritual direction of Abba Martyrios.  He was tonsured as a monk at the age of twenty, remaining there for nearly twenty years until the death of his Elder. At age thirty-five he withdrew to live as a hermit in a nearby cell. He remained here for about forty years and was visited by a large number of monastics, who sought his advice and counsel.
  Later, at the age of seventy-five, he was chosen to become abbot of the Monastery of Mount Sinai. He remained as abbot until his death. It was during this time that he wrote his famous book The Ladder of Divine Ascent (Greek: Klimax tou Paradeisou). This work was to become a classic of monastic writing, and is read by many today to help them in their spiritual growth.
   St. John's Ladder takes its symbolism from the Old Testament patriarch Jacob's dream of a ladder to heaven: "Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on earth, and its top reached heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it"(Genesis 28:11). The Ladder is divided into 30 chapters, which represent the 30 years of Christ's life on earth before He began His public ministry. Each chapter or step on the Ladder describes a virtue. Together they describe the progress of spiritual struggle, which leads to glorification. This spiritual journey towards perfection is not something that can be achieved easily, "for no one can climb a ladder in one stride." It requires time and patience: "The sea wastes with time, as Job says. And with time and patience, the things of which we have spoken are gradually acquired and perfected in us." (Step 7).
   This book is the fruit of St. John's long experience of spiritual struggle against vice and for virtue. This can be seen in the Ladder, where he stresses the importance of the virtue of humility in conjunction with obedience and with complete denial of one's own will, coupled with prayer. Daniel the monk tells us that "His whole life was unceasing prayer and committed love for God." In the Ladder the prayer of the heart (also known as the “Jesus Prayer”) has a central role. St. John of the Ladder’s feast day is celebrated twice: once on the day of his birth in heaven, the 30th of March and a second time on the Fourth Sunday of Great Lent.

Service hours: Sundays and Feast days: Orthros at 9:30 am; Divine Liturgy at 10:00 am.Evening Services as Announced

4th SUNDAY OF GREAT LENT- ST. JOHN OF THE LADDER

               Gospel Entrance and Other Hymn Changes

Dismissal Hymn - Grave Tone
   (Sing in Greek before the Entrance) ("Katelysas to Stavro").Hymnal, 88-89.
   (Sing in English after the Entrance) ("O Lord by Your sacred Cross"). (Same)
Dismissal Hymn of St. John of the Ladder
  (Read) With the rivers of your tears / you have made the barren desert fertile, / and with the sighs of sorrow from your heart / you have made your labors bear fruit / a hundredfold. With the glory of your miracles you have become / a light to the inhabited earth. O John our holy father, pray to Christ our God for the salvation of our souls.
Dismissal Hymn of the Presentation of Christ - (Sing) From the sheet in the pew.
Kontakion for Lent
   (Sing in Greek) “Te Ypermacho” (Hymnal, p. 98)
   (Read)  To you as champion for the invincible victory, / your city offers thanksgiving to you / From our trials, Theotokos, / have you redeemed us, / for as you possess invincible might and power. / From all dangers, Theotokos, / deliver us, / as we cry to you, / Hail, O Bride, unwedded!     Return to p. 26 – “Holy God.”

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rethren, when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore to 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 changeable 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 (4th Sunday of Lent)

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t 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, "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."

CHRIST THE SAVIOR 2004 STEWARDS
HONOR ROLL
Stewards of March 12, 2004

WELCOME! We welcome the Orthodox Christian Fellowship members with their Director, Fr. George Pyle, from the University of Illinois at today’s Divine Liturgy. The group will be conducting a mission project here at our church for the next week, repairing and painting some of our buildings. Fr. George will serve at the Liturgy and preach the Sermon.
   A THANK YOU GATHERING for the OCF Students and Fr. Pyle will take place this Thursday, March 25, Feast of the Annunciation, following the Liturgy. We will host the group at the Inn on the Gulf at Hudson Beach, at noon time as our guests. All Stewards and friends of the Mission are invited to join in this event – dutch treat! Please tell Tyke Nicolelis today if you are planning to come, so that we can make arrangements at the restaurant.
   A 40-DAY MEMORIAL FOR ANTHONY VARDAKIS will be offered today by Gloria Vardakis and family. May his memory be eternal!
   HOLY CONFESSION: Fr. Stanley will be hearing Confessions on the Saturdays of Great Lent, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. at our Church. Confession is good for the soul!
   FOR THE RECORD: Friday Salutations, March 12: Attendance - 16; Candles - $18.  Sunday, March 14, 2004: Attendance - 42; Candles - $74; Offering - $63; Hospitality - $36; Building Fund - $124. We appreciate your gifts!
   MISSION GRANT: Our Mission received the news from Metropolitan Alexios that our church has been granted a mission grant for 2004 in the amount of $6,000. This grant comes to us through the Atlanta Metropolis and the Outreach and Evangelism Department of the Archdiocese, the funds originating from “Leadership 100 Endowment Fund.” The letter was accompanied by a check for $1,000 for January and February. We are grateful!
   P.E.P CLASS: Friday, March 26, 2004 at 2:00 p.m. We will review the services of Holy Week and look at central hymns for each of the days of Holy Week! You are welcome!
   DONATE EASTER LILIES for Pascha and contribute to the Building Fund! $15. We will be ordering 20 plants. First come, first served.  Call Nanka Kastelan. 686-0634.
   FLOWERS for the 4th Salutations, Friday, March 19 were contributed by Steve & Connie Mourgides for the health and well-being of Cathy Calligeros. Flowers for last Sunday’s Adoration of the Holy Cross were donated by Nick & Nancy Kastelan for the health and well-being of their children and grandchildren. 
   SYMPATHY: We express sincere sympathy to John and Theona Hatzi and Peter Hatzi on the recent death of John’s brother Harry, in Milwaukee, WI. May God grant him life eternal and to John, Theona and Peter, comfort from on high. May his memory be eternal!  
   PROSFORON BAKERS:  Gloria Vardakis 3/21; Bette Ferriero 3/25 (Annunciation); Fran Triantafilon 3/28;  Presbytera Emily  4/3 (Saturday of Lazarus). George Nikas 4/4 (Palm Sunday); Patricia Lilore 4/8 (Holy Thursday); Eleni Nicolelis 4/9 (Holy Saturday); Connie Mourgides 4/11 (Pascha); Betty Roussos 4/18 (Thomas Sunday); Venice Cosmadelis (Myrrh Bearers Sunday) 4/25; Emily Thomas 5/2; George and Maria Angeliades 5/9, Argyris Gymnaos (New Prosforon Baker!) 5/16; Fran Mather 5/23; George Nikas - Prosforon Coordinator.
   PRE-HOLY WEEK GROUNDS CLEANUP: Saturday, March 27, starting at 9:00 a.m. Indoor and outdoor cleaning will be the order of the day. Bring cleaning items. Thank you!

Bulletin Sponsor:
ALEXANDRIA & SOPHIA VARDAKIS
IN MEMORY OF THEIR PAPOU ANTHONY VARDAKIS