St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2024-05-26
Bulletin Contents

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St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (978) 685-4052
  • Street Address:

  • 8 Lowell Street

  • Lawrence, MA 01840-1416
  • Mailing Address:

  • PO Box 10

  • Methuen, MA 01844


Contact Information




Services Schedule

5 PM Saturdays - Vespers

9 AM Sundays - Orthros

10 AM Sundays - Divine Liturgy

Sunday School (Sept-May) following Holy Communion


Past Bulletins


Hymns of the Day

Apolytikion of Great and Holy Pascha in the Fifth Tone

Christ is risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs He has granted life.

المسيح قام من بين الأموات ووطئ الموت بالموت ووهب الحياة للذين في القبور.

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Third Tone

Let the Heavens rejoice; let earthly things be glad; for the Lord hath wrought might with His arm, He hath trampled upon death by death. The first-born of the dead hath He become. From the belly of Hades hath He delivered us, and hath granted great mercy to the world.

لتفرح السماويات وتبتهج الارضيات ، لأن الرب صنع عزاً بساعده ، ووطئ الموت بالموت، وصار بكرالاموات ، وأنقذنا من جوف الجحيم، ومنح العالم الرحمة العظمى.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Eighth Tone

Though You went down into the tomb, You destroyed Hades' power, and You rose the victor, Christ God, saying to the myrrh-bearing women, "Hail!" and granting peace to Your disciples, You who raise up the fallen.
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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Third Tone. Psalm 46.6,1.
Sing praises to our God, sing praises.
Verse: Clap your hands, all you nations.

The reading is from Acts of the Apostles 9:32-42.

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.

البروكيمنون. Third Tone. مزمور 46: 6، 1.
سبحوا لإلهنا سبحوا
Verse: صَفِّقوا بِالأكُفِّ يا كُلَ الشُّعوبِ

فصل من أعمال الرسل 9: 32-42.

32 في تِلْكَ الأَيَّامِ حَدَثَ أَنَّ بُطْرُسَ وَهُوَ يَجْتَازُ بِالْجَمِيعِ نَزَلَ أَيْضاً إِلَى الْقِدِّيسِينَ السَّاكِنِينَ فِي لُدَّةَ 33فَوَجَدَ هُنَاكَ إِنْسَاناً اسْمُهُ إِينِيَاسُ مُضْطَجِعاً عَلَى سَرِيرٍ مُنْذُ ثَمَانِي سِنِينَ وَكَانَ مَفْلُوجاً. 34فَقَالَ لَهُ بُطْرُسُ: ((يَا إِينِيَاسُ يَشْفِيكَ يَسُوعُ الْمَسِيحُ. قُمْ وَافْرُشْ لِنَفْسِكَ)). فَقَامَ لِلْوَقْتِ. 35وَرَآهُ جَمِيعُ السَّاكِنِينَ فِي لُدَّةَ وَسَارُونَ الَّذِينَ رَجَعُوا إِلَى الرَّبِّ.36وَكَانَ فِي يَافَا تِلْمِيذَةٌ اسْمُهَا طَابِيثَا الَّذِي تَرْجَمَتُهُ غَزَالَةُ. هَذِهِ كَانَتْ مُمْتَلِئَةً أَعْمَالاً صَالِحَةً وَإِحْسَانَاتٍ كَانَتْ تَعْمَلُهَا. 37وَحَدَثَ فِي تِلْكَ الأَيَّامِ أَنَّهَا مَرِضَتْ وَمَاتَتْ فَغَسَّلُوهَا وَوَضَعُوهَا فِي عِلِّيَّةٍ. 38وَإِذْ كَانَتْ لُدَّةُ قَرِيبَةً مِنْ يَافَا وَسَمِعَ التَّلاَمِيذُ أَنَّ بُطْرُسَ فِيهَا أَرْسَلُوا رَجُلَيْنِ يَطْلُبَانِ إِلَيْهِ أَنْ لاَ يَتَوَانَى عَنْ أَنْ يَجْتَازَ إِلَيْهِمْ. 39فَقَامَ بُطْرُسُ وَجَاءَ مَعَهُمَا. فَلَمَّا وَصَلَ صَعِدُوا بِهِ إِلَى الْعِلِّيَّةِ فَوَقَفَتْ لَدَيْهِ جَمِيعُ الأَرَامِلِ يَبْكِينَ وَيُرِينَ أَقْمِصَةً وَثِيَاباً مِمَّا كَانَتْ تَعْمَلُ غَزَالَةُ وَهِيَ مَعَهُنَّ. 40فَأَخْرَجَ بُطْرُسُ الْجَمِيعَ خَارِجاً وَجَثَا عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ وَصَلَّى ثُمَّ الْتَفَتَ إِلَى الْجَسَدِ وَقَالَ: ((يَا طَابِيثَا قُومِي!)) فَفَتَحَتْ عَيْنَيْهَا. وَلَمَّا أَبْصَرَتْ بُطْرُسَ جَلَسَتْ ، 41فَنَاوَلَهَا يَدَهُ وَأَقَامَهَا. ثُمَّ نَادَى الْقِدِّيسِينَ وَالأَرَامِلَ وَأَحْضَرَهَا حَيَّةً. 42فَصَارَ ذَلِكَ مَعْلُوماً فِي يَافَا كُلِّهَا ، فَآمَنَ كَثِيرُونَ بِالرَّبِّ. 43وَمَكَثَ أَيَّاماً كَثِيرَةً فِي يَافَا عِنْدَ سِمْعَانَ رَجُلٍ دَبَّاغٍ. 

 

 


Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Paralytic
The Reading is from John 5:1-15

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.

Sunday of the Paralytic
يوحنا 5: 1-15

في ذلك الزمان1 صَعِدَ يَسُوعُ إِلَى أُورُشَلِيمَ.2 وَفِي أُورُشَلِيمَ عِنْدَ بَابِ الضَّأْنِ بِرْكَةٌ يُقَالُ لَهَا بِالْعِبْرَانِيَّةِ «بَيْتُ حِسْدَا» لَهَا خَمْسَةُ أَرْوِقَةٍ.3 فِي هَذِهِ كَانَ مُضْطَجِعاً جُمْهُورٌ كَثِيرٌ مِنْ مَرْضَى وَعُمْيٍ وَعُرْجٍ وَعُسْمٍ يَتَوَقَّعُونَ تَحْرِيكَ الْمَاءِ. 4 لأَنَّ ملاَكاً كَانَ يَنْزِلُ أَحْيَاناً فِي الْبِرْكَةِ وَيُحَرِّكُ الْمَاءَ. فَمَنْ نَزَلَ أَوَّلاً بَعْدَ تَحْرِيكِ الْمَاءِ كَانَ يَبْرَأُ مِنْ أَيِّ مَرَضٍ اعْتَرَاهُ.5 وَكَانَ هُنَاكَ إِنْسَانٌ بِهِ مَرَضٌ مُنْذُ ثَمَانٍ وَثلاَثِينَ سَنَةً.6 هَذَا رَآهُ يَسُوعُ مُضْطَجِعاً وَعَلِمَ أَنَّ لَهُ زَمَاناً كَثِيراً فَقَالَ لَهُ: «أَتُرِيدُ أَنْ تَبْرَأَ؟»7 أَجَابَهُ الْمَرِيضُ: «يَا سَيِّدُ لَيْسَ لِي إِنْسَانٌ يُلْقِينِي فِي الْبِرْكَةِ مَتَى تَحَرَّكَ الْمَاءُ. بَلْ بَيْنَمَا أَنَا آتٍ يَنْزِلُ قُدَّامِي آخَرُ».8 قَالَ لَهُ يَسُوعُ: «قُمِ. احْمِلْ سَرِيرَكَ وَامْشِ». 9 فَحَالاً بَرِئَ الإِنْسَانُ وَحَمَلَ سَرِيرَهُ وَمَشَى. وَكَانَ فِي ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ سَبْتٌ. 10 فَقَالَ الْيَهُودُ لِلَّذِي شُفِيَ: «إِنَّهُ سَبْتٌ! لاَ يَحِلُّ لَكَ أَنْ تَحْمِلَ سَرِيرَكَ».11 أَجَابَهُمْ: «إِنَّ الَّذِي أَبْرَأَنِي هُوَ قَالَ لِي احْمِلْ سَرِيرَكَ وَامْشِ».12 فَسَأَلُوهُ: «مَنْ هُوَ الإِنْسَانُ الَّذِي قَالَ لَكَ احْمِلْ سَرِيرَكَ وَامْشِ؟».13 أَمَّا الَّذِي شُفِيَ فَلَمْ يَكُنْ يَعْلَمُ مَنْ هُوَ لأَنَّ يَسُوعَ اعْتَزَلَ إِذْ كَانَ فِي الْمَوْضِعِ جَمْعٌ.14 بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ وَجَدَهُ يَسُوعُ فِي الْهَيْكَلِ وَقَالَ لَهُ: «هَا أَنْتَ قَدْ بَرِئْتَ فلاَ تُخْطِئْ أَيْضاً لِئَلَّا يَكُونَ لَكَ أَشَرُّ». 15 فَمَضَى الإِنْسَانُ وَأَخْبَرَ الْيَهُودَ أَنَّ يَسُوعَ هُوَ الَّذِي أَبْرَأَهُ.

 

 


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Wisdom of the Fathers

In that case [Matt 9:2] there was remission of sins, (for He said, "Thy sins be forgiven thee,") but in this, warning and threats to strengthen the man for the future; "Sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto you."
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 37 on John 1, 4th Century

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Saints and Feasts

May 29

Theodosia the Virgin-martyr of Tyre

The holy Virgin Martyr Theodosia was born in Tyre of Phoenicia. At the age of eighteen she was seized in Caesarea of Palestine during a persecution and was brought before Urban the ruler. Because she refused to offer sacrifice to the idols, her sides and breasts were mercilessly scraped even to the inward parts and bones. She endured this in silence with astonishing courage. When Urban again asked her to sacrifice, she mocked him, and after being tormented even more horribly than before, she was cast into the sea in the year 308.


May 30

Isaakios, Founder of the Monastery of Dalmatos

The righteous Isaacius was from Syria and came to Constantinople in 374, excelled in the monastic life, and departed to the Lord in 396. According to tradition, his monastery was built by Dalmatus the Patrician, a nephew of Saint Constantine the Great. But many say that the monastery was founded by Saint Isaacius, and afterwards took the name of the Abbot Dalmatus who succeeded Saint Isaacius (see Aug. 3 for an account of the life of Saints Isaacius and Dalmatus). Yet others maintain that it received its name from both of these, and that is why its name in Greek is in the plural. According to Zonaras, the Iconoclast Emperor Constantine Copronymus later turned this monastery into a barracks: "And as for the Monastery called Palmatus, which is ancient and the oldest of all those in Constantinople, after he had expelled the monks, [the Emperor] made it a barracks for soldiers" (Chronicle, XV, 8). The Third Ecumenical Council raised its abbot to the rank of archimandrite and exarch of the prominent monasteries of the imperial city. The famous Cathedral of Saint Isaac in Saint Petersburg is dedicated to this Saint.


June 01

Justin the Philosopher and Martyr and his Companions

This Saint, who was from Neapolis of Palestine, was a follower of Plato the philosopher. Born in 103, he came to the Faith of Christ when he was already a mature man, seeking to find God through philosophy and human reasoning. A venerable elder appeared to him and spoke to him about the Prophets who had taught of God not through their own wisdom, but by revelation; and he led him to knowledge of Christ, Who is the fulfillment of what the Prophets taught. Saint Justin soon became a fervent follower of Christ, and an illustrious apologist of the Evangelical teachings. To the end of his life, while preaching Christ in all parts, he never put off his philosopher's garb. In Rome, he gave the Emperor Antoninus Pius (reigned 138-161) an apology wherein he proved the innocence and holiness of the Christian Faith, persuading him to relieve the persecution of Christians. Through the machinations of Crescens, a Cynic philosopher who envied him, Saint Justin was beheaded in Rome in 167 under Antoninus' successor, Marcus Aurelius (reigned 161-180). Besides his defense of Christianity (First and Second Apologies), Saint Justin wrote against paganism (Discourse to the Greeks, Hortatory Address to the Greeks), and refuted Jewish objections against Christ (Dialogue with Trypho).


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Upcoming Schedule

Monday, May 27
 
10am Funeral Service Prayers at United Lebenese Cemetery
 
Saturday, June 1
No Vespers
 
Sunday, June 2
9am Orthros
10:00am Divine Litrugy
11:30am Sunday School Ceremony
 
Looking ahead...
 
Parish Life Conference June 21-23 in Plymouth, MA.
See https://www.antiochianevents.com/wor_schedule for detials.
 
 
 
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Pastor's Ponderings

In the Paschal Prayers during the season of Pascha we hear: "Let us believers speak of divine things, of the secret of Thine inscrutable Crucifixion, of Thine ineffable Resurrection; for today have death and Hades been led captive, and the race of man hath been invested with incorruption. Therefore, do we cry in gratitude, Glory to Thy Resurrection, O Christ." 

The wonder of the Resurrection and the conquering of death by our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ is the anchor of our faith - a faith filled with hope and animated by love. When it can seem God is absent (think of the paralytic waiting 38 years!) our faith in the Risen Lord carry us through the trials of this life. May we always give God thanks for this gift of faith and seek in turn to share the unbounded joy of knowing God's abundant mercy. Amen. Glory to God! Fr. Ephraim

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Memorials, Celebrations and Happenings

Tomorrown, Memorial Day, we will offer the Funeral Service prayes with our brother and sister Catholics at the United Lebanese Cemetery. For all our beloved dead, and especially those who gave their lives in service of defending our nation, that their memory be eternal.

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