From Archbishop Demetrios’ Reflections for May, 2005

UR consideration of the family as a vital source of spiritual sustenance for its members in enriched by our contemplation of our role as leaders in the vital area of family care. Parents who emphasize prayer, love, and holiness within the home enable their children to navigate the experiences of life while strongly rooted and secured in their faith.  In this regard, the leadership role of parents within the family is integral, and absolutely indispensable.

   Though the leadership role of parents is vital for the cultivation of healthy families, it is equally pressing to consider family situations where parents are either absent from the home or are incapable of providing adequate or loving care to their children, as is sadly seen today in many cases.  Here, it is appropriate to recognize and value the care that is offered to families by extra-parental sources, such as communities of faith, and also state and charitable agencies.

   As Orthodox Christians, we ourselves constitute a community of faith that is vital to the spiritual well-being of families.  As we gather in prayer within our homes and as we come together with other families for worship in the local parish, we are called to be sensitive to the needs of our brothers and sisters by offering to them our unfailing love and support. Through expanding the adult educational programming in our parishes, through intensifying our ministries of care to children in need, and by continuously engaging the elderly members of our communities, every parish has the potential to serve as a local community leader in the field of family care.

  Yet we must also continue beyond the parish level in developing and expanding our ministries that focus on the particular needs of families. One example of such a ministry is our Archdiocesan Center for Family Care, which supplies people and society at large with a much needed demand for leadership in the vital area of family care.  Other examples of family ministry include institutions like St. Basil Academy and St. Michael's Home which, respectively, serve the needs of disadvantaged children and the elderly.
   Each of these ministries speaks to our tremendous potential as Church to offer a dynamic, creative, and meaningful leadership in the vital area of family care. Should not all of our ministries, on parish, Metro-polis, or Archdiocesan levels, be recognized objectively as models of family care?  Should not we as Greek Orthodox Christians aspire to be leaders in the field of family care among other denominations, communities of faith, or state agencies in contemporary America?

   It is my heartfelt prayer and exhortation as we experience the joy of the Paschal season that we may reflect more intensively upon our role as leaders in the vital area of family care, and that we may draw inspiration from the Risen Christ, who abides with us and strengthens our capacity to expand and intensify our ministry to families everywhere as we lead them to eternal life and everlasting communion with Him.           +DEMETRIOS, Archbishop of America.

Service Hours: Sundays and Feast Days: Orthros at 9:30 am; Divine Liturgy at 10:00 am

Evening Services as Announced

4th SUNDAY AFTER PASCHA – SUNDAY OF THE PARALYTIC

GOSPEL ENTRANCE AND OTHER HYMNS

Dismissal Hymn after the Doxology

   Sing “Christos Anesti” Hymnal 103 & Christ is Risen (sheet in the pew).

Dismissal Hymn  for Pascha

Sung in Greek before the Entrance ("Christos Aneste…").

Priest’s Entrance Hymn: In the congregations bless God, the Lord who springs out of Israel. Priest & People: Save us o Son of God who did rise from the dead, we sing to You, Alleluia.

Dismissal Hymn - 3rd  Tone

   (Sing in English after the Entrance)"Let all things rejoice"). Hymnal,  83-84.

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

Kontakion for Pascha

   (Sung) by the Leaders in Greek (“Ei kai en tafo”)

   (Read) Even though You descended into the grave, / O immortal One, / You destroyed the power of Hades; / and You arose as victor, / O Christ our God, / saying to the myrrh-bearing women, / “Hail!” / and to Your Apostles granting peace; / You also grant resurrection to the fallen.

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

   EPISTLE – Acts 9:32-42 (Paralytic) In those days, as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints that lived at Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years and was paralyzed. And Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed." And immediately he rose. And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. Now there was at Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. In those days she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him entreating him, "Please come to us without delay." So Peter rose and went with them. And when he had come, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping, and showing tunics and other garments which Dorcas made while she was with them. But Peter put them all outside and knelt down and prayed; then turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, rise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. And he gave her his hand and lifted her up. Then calling the saints and widows he presented her alive. And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

  GOSPEL – John 5:1-15 (Paralytic) At that time, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Hebrew called Bethesda which has five porticoes.  In  these lay a multitude of invalids,  blind,  lame,  paralyzed,  waiting  for  the moving  of  the  water; for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool, and troubled the water; whoever stepped in first after the troubling of the water was healed of whatever disease he had. One man was there, who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew that he had been lying there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be healed?" The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is troubled, and while I am going another steps down before me." Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your pallet, and walk." And at once the man was healed, and he took up his pallet and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who was cured, "It is the Sabbath, it is not lawful for you to carry your pallet." But he answered them, "The man who healed me said to me, 'Take up your pallet, and walk.' "They asked him, "Who is the man who said to you, 'Take up your pallet, and walk'?" Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse befall you." The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him.

Changes Later In the Divine Liturgy

In the place of “Truly it is proper. . .” (p. 54)

 The Leaders (Sing) “O Angelos eboa . . . “Symphonos Parthene  ”

Translation: “With one voice, O Virgin, we the faithful call you blessed. / Rejoice, O you who are the portal of the Lord; / rejoice, you who are a living city; / Rejoice, O you through whom shines on us today, / the light of your Son’s Resurrection from the dead.”

In the place of the Communion Hymn (Praise Him . . . )

   (Sing) “Soma Christou” . . .  Body of Christ . . . Hymnal, p. 104

In the place of “We have seen the true light; (Sing) “Christos Anesti,”  Christ is Risen . .