DAY OF RECKONING

ust the mention of April 15th can cause anxiety in many people as images of income tax preparations come to mind. Most people spend the better part of March organizing receipts and expenditures in order to prepare for the annual day of reckoning with Uncle Sam.

Each year, the church presents the Gospel account of the Last Judgment for our reflection on the second Sunday before the beginning of Great Lent. In fact, at every celebration of the Divine Liturgy, we recall our own personal day of judgment when we pray: “for a good account of ourselves before the awesome judgment seat of Christ, let us ask of the Lord.” It is the long-standing tradition of our church that we will stand in judgment before the Lord on the 40thday after our passing from this life to the next. In today’s Gospel lesson, we are presented with the criterion for our judgment. “I was hungry and you gave me to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me to drink. I was naked, and you clothed me.” The Lord’s teaching is clear and to the point. Life is a gift from God to be used in the service of others. Many theologians speak of the preferential care of the poor and disadvantaged in our midst as the basic criterion for Christian living. What is also very clear from the Gospels is that the law of charity towards others is the basic call of Christ to His followers.
As we prepare to begin the holy season of lent, we do well to take inventory of our priorities and ask the same question that is posed in the today’s Gospel. When, Lord, did we see you hungry, thirsty, or in need? Life offers each of us many opportunities to reach out to others with care and concern. There are many forms of thirst and hunger in our midst. In the final analysis, our efforts to reach-out to the needs of others will be our greatest defense before the awesome judgment seat of Christ. The outreach of our parish to the real needs of our neighbors, especially to the needs of the poor, is more than just a philanthropic nicety. Our outreach to others stores up for us treasure in heaven and a viable account of ourselves before our ultimate judge who will temper justice with mercy.

Service hours: Sundays and Feast days: Orthros at 9:30 am; Divine Liturgy at 10:00 am

MEATFARE SUNDAY – LAST JUDGMENT SUNDAY

(Sing in Greek before the Entrance) (“Katelysas to Stavro”) Hymnal, page 88-89

(Sing in English after the Entrance) (“O Lord, by Your Sacred Cross.” (same)

Dismissal Hymn of the Presentation of Christ - (Sing) From sheet in the pew.

Kontakion of Last Judgment (Read) When You come to the earth, O Lord, in Your glory,/ all creation will tremble,/ and a river of fire will flow before Your throne of judgment./ The books will be opened/ and the secrets of all will be revealed./ On that day, O Just Judge,/ deliver me from eternal flames,/ and make me worthy to stand at Your right hand.”

Return to a page 26 for “Holy God” and for the Epistle and Gospel Readings

EPISTLE: I Corinthians 8: 8-13; 9:1-2

rethren: food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. Only take care lest this liberty of yours somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if any one sees you, a man of knowledge, at table in an idol's temple, might he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? And so by your knowledge this weak man is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food is a cause of my brother's falling, I will never eat meat, lest I cause my brother to fall. Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

GOSPEL: Matthew 25: 31-46

he Lord said: "When the Son of man comes in his glory and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.' Then he will say to those at his left hand, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?' Then he will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.' And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

FOR THE RECORD: Sunday, February 27th - Attendance 48; Stewardship $513; Candles $78; Visitors $5; Adamis Fund Tray $99; Building Fund $1,200.

PROSFORON BAKERS: Chrysokaty Georgacopulos 3/5 & 3/6; Fran Triantafilon 3/13; Fran Mather 3/20; Chrysokaty Georgacopulos 3/25 & 3/27; To join the Prosforon bakers, please call George Nikas, Chairman (597-1375).

CONGRATULATIONS FATHER HARAKAS: Father Harakas was one of two honorees for 2005 at the annual gala of The American Foundation for Greek Language and Culture held at Tampa on Saturday, March 5th. Father was honored for “his outstanding educational accomplishments and his enthusiastic advice and support of the Foundation’s noble mission.” AXIOS, Father Stanley!

PARISH COUNCIL REQUEST: When sending in your checks for whatever reason, please write in the lower left hand corner of the envelope their purpose such as: stewardship, Messenger sponsorship, Outback Steak dinner etc. Many envelopes arrive from different sources, and to insure complete privacy, please label your envelopes so that they may be forwarded to the appropriate persons.

REMINDER - BENEFIT DINNER: The Outback Steakhouse is sponsoring a dinner to benefit our parish on Tuesday, March 8, 2005 at 6:00 pm at The Senior Citizen Club of Hernando County on Cave Hill Road across from Target on US 19 in Spring Hill. Tickets are sold-out. Dee Nikas and Cathy Lemonedes are the chairpersons of the event.

FOOD DRIVE 2005 Once again we are planning to prepare food baskets to be distributed to needy families of Hernando County at Easter. Please plan to bring food items before March 20th to be included in the baskets that will be distributed on or before Western Easter - March 27th. Contact Helen Nicolelis, Chairperson, at (352) 684-1219.

NEW METROPOLITAN OF SAN FRANCISCO: On February 22, 2004, the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople elected His Grace Bishop Gerasimos of Krateia as the new Metropolitan of San Francisco. Metropolitan-elect Gerasimos will succeed Metropolitan Anthony who died December 25, 2004.

MANY THANKS: Our special thanks go to Father Bill Mattis and Presbytera Mary for their assistance and support of our parish during Father Stanley’s convalescence. Father and Presbytera plan to return to their home in New Hampshire this week. We wish them a safe trip and look forward to their return next year.

GOOD FORTUNE: Gus Hronis had the good fortune to take home the beautiful Sue Bonnet Sue Quilt that had been displayed in the dining hall for several weeks. The Quilt was donated by Fran Mather and the proceeds for the church reached the sum of $300.00. Many thanks to Fran and to all who contributed.

PARISH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM: P.E.P. - Friday, March 11th at 2:00 pm. Discussion will continue regarding the Creed. All are invited to attend. Beginning Friday, March 18th, P.E.P. sessions will begin at 3:00 p.m. followed by the Salutations to the Theotokos Service at 5 p.m. and a Pot Luck supper. We are planning a special series of P.E.P. sessions for Great Lent. Please mark your calendars and plan to attend.

PAN ORTHODOX VESPERS: Sunday, March 20th is the Sunday of Orthodoxy and the first Sunday of Great Lent. There will be a Pan Orthodox Vesper Service at 6:30 p.m. at Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Tarpon Springs. Plan to attend and celebrate the gift of faith with Orthodox Christians from the area.

SPIRITUAL READING: Copies of the classic book entitled Great Lent by the late Father Alexander Schmemann are available at a cost of $11.95 plus postage from St. Vladimir Press 575 Scarsdale Rd., Crestwood, NY 10707-1699 or by telephoning 1-800-204-2665. The book makes excellent reading during the upcoming Lenten period.

MARCH 17TH: Did you know that Saint Patrick is celebrated on our Orthodox calendar? His troparion reads: “O Holy Hierarch, equal to the Apostles, Saint Patrick, wonderworker and enlightener of Ireland: intercede with the merciful God that He grant us forgiveness of our sins.” Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all.

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Ecumenical Patriarchate + Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America + Diocese of Atlanta

DAY OF RECKONING

Service hours: Sundays and Feast days: Orthros at 9:30 am; Divine Liturgy at 10:00 am

Evening Services as Announced

MEATFARE SUNDAY – LAST JUDGMENT SUNDAY

Return to a page 26 for “Holy God” and for the Epistle and Gospel Readings

EPISTLE: I Corinthians 8: 8-13; 9:1-2

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GOSPEL: Matthew 25: 31-46

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