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.

Apolytikion for the Church in the Fourth Tone

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.

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.

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.

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

Saints and Feasts

May 11

Sunday of the Paralytic

Close to the Sheep's Gate in Jerusalem, there was a pool, which was called the Sheep's Pool. It had round about it five porches, that is, five sets of pillars supporting a domed roof. Under this roof there lay very many sick people with various maladies, awaiting the moving of the water. The first to step in after the troubling of the water was healed immediately of whatever malady he had.

It was there that the paralytic of today's Gospel way lying, tormented by his infirmity of thirty-eight years. When Christ beheld him, He asked him, "Wilt thou be made whole?" And he answered with a quiet and meek voice, "Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool." The Lord said unto him, "Rise, take up thy bed, and walk." And straightaway the man was made whole and took up his bed. Walking in the presence of all, he departed rejoicing to his own house. According to the expounders of the Gospels, the Lord Jesus healed this paralytic during the days of the Passover, when He had gone to Jerusalem for the Feast, and dwelt there teaching and working miracles. According to Saint John the Evangelist, this miracle took place on the Sabbath.

May 11

Hieromartyr Mocius

The holy Hieromartyr Mocius, who was of Roman parents, lived during the reign of Diocletian, and was a priest in Amphipolis of Thrace. One day as the idolaters were assembled, and the Proconsul Laodicius was offering sacrifice to Dionysus, Mocius entered the temple and overturned the altar. After many torments, through which he was preserved whole by grace divine, he was sent to Byzantium, where he was beheaded about the year 288. Saint Constantine the Great built a magnificent church in honour of Saint Mocius in Constantinople, where his holy relics were enshrined. He is one of the Holy Unmercenaries.

May 12

Epiphanios, Bishop of Cyprus

Saint Epiphanius was born about 310 in Besanduc, a village of Palestine, of Jewish parents who were poor and tillers of the soil. In his youth he came to faith in Christ and was baptized with his sister, after which he distributed all he had to the poor and became a monk, being a younger contemporary of Saint Hilarion the Great (see Oct. 21), whom he knew. He also visited the renowned monks of Egypt to learn their ways. Because the fame of his virtue had spread, many in Egypt desired to make him a bishop; when he learned of this, he fled, returning to Palestine. But after a time he learned that the bishops there also intended to consecrate him to a widowed bishopric, and he fled to Cyprus. In Paphos he met Saint Hilarion, who told him to go to Constantia, a city of Cyprus also called Salamis. Epiphanius answered that he preferred to take ship for Gaza, which, despite Saint Hilarion's admonitions, he did. But a contrary wind brought the ship to Constantia where, by the providence of God, Epiphanius fell into the hands of bishops who had come together to elect a successor to the newly-departed Bishop of Constantia, and the venerable Epiphanius was at last constrained to be consecrated, about the year 367. He was fluent in Hebrew, Egyptian, Syriac, Greek, and Latin, and because of this he was called "Five-tongued." He had the gift of working miracles, and was held in such reverence by all, that although he was a known enemy of heresy, he was well nigh the only eminent bishop that the Arians did not dare to drive into exile when the Emperor Valens persecuted the Orthodox about the year 371. Having tended his flock in a manner pleasing to God, and guarded it undefiled from every heresy, he reposed about the year 403, having lived for ninety-three years. Among his sacred writings, the one that is held in special esteem is the Panarion (from the Latin Panarium, that is, "Bread-box,") containing the proofs of the truth of the Faith, and an examination of eighty heresies.

May 15

Pachomios the Great

Saint Pachomius was born of pagan parents in the Upper Thebaid of Egypt. He was conscripted into the Roman army at an early age. While quartered with the other soldiers in the prison in Thebes, Pachomius was astonished at the kindness shown them by the local Christians, who relieved their distress by bringing them food and drink. Upon inquiring who they were, he believed in Christ and vowed that once delivered from the army, he would serve Him all the days of his life. Released from military service, about the year 313, he was baptized, and became a disciple of the hermit Palamon, under whose exacting guidance he increased in virtue and grace, and reached such a height of holiness that "because of the purity of his heart," says his biographer, "he was, as it were, seeing the invisible God as in a mirror." His renown spread far, and so many came to him to be his disciples that he founded nine monasteries in all, filled with many thousands of monks, to whom he gave a rule of life, which became the pattern for all communal monasticism after him. While Saint Anthony the Great is the father of hermits, Saint Pachomius is the founder of the cenobitic life in Egypt; because Pachomius had founded a way of monasticism accessible to so many, Anthony said that he "walks the way of the Apostles." Saint Pachomius fell asleep in the Lord before his contemporaries Anthony and Athanasius the Great, in the year 346. His name in Coptic, Pachom, means "eagle."

Upcoming Schedule

Saturday, May 17

5PM Vespers

Sunday, May 18 - Teacher Appreciation

9AM Orthros

10AM Divine Liturgy

11:30AM Thank you to our Sunday School Teachers

Mom's Group

Men's Group

Pastor's Ponderings

The paralytic man laying helplessly by the pool was unable to move under his own power quickly enough to reach the waters as the stirred. He was stuck. Furthermore, he had no one to move him. In otherwords he was abandoned and alone - bereft of any comfort that friendship and love would have afforded him even with paralysis of the body. The lack of love and friendship is the deeper, more cutting wound he suffered with for so many years. However, our Lord heals him and offers him friendship when, subsequently, he speaks with him in the temple. May we, in our suffering, turn to God, turn to family and friends. May we, when we are well, turn to those in sickness and suffering near us and offer them succor through friendship and walk with them in the paralysis of their pain. Glory to God! Fr. Ephraim

PS. Blesssings and joy to the mothers of our parish family! Through the intercessions of the saints may you know your reward for your sacrifices, caring and love for your children over the years.

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