4 PM Saturdays - Confessions or schedule with Father Ephraim
5 PM Saturdays - Vespers
9 AM Sundays - Orthros
10 AM Sundays - Divine Liturgy
Sunday School (Sept-May) following Holy Communion
ان تلميذات الرب تعلمن من الملاك كرز القيامة البهج وطرحن القضية الجدّية وخاطبن الرسل مفتخرات وقائلات : قد سبي الموت وقام المسيح الاله مانحاً العالم الرحمة العظمى.
شهداؤك يارب بجهادهم، نالوا منك الإكاليل غير البالي ياإلهنا، لأنهم احرزوا قوتك فحطموا المغتصبين، وسحقوا بأس الشياطين التي لاقوة لها، فبتوسلاتهم أيها المسيح الإله خلص نفوسنا.
As the deliverer of captives and defender of the poor, healer of the infirm and champion of kings, victorious great martyr George intercede with Christ our God for our souls salvation.
يا شَفيعَةَ المَسيحيينَ غَيْرَ الخازِيَة، الوَسيطَةَ لَدَى الخالِقِ غَيْرَ المَرْدُودة، لا تُعْرِضِي عَنْ أصْواتِ طَلِبَاتِنا نحْنُ الخَطَأَة، بَلْ تَدارَكينا بالمَعونَةِ بِما أنَّكِ صالِحَة، نحْنُ الصارِخِينَ إليْكِ بإيمانٍ: بادِرِي إلَى الشَفاعَةِ وأسْرِعِي في الطِلْبَةِ، يا والِدَةَ الإلَه، المُتَشَفِّعَةَ دائِمًا بِمُكَرِّمِيكِ.
Prokeimenon. Fourth Tone. Psalm 103.24,1.
O Lord, how manifold are your works. You have made all things in wisdom.
Verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul.
The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians 2:16-20.
Brethren, knowing that a man is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the law, because by works of the law shall no one be justified. But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we ourselves were found to be sinners, is Christ then an agent of sin? Certainly not! But if I build up again those things which I tore down, then I prove myself a transgressor. For I through the law died to the law, that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
البروكيمنون. Fourth Tone. مزمور 103:1، 24.
ما أعظم أعمالك يا رب صنعتها كلها بالحكمة
Verse: باركي يا نفسي الرب
فصل من رسالة بولس الاولى الى غلاطية 2: 16-20.
يَُّا إِخْوَة، نَعْلَمُ أَنَّ الإِنْسَانَ لاَ يَتَبَرَّرُ بِأَعْمَالِ النَّامُوسِ، بَلْ بِإِيمَانِ يَسُوعَ الْمَسِيحِ، آمَنَّا نَحْنُ أَيْضاً بِيَسُوعَ الْمَسِيحِ، لِنَتَبَرَّرَ بِإِيمَانِ يَسُوعَ لاَ بِأَعْمَالِ النَّامُوسِ. لأَنَّهُ بِأَعْمَالِ النَّامُوسِ لاَ يَتَبَرَّرُ جَسَدٌ مَا. فَإِنْ كُنَّا وَنَحْنُ طَالِبُونَ أَنْ نَتَبَرَّرَ فِي الْمَسِيحِ نُوجَدُ نَحْنُ أَنْفُسُنَا أَيْضاً خُطَاةً، أَفَالْمَسِيحُ خَادِمٌ لِلْخَطِيَّةِ؟ حَاشَا! فَإِنِّي إِنْ كُنْتُ أَبْنِي أَيْضاً هَذَا الَّذِي قَدْ هَدَمْتُهُ، فَإِنِّي أُظْهِرُ نَفْسِي مُتَعَدِّياً. لأَنِّي مُتُّ بِالنَّامُوسِ لِلنَّامُوسِ لأَحْيَا لِلَّهِ.مَعَ الْمَسِيحِ صُلِبْتُ، فَأَحْيَا لاَ أَنَا بَلِ الْمَسِيحُ يَحْيَا فِيَّ. فَمَا أَحْيَاهُ الآنَ فِي الْجَسَدِ فَإِنَّمَا أَحْيَاهُ فِي الإِيمَانِ، إِيمَانِ ابْنِ اللهِ، الَّذِي أَحَبَّنِي وَأَسْلَمَ نَفْسَهُ لأَجْلِي.
6th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 8:26-39
At that time, as Jesus arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, there met him a man from the city who had demons; for a long time he had worn no clothes and he lived not in a house but among the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him, and said with a loud voice, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beseech you, do not torment me." For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him; he was kept under guard, and bound with chains and fetters, but he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the desert.) Jesus then asked him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Legion"; for many demons had entered him. And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside; and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them leave. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. When the herdsmen saw what happened, they fled, and told it in the city and in the country. Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. And those who had seen it told them how he who had been possessed with demons was healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gadarenes asked him to depart from them; for they were seized with great fear; so he got into the boat and returned. The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but he sent him away, saying, "Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you." And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.
26 في ذلك الزمان أتى يسوع إِلَى كُورَةِ الْجَدَرِيِّينَ الَّتِي هِيَ مُقَابِلَ الْجَلِيلِ. 27وَلَمَّا خَرَجَ إِلَى الأَرْضِ اسْتَقْبَلَهُ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ كَانَ فِيهِ شَيَاطِينُ مُنْذُ زَمَانٍ طَوِيلٍ ، وَكَانَ لاَ يَلْبَسُ ثَوْباً ، وَلاَ يُقِيمُ فِي بَيْتٍ ، بَلْ فِي الْقُبُورِ. 28فَلَمَّا رَأَى يَسُوعَ صَرَخَ وَخَرَّ لَهُ ، وَقَالَ بِصَوْتٍ عَظِيمٍ: ((مَا لِي وَلَكَ يَا يَسُوعُ ابْنَ اللهِ الْعَلِيِّ! أَطْلُبُ مِنْكَ أَنْ لاَ تُعَذِّبَنِي !)). 29لأَنَّهُ أَمَرَ الرُّوحَ النَّجِسَ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ مِنَ الإِنْسَانِ. لأَنَّهُ مُنْذُ زَمَانٍ كَثِيرٍ كَانَ يَخْطَفُهُ ، وَقَدْ رُبِطَ بِسَلاَسِلٍ وَقُيُودٍ مَحْرُوساً ، وَكَانَ يَقْطَعُ الرُّبُطَ وَيُسَاقُ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ إِلَى الْبَرَارِي. 30فَسَأَلَهُ يَسُوعُ قَائِلاً : ((مَا اسْمُكَ؟)) فَقَالَ: ((لَجِئُونُ)). لأَنَّ شَيَاطِينَ كَثِيرَةً دَخَلَتْ فِيهِ.31وَطَلَبَ إِلَيْهِ أَنْ لاَ يَأْمُرَهُمْ بِالذَّهَابِ إِلَى الْهَاوِيَةِ. 32وَكَانَ هُنَاكَ قَطِيعُ خَنَازِيرَ كَثِيرَةٍ تَرْعَى فِي الْجَبَلِ ، فَطَلَبُوا إِلَيْهِ أَنْ يَأْذَنَ لَهُمْ بِالدُّخُولِ فِيهَا ، فَأَذِنَ لَهُمْ. 33فَخَرَجَتِ الشَّيَاطِينُ مِنَ الإِنْسَانِ وَدَخَلَتْ فِي الْخَنَازِيرِ ، فَانْدَفَعَ الْقَطِيعُ مِنْ عَلَى الْجُرُفِ إِلَى الْبُحَيْرَةِ وَاخْتَنَقَ. 34فَلَمَّا رَأَى الرُّعَاةُ مَا كَانَ هَرَبُوا وَذَهَبُوا وَأَخْبَرُوا فِي الْمَدِينَةِ وَفِي الضِّيَاعِ ، 35فَخَرَجُوا لِيَرَوْا مَا جَرَى. وَجَاءُوا إِلَى يَسُوعَ فَوَجَدُوا الإِنْسَانَ الَّذِي كَانَتِ الشَّيَاطِينُ قَدْ خَرَجَتْ مِنْهُ لاَبِساً وَعَاقِلاً،جَالِساً عِنْدَ قَدَمَيْ يَسُوعَ ، فَخَافُوا. 36فَأَخْبَرَهُمْ أَيْضاً الَّذِينَ رَأَوْا كَيْفَ خَلَصَ الْمَجْنُونُ. 37فَطَلَبَ إِلَيْهِ كُلُّ جُمْهُورِ كُورَةِ الْجَدَرِيِّينَ أَنْ يَذْهَبَ عَنْهُمْ : لأَنَّهُ اعْتَرَاهُمْ خَوْفٌ عَظِيمٌ. فَدَخَلَ السَّفِينَةَ وَرَجَعَ. 38أَمَّا الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي خَرَجَتْ مِنْهُ الشَّيَاطِينُ فَطَلَبَ إِلَيْهِ أَنْ يَكُونَ مَعَهُ ، وَلَكِنَّ يَسُوعَ صَرَفَهُ قَائِلاً: 39((ارْجِعْ إِلَى بَيْتِكَ وَحَدِّثْ بِكَمْ صَنَعَ اللهُ بِكَ)).
Saturday, October 31 - VIsit of Metropolitan Saba (St. George in West Roxbury)
3:00PM Great Vespers
Sunday, November 1 - 5th Sunday of St. Luke (Ss. Cosmas and Damian)
9AM Orthros
10AM Divine Liturgy
11:30AM Chanter Workshop
12:00PM Chess Club
Food Sale was awesome. So many volunteers, beautiful weather and a fun time. We raised over $2000 after expenses! Thank you to the following: Mays, Nisrene, Kristen, Ane, Nancy, Silva, Ramza, Pres. Rheanna, Charbel, Jaime, Naomi, David, Mireille, Souad, Ian, Rachel, Evan, Darryl, Christopher, Mary, Michael, Joseph, Inaam, Rich, Jack, Luis, George, Fr. Ephraim, Jameson, Layla, JanCarlos, Cooper, Shane, Vivian, Stephen and Bob.
Thank you to Cedar's Mediterrianean Foods who donated a large amount of the ingredients included the bread and hummus.
Communion Wine Donation
Thank you to Toni Orefice who donated a large case of communion wine. She has been doing this for years.
Catechism Class Began This Past Week!
Are you curious about the Orthodox Christian faith? Join us as we explore Scripture, worship, prayer, and the teachings of the Church in a welcoming and open setting. Whether you come from another Christian tradition, another faith, or no religious background, you are warmly invited to attend.
Bring your questions, invite a friend or family member, and come as you are. This is an opportunity to learn more about Orthodoxy, listen, and discover the life of the Church. Speak with Gregory Soloviev or Father Ephraim to sign up for this class.
“It is God’s to grant grace, but yours to receive and guard it.”
— St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 1, §4
In today’s Epistle, the Holy Apostle Paul proclaims, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). These sacred words reveal the very essence of Orthodox Christian stewardship: the offering of our entire life to God in thanksgiving, love, and communion with Him.
As Orthodox Christians, we understand that all we possess is a gift from God. Our time, talents, material blessings, and even our very breath belong ultimately to Him. We are not owners, but stewards of His creation, called to offer back to God what He has first entrusted to us.
St. Paul reminds us that we are not justified by the works of the Law, but through faith in Jesus Christ. Our stewardship, therefore, is not a means of purchasing God’s favor or earning salvation. Rather, it is the living expression of faith working through love, a response to the boundless mercy of Christ, who loved us and gave Himself for us.
In the life of the Orthodox Church, this offering finds its fullest expression in the Divine Liturgy, when we proclaim, “Thine own of Thine own we offer unto Thee, on behalf of all and for all.” Just as we offer bread and wine to God, we are called to offer our whole lives—our prayers, our labor, our generosity, and our service—so that, through His grace, they may be sanctified.
True stewardship is thus part of our journey toward theosis, our participation in the divine life by grace. As we surrender our self-centered desires and grow in sacrificial love, Christ increasingly becomes the center of all that we are and all that we do.
The measure of our stewardship is not simply what we give to the Church, but how completely we offer ourselves to Christ. For when Christ truly lives in us, our entire life becomes an offering of thanksgiving to God.
These Martyrs were disciples of Saint Paul the Confessor (see Nov. 6). Martyrius was a subdeacon, Marcian a chanter and reader. They were beheaded by the Arians in the year 346. Miracles were wrought at their tomb, and demons were cast out; Saint John Chrysostom began the building of the church in their honour in Constantinople, and it was completed by patriarch Sisinius.
The Feast of the Protection commemorates the appearance of the most holy Theotokos in the Church of Blachernae in Constantinople in the tenth century, as recorded in the life of Saint Andrew the Fool for Christ's sake. While the multitudes of the faithful were gathered in church, Epiphanius, the friend of Saint Andrew, through the Saint's prayers, beheld the Virgin Mary above the faithful and spreading out her veil over them, signifying her unceasing protection of all Christians. Because of this we keep a yearly feast of gratitude, imploring our Lady never to cease sheltering us in her mighty prayers.
Saint Steven passed his life in ascetical discipline in the Monastery of Saint Sabbas, from whence also he received the name Sabbaite. He was consecrated bishop and reposed about the year 790, bequeathing to the Church a number of melismatic troparia.
Our Righteous Father Abramius, born in Edessa in Mesopotamia in 296, took up the monastic life and brought many pagans to Christ. Mary, his niece, upon the death of her parents, joined Abramius at his hermitage and under his guidance advanced swiftly in the love of God. Through the wiles of the evil one, however, she fell into sin, and falling from them into despair, she left her uncle and became a harlot. When he learned where his niece was, Abramius put on the clothes of a man of the world and went to visit her in disguise. Through his exhortations, Mary returned to her first hope in the mercy of God, was rescued from the life of harlotry, and ended her life in great holiness. He himself reposed in the year 366. Saints Abramius and Mary were friends of Saint Ephraim the Syrian, and it was he who wrote their account.
Yesterday at the Food Sale it was such a joy to connect with some many people and to see everyone together as a community. Caring for one another and building up the Body of Christ is a mission that each of shares. The demons of division, despondency, confusion and the like are legion in our day. Whether worshipping, serving together for a fundraiser, visiting at coffee hour, offering hospitality to those who visit our small family of St. George we experience Christ in our midst. Then the chains that bind us and those around us are loosed and we are in our right minds: minds illuminated by the uncreated light of God. Not unlike the man set free from the legion of demons we hear about in this Sunday's Gospel, Jesus sends us to proclaim the Good News not in a distant land, but here on 8 Lowell Street, within our families and to our friends and acquaintances. This is our mssion today. Glory to God! Fr. Ephraim
Important News Flash!
His Eminence Metropolitan Saba will visit our Diocese from October 31 to November 1 accompanied by Mother Makrina, Abbess of the Monastery of Our Lady of Blemana (Syria); Sister Zena, a nun from her monastery; Archimandrite Parthenios Allatty, Secretary to His Beatitude Patriarch John X; and Archdeacon Hilarion Beshara, Archdeacon of the Patriarchate.
Mother Makrina is visiting the United States to help us establish a convent at the Antiochian Village. His Eminence has asked our clergy and members of our Diocesan organizations to gather with him and Mother Makrina on Saturday, October 31 beginning with brunch at 12:00 PM at St. George Church in West Roxbury.
This is an important step toward establishing a monastic presence in our Archdiocese. Please spread the word in your communities and encourage everyone to attend.
Here is the schedule open to all:
Saturday, October 31 at St. George Church (55 Emmonsdale Road, West Roxbury, MA)
12:00 PM — Brunch - All clergy, youth, young adults, Antiochian Women, and Antiochian Men are invited.
3:00 PM — Great Vespers