St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2024-08-04
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

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Fifth Tone

Let us worship the Word, O ye faithful, praising Him that with the Father and the Spirit is co-beginningless God, Who was born of a pure Virgin that we all be saved; for He was pleased to mount the Cross in the flesh that He assumed, accepting thus to endure death. And by His glorious rising, He also willed to resurrect the dead.

لنسبح نحن المؤمنين ونسجد للكلمة المساوي للآب والروح في الأزلية وعدم الابتداء ، المولود من العذراء لخلاصنا . لانه سُر بالجسد ان يعلو على الصليب ويحتمل الموت ، وينهض الموتى بقيامته المجيدة.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Seventh Tone

You were transfigured upon the mount, O Christ our God, and Your disciples, in so far as they could bear, beheld Your glory. Thus, when they see You crucified, they may understand Your voluntary passion, and proclaim to the world that You are truly the effulgence of the Father.
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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Fifth Tone. Psalm 11.7,1.
You, O Lord, shall keep us and preserve us.
Verse: Save me, O Lord, for the godly man has failed.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans 12:6-14.

Brethren, having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; he who teaches, in his teaching; he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who contributes, in liberality; he who gives aid, with zeal; he who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.

البروكيمنون. Fifth Tone. مزمور 11: 7، 1.
أنت يا رب تحفظنا وتخلصنا
Verse: خلصني يا رب فإن البار قد فنيَ

فصل من رسالة القديس بولس الرسول الى اهل رومية 12: 6-14.

يَُّا إِخْوَة، إِذْ لَنَا مَوَاهِبُ مُخْتَلِفَةٌ بِحَسَبِ النِّعْمَةِ الْمُعْطَاةِ لَنَا: أَنُبُوَّةٌ فَبِالنِّسْبَةِ إِلَى الإِيمَانِ أَمْ خِدْمَةٌ فَفِي الْخِدْمَةِ أَمِ الْمُعَلِّمُ فَفِي التَّعْلِيمِ أَمِ الْوَاعِظُ فَفِي الْوَعْظِ الْمُعْطِي فَبِسَخَاءٍ الْمُدَبِّرُ فَبِاجْتِهَادٍ الرَّاحِمُ فَبِسُرُورٍ.اَلْمَحَبَّةُ فَلْتَكُنْ بِلاَ رِيَاءٍ. كُونُوا كَارِهِينَ الشَّرَّ مُلْتَصِقِينَ بِالْخَيْرِ وَادِّينَ بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضاً بِالْمَحَبَّةِ الأَخَوِيَّةِ مُقَدِّمِينَ بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضاً فِي الْكَرَامَةِ غَيْرَ مُتَكَاسِلِينَ فِي الاجْتِهَادِ حَارِّينَ فِي الرُّوحِ عَابِدِينَ الرَّبَّ فَرِحِينَ فِي الرَّجَاءِ صَابِرِينَ فِي الضَِّيْقِ مُواظِبِينَ عَلَى الصَّلاَةِ مُشْتَرِكِينَ فِي احْتِيَاجَاتِ الْقِدِّيسِينَ عَاكِفِينَ عَلَى إِضَافَةِ الْغُرَبَاءِ. بَارِكُوا عَلَى الَّذِينَ يَضْطَهِدُونَكُمْ. بَارِكُوا وَلاَ تَلْعَنُوا.


Gospel Reading

6th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 9:1-8

At that time, getting into a boat Jesus crossed over and came to his own city. And behold, they brought to him a paralytic, lying on his bed; and when Jesus saw their faith he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven." And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, "This man is blaspheming." But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say 'Rise and walk?' But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins" he then said to the paralytic -- "Rise, take up your bed and go home." And he rose and went home. When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.

6th Sunday of Matthew
متى 9: 1-8ِ

1 فَي ذلك الزمان دَخَلَ يسوع  السَّفِينَةَ وَاجْتَازَ وَجَاءَ إِلَى مَدِينَتِهِ. 2وَإِذَا مَفْلُوجٌ يُقَدِّمُونَهُ إِلَيْهِ مَطْرُوحاً عَلَى فِرَاشٍ. فَلَمَّا رَأَى يَسُوعُ إِيمَانَهُمْ قَالَ لِلْمَفْلُوجِ: ((ثِقْ يَا بُنَيَّ. مَغْفُورَةٌ لَكَ خَطَايَاكَ)). 3وَإِذَا قَوْمٌ مِنَ الْكَتَبَةِ قَدْ قَالُوا فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ: ((هَذَا يُجَدِّفُ!)) 4فَعَلِمَ يَسُوعُ أَفْكَارَهُمْ ، فَقَالَ: ((لِمَاذَا تُفَكِّرُونَ بِالشَّرِّ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ؟ 5أَيُّمَا أَيْسَرُ ، أَنْ يُقَالَ: مَغْفُورَةٌ لَكَ خَطَايَاكَ ،أَمْ أَنْ يُقَالَ: قُمْ وَامْشِ؟ 6وَلَكِنْ لِكَيْ تَعْلَمُوا أَنَّ لاِبْنِ الإِنْسَانِ سُلْطَاناً عَلَى الأَرْضِ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ الْخَطَايَا)) . حِينَئِذٍ قَالَ لِلْمَفْلُوجِ: ((قُمِ احْمِلْ فِرَاشَكَ وَاذْهَبْ إِلَى بَيْتِكَ!)) 7فَقَامَ وَمَضَى إِلَى بَيْتِهِ. 8فَلَمَّا رَأَى الْجُمُوعُ تَعَجَّبُوا وَمَجَّدُوا اللَّهَ الَّذِي أَعْطَى النَّاسَ سُلْطَاناً مِثْلَ هَذَا. 

 

 


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Wisdom of the Fathers

Through the toil of prayer and the anguish of your heart commune with those who are grieved at heart, and the Source of mercy will be opened up to your petitions.
St. Isaac of Syria
Unknown, 7th century

The Lord looks with affection on the humble. . .Learn, you who are sick, to gain health through prayer. Should you be diffident because of your grave sins, seek the prayers of others, call upon the Church to pray for you, and in His regard for her, the Lord will give what He could refuse to you.
Saint Ambrose
The Healing of the Paralytic, P. L. 15 (col. 138), Expos., in Toal, IV: 182, 183., Fourth Century

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Saints and Feasts

August 04

Seven Holy Youths of Ephesus

The Seven Youths hid themselves in a certain cave near Ephesus in the year 250, to escape the persecution of Decius. By divine grace, a sleep came upon them and they slept for 184 years, until the reign of Saint Theodosius the Younger, when the doctrine of the resurrection was being assailed by heretics. They then awoke, that is, were resurrected, confirming in the sight of all the bodily resurrection; and again after a short time, by divine command, they reposed in the Lord in the year 434.


August 06

Transfiguration of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

Our Lord had spoken to His disciples many times not only concerning His Passion, Cross, and Death, but also concerning the coming persecutions and afflictions that they themselves would endure. Since all these evils were near at hand, but the enjoyment of good things which they hoped to receive in their stead was yet to come, our Savior desired to give them full assurance, evidently and openly, concerning that glory which is prepared for those who endure to the end. Therefore, fulfilling that which He had promised shortly before, that "there be some standing here which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in His Kingdom" (Matt. 16:28), He took His three foremost disciples and ascended Mount Tabor, where He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as the light. Suddenly, together with this dread and marvelous effulgence of light, there appeared those pinnacles of the Prophets, Moses and Elias, who spoke with the Lord Jesus concerning His saving Passion which was about to take place. Standing before Him as reverent servants, they showed that He is the Lord of both the living and the dead, for Moses came forth from Hades, having died many centuries before, and Elias, as it were from heaven, whither he had been taken up while yet alive. After a little while a radiant cloud overshadowed them and out of the cloud they heard that same voice which had been heard at the Jordan at the Baptism of Christ, testifying to the Divinity of Jesus and saying: "This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well-pleased; hear ye Him" (Matt. 17: 5).

Such are the marvels, truly worthy of God, celebrated in this present feast, which is an image and prefiguring of the future state of the righteous, whose splendor the Lord spoke of, saying: "Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun" (Matt. 13:43). It is because of this that the Kontakion of this Feast is said daily (when there is not a great feast) in the Service of the Typica in perpetual commemoration of the glory that will be the lot of the Saints. According to tradition, the Lord's Transfiguration came to pass forty days before His Crucifixion; this is why the Transfiguration is celebrated forty days before the Exaltation of the Cross.


August 08

Emilian the Confessor & Bishop of Cyzikos

This Saint was one of the illustrious Orthodox Bishops called to Constantinople by the holy Patriarch Nicephorus to defend the veneration of the holy icons against Leo the Armenian (see Mar. 8). Saint Emilian was sent into exile by Leo about the year 815, and gave up his soul to the Lord amidst many afflictions and sufferings for the sake of his confession.


August 10

Laurence the Holy Martyr & Archdeacon of Rome

This Saint, who was born in Spain, was the Archdeacon of the Church of Rome, caring for the sacred vessels of the Church and distributing money to the needy. About the year 257, a harsh persecution was raised up against the Christians by Valerian. Pope Sixtus, who was from Athens, was commanded to worship the idols, and refused; before his martyrdom by beheading, he committed to Laurence all the sacred vessels of the Church. When Laurence was arrested and brought before the Prefect, he was questioned concerning the treasures of the Church; he asked for three days' time to prepare them. He then proceeded to gather all the poor and needy, and presented them to the Prefect and said, "Behold the treasures of the Church." The Prefect became enraged at this and gave command that Laurence be racked, then scourged with scorpions (a whip furnished with sharp iron points - compare II Chron. 10:11), then stretched out on a red-hot iron grill. But the courageous athlete of Christ endured without groaning. After he had been burned on one side, he said, "My body is done on one side; turn me over on the other." And when this had taken place, the Martyr said to the tyrants, "My flesh is now well done, you may taste of it." And when he had said this, and had prayed for his slayers in imitation of Christ, he gave up his spirit on August 10, 258.


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Upcoming Schedule

Satuday, August 10

No Vespers

Sunday, August 11

9am Othros

10am Divine Litrugy

11:30am Memorial Prayers

Wednesday, August 14

6pm Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy

 

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Pastor's Ponderings

In today's Epistle reading St. Paul writing to the church at Rome lays out a template for Christians to follow in their particular parish family. In many ways the passage is an encapsulation of the Sermon on the Mount. May we become by God's grace and our conscious commitment and actions more and more reflective of the ideal expression of the Body of Christ. Glory to God! Fr. Ephraim 

 

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