Update for the week Friday, February 6, through Thursday, February 12, 2015
THIS WEEK
SATURDAY, 2/7 – Great Vespers 5:00 pm
+ Hellenic College will sponsor a Faith & Learning Symposium on Saturday, February 7 from 9:30 am-3:30 pm. The Symposium is entitled Understanding the Other: Perspectives on Religious Freedom, Extremism and Suffering in Crisis and Conflict. This event is free to all college and graduate students. For more info and to sign up: https://www.facebook.com/events/879521905394214
SUNDAY, 2/8 – Enquirers Class (St. Ignatius Catechetical Group) 9:00 am; Orthros 8:45 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am, Church School lesson 15.
+ This Sunday is Scout Sunday – all our Scouts will be participating in the Liturgical Services by reading the Epistle, taking the Collection and assisting at Communion. If your son or daughter is involved in Scouting and would like to participate too, please e-mail Charlie Marge: marge@alum.mit.edu.
+ The Annual Meeting of St. Mary's Parish, postponed previously because of snow, will be held this Sunday immediately after Liturgy. It is important that all members of St. Mary’s Church attend this meeting to approve the 2015 budget.
NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS
BIBLE STUDY POSTPONED – The Bible Study group scheduled to meet Thursday, February 5 was postponed, and will now meet on Thursday, February 19, at 7:00 pm in the church library. We will continue looking at the book of Joshua, and consider the question, “Why all the killing in this book?”
The Bible Study at St. Mary meets every other Thursday, and is based on a very interesting course originally broadcast on Ancient Faith Radio, entitled Search the Scriptures. For more information contact Marianna Sayeg (mailto:mksayeg@gmail.com ) or Fr. Antony (mailto:mksayeg@gmail.com ). New members are always welcome.
WOMEN'S CLUB MEETING POSTPONED – The meeting of the Women's Club which was scheduled for Monday, February 9, has been postponed and will be rescheduled for a later date. Watch for more information.
MEATFARE SUNDAY BREAKFAST CHANGED - This year, because of all the weather-related cancellations and rescheduled events, the annual breakfast on Meatfare Sunday (Sunday, February 15) will be the Chinese New Year breakfast. See Reminders, below.
MARRIAGE PREPARATION AND ENRICHMENT – You are invited to a Marriage Preparation and Enrichment workshop on Saturday, March 7, 10 am-4pm, at the Chancery, 2 Lydia’s Path, Westborough. Cost: $35 per couple. Mail your check payable to NER Deanery, to St. John of Damascus, 300 West Street, Dedham, MA, 02026.
LENTEN RETREAT – Our teens are invited for the annual Lenten Retreat at the Saint Methodios Retreat Center in Contoocook, New Hampshire, on Friday-Sunday, March 27-29. The speaker will be Father Gregory Christakis, a Greek Orthodox priest from Medford, MA.
REMINDERS
HOUSE BLESSING - Fr. Antony will be blessing homes after Theophany, and between Pascha (April 12) and Pentecost (May 31). We bless homes to reveal the home as what God created it to be, a way to heaven; to rid the home of every evil; to show that the family is a small church unit in Christ; to consecrate the home and all activity in it to God; and to fill the home and all who live in it with the fullness of God. To schedule the blessing of your home, please use the form in the weekly Bulletin or call the church office at 617-547-1234.
DIOCESAN RETREAT AND FAMILY DAY - A Diocesan Pre-Lenten Retreat and Family Day will be held at Saint John of Damascus in Dedham, on Saturday, February 14, 11:30am-5:00pm. This event is sponsored by the Antiochian Women and the Missions Council. The featured speaker will be Fr. Ted Pulcini. Cost is $20, under 18 free. For questions or to register, contact ErinMaryK@aol.com. Please RSVP by February 7.
LENT BEGINS IN FEBRUARY – Mark your calendars: This year Meatfare Sunday is February 15, Cheesefare Sunday and Forgiveness Vespers are February 22, and Lent begins on Monday, February 23.The first week of Lent includes the Great Canon of St. Andrew on Tuesday and Thursday at 7:00 pm, Presanctified Liturgy on Wednesday at 6:30 pm (and subsequent Wednesday during Lent) with Potluck Supper afterward, and Akathist (Madayeh) service on Friday at 7:00 pm (and every Friday during Lent).
Lazarus Saturday will be April 4, Palm Sunday on April 5, and Pascha will be celebrated April 11-12.
CHINESE NEW YEAR BREAKFAST - Please join us on Sunday, February 15 (note new date), for the 10th annual Chinese New Year Missions Potluck Breakfast to benefit the Chinese Translation Project via the Orthodox Fellowship of All Saints of China (OFASC). Suggested minimum donation is $5 (checks can be made payable to “St. Mary Orthodox Church,” please put “Hospitality/CNY” on the memo line.)
RSVP to Mitrophan Chin at mitrophan@orthodox.cn by Wednesday, February 11. Also let us know if you can donate a dessert or main dish, or provide a helping hand with setup, food prep or cleanup. We look forward to your support of this worthwhile project!
PARISH COUNCIL – The next meeting of the Parish Council will be Wednesday, February 18, at 7:30 pm in the church.
+ Newly elected members of the Parish Council are Renay DiFiore, Jennifer Nahass, Mary Winstanley O’Connor, Diane Mabardi and Raymond Sayeg.
The newly elected officers for 2015 are Deno Takles, President; Ray Sayeg, Vice President; Nick Bezreh, Treasurer; and Mary Winstanley O’Connor, Recording/Corresponding Secretary. Congratulations to them all!
LENTEN POTLUCKS - Every Wednesday during Lent, beginning February 25, there will be a Presanctified Liturgy at 6:30 pm, followed by a Potluck Supper.
We need a lead for each potluck on February 25, March 4, 11, 18, and April 1. Being a lead simply means a) providing a main dish, b) coordinating what others bring if they ask, c) coordinating setup and cleanup, d) checking the Sunday before to ensure ample utensils/plates/cups. Similar to coffee hour, if there is no potluck lead, then there is no potluck.
Everyone else, please bring a dish to share. Any Lenten fare is welcome: main courses, sides, salads, desserts, as well as beverages and snacks. This is a wonderful opportunity for fellowship during Lent, plus we get to sample each other's Lenten recipes. Contact Julie Wasilko (julie31415pi@gmail.com) to sign up to be a lead for a potluck.
YES FAMILY DAY – There will be a YES (Youth Equipped to Serve) Family Day at St. Mary’s on Saturday, February 28, from 9:00 to 4:00. This event is organized and led by YES Program Director Katrina Bitar of FOCUS, for parents and their Children (ages 8 and up). We’ll begin with breakfast and orientation; followed by a service project and lunch in Cambridge; and concluding with Vespers at St. Mary's. Registration Contribution: $5 per person, max of $20 per family. For more information and to register, contact Panayiotis Sakellariou at psakellariou@yahoo.com or 617-606-0750
DIOCESAN WINTER MEETING – There will be a General Assembly Meeting of Teen SOYO, Fellowship of St. John the Divine and Antiochian Women on Saturday, February 28 at St. John of Damascus Church, Dedham. After the meeting, for the teens there will be games, fellowship, and lunch – all teens are welcome.
PARISH COUNCIL WORKSHOP - The Diocese of Worcester and New England is holding a Parish Council Workshop at St. John of Damascus Church in Dedham, on Saturday, February 28, from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. Our own Richard Robbat will be the Facilitator.
SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE - Scholarships ($1,000) are available to young women of Syrian and Lebanese origin, residing in Massachusetts within 50-mile radius of Boston, who plan to pursue a four-year college education. Scholarships are based on outstanding academic achievement, extra-curricular activities, charitable and civic involvement and good character; and applicants must be in good academic standing in her school and possess those personal attributes, which best serve the community. Applications are available through the Church Office and must be postmarked by March 31, 2015. If you have any questions, contact Mary Winstanley O’Connor at 617-523-1010 or email at moconnor@koilaw.com .
ANTIOCHIAN VILLAGE SUMMER CAMP - Summer Camp registration is now open. Last year most sessions were full by the end of February, so make sure you register right away! There are currently over 300 campers registered. Please visit the Registration Page for instructions on how to register. Please note that you are not registered until they receive a deposit and you receive a confirmation email. For more information go to http://www.antiochianvillage.org/camp.html
ARCHDIOCESE CONVENTION – The 52nd Antiochian Archdiocese Convention, hosted by St. Mary Church, will be held Sunday, July 19, 2015-Sunday, July 26, 2015 at the Sheraton Boston Hotel, Boston, MA. The convention room rate is $199.00 per night, plus tax. To book rooms at the hotel, register for the convention, purchase convention event tickets and tickets for Boston excursions and obtain forms to place a message in the Souvenir Journal, go to www.acboston2015.com. Rooms are booking quickly for this historic convention. Please call the church at (617) 547-1234 with any questions.
THANK YOU, GREETERS – Thanks to all the greeters who have helped over the past few years to provide a warm welcome on Sunday morning to St. Mary's parishioners and visitors - in particular, Marc Patacchiola, Deno Takles, Barbara Shoop, Alyssa Shoop, Buddy Mabardy, Andrew Bargoot, Jeanne Brickman, Jan Randolph, George Mayah, Ray Sayeg, Paul Demerjian, Richard Robbat, Paul Nahass, Mike Decerbo, Bob Kowalik and Azeb Mitiku.
Please consider joining this list – contact Buddy Mabardy at buddy@cjmabardy.com or 781-729-6303. or call the Church office 617-547-1234.
THIS WEEK'S VOLUNTEERS
Greeter: George Mayah
Liturgical Service:
Procession: Gabi Popa, Ben Crea, Nick Mazzoni, Joachim Chin, Nick Crea, Maia Popa, Toby Chin, Easton Bourell, Anthony Marge
Epistle: Andrea Popa
Communion: Charlie Marge, Andrea Popa, Lea Crea, Michelle Chin
Coffee Hour: No coffee hour; stay for the Annual Meeting instead
SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR THIS SUNDAY, February 8, Sunday of the Prodigal Son
Epistle:
Brethren, "all things are lawful for me," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful for me," but I will not be enslaved by anything. ... Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body and in your spirit which belong to God.
- Corinthians 6:12-20
Gospel:
The Lord said this parable: "There was a man who had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the property that falls to me.' And he divided his living between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in loose living. ... But when he came to himself he said, “...I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants.' “...
Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what this meant. And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound.' But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, 'Lo, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf!' And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'"
- Luke 15:11-32
REFLECTION
The elder son in the parable [of the Prodigal Son] is saying these things: "You did not count me worthy of any consolation in all my toils; you never handed over to me for slaughter any of these who were afflicting me. But now you save the prodigal son who never had to toil." This, then, is the entire purpose of the parable, which the Lord told for the sake of the Pharisees who were grumbling the He had accepted sinners. The parable also instructs us that no matter how righteous we may be, we out not to rebuff sinners, nor to grumble when God accepts them. The younger son, therefore, represents the harlots and the publicans, the elder son represents those Pharisees and scribes who consider themselves righteous. It is as if God were saying: "Let us suppose that you are indeed righteous and have not transgressed any commandments; if some others have turned away from wickedness, why do you not accept them as your brothers and fellow laborers?" The Lord instructs such grumblers as these with this parable.
- Blessed Theophylact
The prodigal son, we are told, went to a far country and there spent all that he had. A far country! It is this unique definition of our human condition that we must assume and make ours as we begin our approach to God. A man who has never had that experience, be it only very briefly, who has never felt that he is exiled from God and from real life, will never understand what Christianity is all about. And the one who is perfectly "at home" in this world and its life, who has never been wounded by the nostalgic desire for another Reality, will not understand what is repentance.
-Alexander Schmemann, Great Lent
The human soul is a spirit created by God, and only in God, who has created it in His own image and likeness, can it find contentment and rest, peace, consolation and joy. Once separated from Him, it seeks for satisfaction among created things, and feeds itself on passions, on husks, food for pigs; but finding not its true repose, nor its true satisfaction, it dies at length of hunger. For spiritual food is a necessity to the soul.
- St. Tikhon of Zadonsk
How can a man call God just when he comes across the passage on the prodigal son who wasted his wealth with riotous living, how for the compunction alone which he showed, the father ran and fell upon his neck and gave him authority over all his wealth? (Luke 15:11 ff.). None other but His very Son said these things concerning Him, lest we doubt it; and thus He bore witness concerning Him. Where, then, is God’s justice, for whilst we are sinners Christ died for us! (cf. Romans 5:8). But if here He is merciful, we may believe that He will not change.
- St. Isaac the Syrian, Homily 60.