SS. kosmas & damianos Orthodox Church (goa)

703 W. Center Street, Rochester, MN (507) 282-1529 http://www.rochesterorthodoxchurch.org

office@rochesterorthodoxchurch.org Rev. Fr. Mark Muoz, Proistamenos

/APOLYTIKIA FOR TODAY

,

,

, .

, ,

, ,

, .

The heavenly powers appeared at Your tomb, and

those guarding it became like dead. Mary stood at

Your grave seeking Your pure body. You stripped the power of Hades, not touched by its corruption. You

met the virgin woman as one who grants life. O Lord, who rose from the dead, glory to You.

, , ,

, , ,

.

You ascended in Glory, O Christ our God, and gladdened Your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit.

Your blessing assured them that You are the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world.

, , ,

' , , , .

Most glorified are You, O Christ our God, Who has established our Fathers as luminous stars upon the

earth, and through them did guide us all to the true Faith. O Most Merciful One, glory be to You.

/KONTAKION FOR TODAY

, , ,

, , , ,

' , ' .

O Christ our God, upon fulfilling Your dispensation for our sake, You ascended in Glory, uniting the

earthly with the heavenly. You were never separate but remained inseparable, and cried out to those who

love You, "I am with you and no one is against you."

Sunday of the fathers of the 1st ecumenical synod Symeon the Stylite of the Mountain, Saint Vincent of Lerins,

Meletios the Commander & his Companion Martyrs

May 24th, 2015

Todays scripture readings

Epistle reading

Acts of the Apostles 20:16-18, 28-36

Prokeimenon. Mode 4.

Daniel 3.26,27

Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers.

Verse: For you are just in all you have done.

IN THOSE DAYS, Paul had decided to sail past Ephesos, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia; for he was

hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost. And from Miletos he sent to Ephesos and called to

him the elders of the church. And when they came to him, he said to them: "Take heed to yourselves and to all the

flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God which he obtained with the

blood of his own Son. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock;

and from among your own selves will arise men speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.

Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears.

And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the

inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know

that these hands ministered to my necessities, and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by

so toiling one must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, 'it is more blessed to give

than to receive.' "And when he had spoken thus, he knelt down and prayed with them all

Gospel pericope

John 17: 1-13 At that time, Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son

may glorify you, since you have given him power over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.

And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you

on earth, having accomplished the work which you gave me to do; and now, Father, you glorify me in your own

presence with the glory which I had with you before the world was made. "I have manifested your name to the men

whom you gave me out of the world; yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.

Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you; for I have given them the words which you

gave me, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you did

send me. I am praying for them; I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are

mine; all mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but

they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that

they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me; I

have guarded them, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I

am coming to you; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

Announcements

Liturgical/Program Schedule:

TODAY: Franquiera Marriage Blessing after Liturgy, all are invited!

Mon. May 25th: Memorial Day, Mnimosyno Service 10am Oakwood Cemetery

Wed. May 27th: Philoxenia Meeting, 6:00pm

Thurs. May 28th: Hall prep for demolition

Sat. May 30th: Saturday of Souls, Orthros/Liturgy, 8:30am

Sun. May 31st: Feast of Pentecost, Kneeling Vespers immediately following Liturgy

Todays Memorial Services: Mrs. Angeliki Sageotis- 5yrs Mrs. Eleni Tsichlia- 40 days

Pre-Demolition Opportunity: As we will be readying the old hall for demolition, we ask that

any parishioners who are able to help with removing debris and cleaning to please meet this

Thursday, May 28th at 5pm. IN ADDITION we will be offering various items from the hall

(tables, chairs, etc) to parishioners to take home, any offering to the church would be

appreciated but not required. ALL ITEMS must be removed prior to the 5/28/15 clean-up!

Parish-Wide Photo: we ask all parishioners to make every effort to be in attendance next

Sunday for the Feast of Pentecost, for after the Divine Services a memorable photograph will be

taken of the entire parish family which we will included in a new time capsule to be sealed as

part of our upcoming Groundbreaking Ceremony (Sunday, June 14th)!

HOW TO RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNIONOrthodox Christians in good standing are encouraged to receive Holy Communion frequently, provided they have prepared themselves spiritually, mentally and physically. They must be on time for the Divine Liturgy, and be in a Christ-like, humble state of mind. They should be in a confession relationship with their priest or spiritual father, have observed the fasts of the Church, and they should have self-examined their conscience. On the day of receiving Holy Communion, it is not proper to eat or drink anything before coming to church. When you approach to receive Holy Communion, state your Christian (baptismal) name clearly, and hold the red communion cloth to your chin. After receiving, wipe your lips on the cloth, step back carefully, hand the cloth to the next person and make the sign of the Cross as you step away. Please do not be in a rush while communing! Please take special care not to bump the Holy Chalice.

ETIQUETTE REMINDER:

For this holy house and for those who enter it with faith, reverence, and the fear of God, let us pray to

the Lord.

The summer months will soon be upon us and that means enjoying warm weather and fun in the sun. While shorts (for males & females), capris, flip-flops, tank tops, spaghetti straps, short skirts well above the knees, etc. are practical and may be acceptable at the pool or the lake front they are not appropriate attire at church, and must not be worn during the Divine Services

of the Church. At every Eucharistic celebration we are spiritually and physically brought in the awesome presence of Jesus

Christ Himself, and when we commune He comes to dwell within us in a miraculous way. Therefore the sanctity, solemnity, and

dignity of the Divine Liturgy must be preserved for the wellbeing of all. ******Parents, your assistance and guidance are most

especially helpful and appreciated.******

Memorial Day Commemorations In the United States Memorial Day was originally and specifically dedicated to remembering those military men and women who fell in service to their country, as opposed to a general commemoration of all loved ones. In addition we as Orthodox Christians should defer, and give priority to, the liturgical calendar of the Church for commemorating our departed loved ones (i.e. the four Saturday of Souls commemorations) thereby uniting our prayers with the Church at large through the offering of the Divine Liturgy. Notwithstanding, it has now become tradition to remember all departed loved ones on this day. We will gather Monday, May 25th-10am, at Oakwood Cemetery to chant the Trisagion Service for our departed loved ones. Please bring a list of your family members (baptismal first names only). You may include those departed relatives who are not laid to rest at Oakwood in your lists.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

AHEPA 2015 CONVENTION IN ROCHESTER

Friday, June 5th: Traditional Greek Glendi, family style; outside @ the Civic Center on the

patio w/ dancing, lambs on the spit, Gyro/Souvlakia bar, and tons of fun activities. Join us for a

great casual evening w/ friends and family from around the Midwest.

Saturday, June 6th: Gran Banquet @ the Doubletree Hotel w/ live music, steak or chicken

dinner, Greek Dancers of Minnesota and other entertainment. Mr. Randy Chapman, publisher

of the Post Bulletin, will deliver the key note address.

Sunaday, June 7th: Orthros/Divine Liturgy @ Holy Anargyroi Greek Orthodox Church, home

parish of the host chapter. Catered brunch to follow by Johnny Mangos @ Civic Center w/ a

delicious variety of foods!

For more information and tickets please see Ari Kolas, 507-271-5553!

Todays liturgical commemorations

1. THE VENERABLE SIMEON THE STYLITE OF THE WONDERFUL MOUNTAIN

This wonderful saint Simeon was born in Antioch in the year 522 A.D. during the reign of Emperor Justin the Elder.

His father perished in an earthquake and he was left alone with his mother Martha. At age six, he withdrew to the

desert to a spiritual father John under whose guidance he submitted himself to a life of austere fasting and prayerful

asceticism to the astonishment of all who saw him. Enduring horrible demonic temptations, he received great

comfort and grace from the Lord and His angels. The Lord Christ appeared to him under the guise of a handsome

youth. After this vision, a great love for Christ burned in Simeon's heart. He spent many years on a "pillar" praying

to God and chanting psalms. Under God's guidance, he withdrew to a mountain named "Wonderful" by the Lord

Himself. Because of the name of this mountain, Simeon was surnamed the "Man of the Wonderful Mountain."

Because of his love for God, he was endowed with the rare gift of grace, by which he healed every infirmity, tamed

wild beasts, discerned into distant parts of the world and the hearts of men. He left his body and gazed at the

heavens and conversed with angels, frightened and cast out demons, prophesied, at times lived without sleep for

thirty days and even longer without food and received nourishment from the hands of angels. The words of the Lord

were completely fulfilled in him: "He that believes in me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works

than these shall he do" (St. John 14:12). In the year of our Lord 596 A.D. and in the seventy-fifth year of his life, St.

Simeon presented himself to the Lord that he, together with the angels, may satisfy himself gazing upon the face of

God.

2. THE HOLY MARTYR MELETIUS STRATELATES, ALONG WITH 1218 SOLDIERS, THEIR WIVES

AND CHILDREN

Meletius was accused of demolishing a pagan temple during the reign of Emperor Antoninus. Nailed to a tree,

Meletius gave up his holy soul. Many soldiers under his the command, who refused to deny Christ their Lord,

suffered with him. They all honorably suffered in the eleventh century and took up habitation in the kingdom of

Christ the God.

3. VENERABLE NICETAS, THE STYLITE

As a youth, Nicetas lived an unrestrained and sinful life. Entering into church by chance, he heard the words of the

Prophet Isaiah: "Wash yourselves (from sin) and you will be clean" (Isaiah 1:16). These words entered deeply into

his heart and caused a complete turnabout in his life. Nicetas left his home, wife, property and entered a monastery

near Pereyaslavl, where he lived an ascetical life of difficult mortifications until his death. He wrapped chains

around himself and enclosed himself in a pillar for which reason he was called a Stylite. God endowed him with

abundant grace so that he healed men of various tribulations. He cured Prince Michael Chernigov of palsy. Certain

evil doers spotted the chains on him and, because of their brightness, thought they were made of silver. They killed

him one night, removed the chains and carried them away. This occurred on May 16, 1186 A.D. After his death, he

appeared to the Elder Simeon and ordered that his discovered chains be placed next to his body in the tomb.

St. Makarios of Optina on Faith and Works

Faith is the foundation of all good deeds, and without faith it is impossible to

please the Lord (Heb. 11:6). She is the gift of God (cf. Mark 16:16; Matt.

28:19-20). The Holy Apostle James teaches: What doth it profit, my brethren,

though a man say he hath faith, and have not works, can faith save him?...

Faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.... For as the body without the

spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also (James 2:14,17,26). For our

salvation one needs not simply faith alone, but works also. The words of the

Apostle Paul: By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified (Romans

3:20) refer to the works of the Old Testament laws and not to the new

commandments of grace. But he who trusts in his own works even with faith errs.

After baptism it is without fail necessary to keep God's commandments, by which the grace given at baptism is

preserved and, to the measure of one's proficiency in the commandments, is increased. Having transgressed the

commandments, by repentance one again acquires grace. All this acts through faith, but without faith one could

not perform deeds of repentance. In every case both faith and deeds are involved. But one must not think that

one's deeds merit salvation: the merits of the Savior afford us this. One must do good deeds but not place hope in

them. To place hope in one's deeds is a sign of self-reliance. The Lord does not always grant us strength to perform

good deeds, but rather allows the passions to be strengthened in us so that we might acknowledge our weakness

and humble ourselves before God, remembering God's commandment: Whenever you do what has been

commanded you, say we are unprofitable servants, for we have done that which it was our duty to do (Luke 17:10).

Read in Volume One of The Philokalia the book by St. Mark the Ascetic, "On Those Who Think that They are Made

Righteous by Works" (Chapters 1-7, 11-24).

Knowing that deeds are necessary for salvation and striving to perform them, one finds no strength in oneself, one

is conquered by the passions, one is troubled and perplexed as to what to do. Of course, placing one's hope in God

and on the prayers of those who pleased Him can help much in the work of our salvation, but becoming troubled

at one's fall proceeds from spiritual pride. The evil spirits oppose our salvation: our adversary the devil, as a

roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour (I Peter 5:8). Fighting with such foes, one must have a

strong weapon against them, and that is humility, which they cannot oppose. But in doing battle with them

without humility, self-reliantly and proudly, one will always be defeated. For this reason the Lord allows us to fall

so that we might humble ourselves.

STEWARDSHIP CORNER

It was Sunday and the parish council members were counting the Sunday offering in the church office as the trays

were being brought in from Divine Liturgy. One faithful parishioner found his way back to the church office and

politely inquired, How much do I owe? This well-intentioned parishioner was asking if he was up-to-date on his pledge, but his question reveals something about our thought process in offering our gifts to the Church. No matter

how generously we support the Church, can we ever feel that we have given in proportion to the blessings we have

received? Many Greek Orthodox parishes have embraced the process of stewardship, by which we offer our gifts to

the church according to our blessings. Many continue to operate in a dues system. And some operate under a hybrid

Stewardship-with a minimum system. Each person coming to the gathering of the Church brought with them

everything they could spare for the needs of the Church. This meant for the sustenance of the clergy, widows and

orphans, for helping the poor, and for all the good works of the Church. This is the Church that we as Orthodox

Christians claim to be. Stewardship is not about calculations or portions or percentages. It cant be reduced to a number of hours of service or dollars offered. Stewardship is a way of life. As Orthodox Christians, we are called to

a new way of seeing things a new way of life. Our stewardship is obedience to the greatest commandment to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. We are called to bring others to commit their lives to Jesus Christ in such a way that leads to the joy of knowing Him personally and profoundly.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Andrew & Anna Chafoulias Fellowship Hall and Education Center

Groundbreaking Ceremony Sunday, June 14th Following the Divine Liturgy

Please join us as we embark on another historical project in the life of our beloved parish! We will officially begin our new construction project with a blessing of the grounds, groundbreaking, sealing of time capsule, champagne toast, and luncheon catered by Johnny Mango. Many blessings to our entire parish family and we begin this new chapter together!

Pentecost is next Sunday!

After the Saviour's Ascension into the Heavens, the

eleven Apostles and the rest of His disciples, the God-

loving women who followed after Him from the

beginning, His Mother, the most holy Virgin Mary, and

His brethren-all together about 120 souls returned from

the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem. Entering into the house

where they gathered, they went into the upper room, and

there they persevered in prayer and supplication, awaiting

the coming of the Holy Spirit, as their Divine Teacher had

promised them. In the meanwhile, they chose Matthias,

who was elected to take the place of Judas among the

Apostles. Thus, on this day, the seventh Sunday of

Pascha, the tenth day after the Ascension and the fiftieth

day after Pascha, at the third hour of the day from the

rising of the sun, there suddenly came a sound from Heaven, as when a mighty wind blows, and it filled

the whole house where the Apostles and the rest with them were gathered. Immediately after the sound,

there appeared tongues of fire that divided and rested upon the head of each one. Filled with the Spirit, all

those present began speaking not in their native tongue, but in other tongues and dialects, as the Holy

Spirit instructed them.

The multitudes that had come together from various places for the feast, most of whom were Jews by race

and religion, were called Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and so forth, according to the places where they

dwelt. Though they spoke many different tongues, they were present in Jerusalem by divine dispensation.

When they heard that sound that came down from Heaven to the place where the disciples of Christ were

gathered, all ran together to learn what had taken place. But they were confounded when they came and

heard the Apostles speaking in their own tongues. Marvelling at this, they said one to another, "Behold,

are not all these which speak Galileans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we

were born?" But others, because of their foolishness and excess of evil, mocked the wonder and said that

the Apostles were drunken.

Then Peter stood up with the eleven, and raising his voice, spoke to all the people, proving that that which

had taken place was not drunkenness, but the fulfilment of God's promise that had been spoken by the

Prophet Joel: "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that I shall pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh,

and your sons and daughters shall prophesy" (Joel 2:28), and he preached Jesus of Nazareth unto them,

proving in many ways that He is Christ the Lord, Whom the Jews crucified but God raised from the dead.

On hearing Peter's teaching, many were smitten with compunction and received the word. Thus, they

were baptized, and on that day about three thousand souls were added to the Faith of Christ.