St. George Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2023-08-06
Bulletin Contents
Announcements
Saints and Feasts
Hymns of the Day
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Wisdom of the Fathers
Flyers

Organization Icon
St. George Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (973) 779-2626
  • Fax:
  • (973) 777-6946
  • Street Address:

  • 818 Valley Road

  • Clifton, NJ 07013

Contact Information

Proistamenos: Fr. Peter G. Souritzidis


[email protected] | 973.650.9717

Office Administrator: Angela Delaney


[email protected] | 973.779.2626

Services Schedule

ORTHROS/MATINS 8:30AM

DIVINE LITURGY 9:30AM

Past Bulletins


Announcements

ORTHROS BEGINS AT 8:30AM & THE DIVINE LITURGY BEGINS AT 9:30AM 

Website Links:  Visit the church's website at www.stgeorgeclifton.org for our online streaming links.  

To find the prayers for each service and to follow along, visit the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America’s Digital Chant Stand at https://digitalchantstand.goarch.org.  

To light a candle or make a donation follow this link https://st-george-greek-orthodox-churchand-the-shrine-of-st-nectarios.square.site/  

 

WE WELCOME EVERYONE TO OUR CHURCH COMMUNITY! 

We are pleased that you have joined us for prayer and worship. Please join us after the Divine Services in our Downstairs Hall for our Hospitality Hour. 

Liturgical Schedule: 

Monday, August 7th – Paraklesis……………………………………………7:00PM

Wednesday, August 9th – Paraklesis………………………………………12:00PM

Friday, August 11th – Paraklesis…………………………………………….7:00PM

Monday, August 14th – Great Vespers at Kimisis Tis Theotokou in Holmdel, NJ………7:00PM

Tuesday, August 15th – Kimisis Tis Theotokou…………………Orthros & Div. Lit. 8:30AM

Friday, September 1st – Ecclesiastical New Year…………Orthros & Divine Liturgy 8:30AM

Friday, September, 8th – The Nativity of the Theotokos………….Orthros & Divine Lit. 8:30AM

Thursday, September 14th – Elevation of the Venerable & Life-Giving Cross.……Orthros & Div. Lit. 8:30AM

Special Prayers During Church Services:

Requests for Memorial Services, Artoclasias, 40-day baby blessings, Fanouropites, etc. are welcomed. We ask that you please let the office know ahead of time so that we can include your special service in the Sunday bulletin. 

FOLLOW THE LIGHT:

Please direct your attention to the tiny electric votive light directly above the Holy Altar Gate. It is located right above the icon of the Last Supper. When the light is on – please stand. When the light is off – you may sit. 

Hosting of Summer Coffee Hour: 

During the months of July and August we can all share the responsibility of bringing food for our coffee hour. Please bring pastries, cookies, fruit, etc. to church with you from time to time to add to our coffee hour table. Or, arrange to host a coffee hour by contacting the church office. Additionally, our coffee hour will take place in the downstairs hall during the summer months. Thanking you in advance for your participation this summer. 

Mark Your Calendar:

Saturday, August 19th…………….NNJYAL Panigiri – 7:00pm – 11:00pm at White Chapel Projects, 15 2nd Ave., Long Branch, NJ

Tuesday, September 12th ……….Greek School classes begin

September 15 ,16, 17 - Rummage Sale. Please bring your donated items AFTER Sept.10th.

Saturday, September 16th – Enthronement of His Eminence Metropolitan Apostolos of NJ at the Cathedral of St. John the Theologian in Tenafly

Sunday, September 17th – His Eminence Metropolitan Apostolos of NJ celebrates his first Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of St. John the Theologian in Tenafly

Wednesday, September 20th ………Orthodox Life Institute meets in person – 7:00pm

Saturday, September 23rd – Blessing of the Animals 10:45 am after the Divine Liturgy

Sunday, September 24th ………Metropolis of NJ Holy Cross Celebration

Sunday, October 1st……………..Memorial Service for all deceased Parish Council members

Saturday, November 4th…………Beefsteak Fundraiser 

Greek School Registration:

Classes begin on Tuesday, September 12, 2023 with an Agiasmo blessing at 4:00pm. For registration forms, please call the church office at 973-779-2626 and provide your email address or email the school at [email protected]. There will be a $50 discount per family to all registration forms submitted by 8/11/2023.

The NNJYAL is having a Panigiri:

YAL is a Ministry of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America that focuses on Greek Orthodox Young Adults ages 18-35. The Northern NJ Young Adult League (YAL) Invites you to our Panigiri on Saturday August 19th at White Chapel Projects in Long Branch, NJ. Each ticket includes a dinner buffet, cash bar and music by DJ Kon. To purchase a ticket, please visit: https://nnjyalpanigiri.eventbrite.com. Follow @nnjyal on Instagram for updates and event announcements. 

Bring Your Pets and Animals to Receive God’s Many Blessings: 

On Saturday, September 23rd at 10:45am, we will have the service of the blessing of the animals. Our Church believes it is the responsibility of human beings to love, honor and care for God’s earth and every creature in it. For this reason, the church sets aside time to bless our pets which have brought so much joy and happiness and have adorned our lives and the earth. The service will take place on the front stairs of the church and involves the reading of Scripture, prayers and the traditional sprinkling with Holy Water.

Feast Day Flower and Icon Donations:

During the Ecclesiastical year, our Church comes alive with many Liturgical services. It is customary in our faith to decorate icons used during special Feast Day services with flowers. We encourage our parishioners to offer this special donation as a unique and appropriate way to remember departed friends and relatives, as well as an expression of love on behalf of their family and prayers for their loved ones. Donations are now being accepted for the following Feast Day celebrations:
• August 6 – Transfiguration of our Lord $150
• August 15 – Kimisis Tis Theotokou $150
• September 14 – Elevation of the Holy Cross $150
• November 9 – St. Nectarios the Wonderworker $500 

Stewardship:

We invite you and your family to participate in our spiritual, outreach, social and youth ministries. The Church is here for you and your family to proclaim the Orthodox Faith and make our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and His Church the center of your family’s life!  We invite all those who have offered an annual gift in the past to try and maintain or even increase their contribution this year. For those that have never given an annual gift, we need your help. We understand that philanthropy is something very personal. Each person is invited to give according to their ability. If you are able, please consider joining one of the following giving levels this year: ($5,000 or more – Grand Benefactors, $2500-$4,999 – Benefactors, $1,000-$2,499 – House of Stewards, $800-$999- Patrons). Of course, whatever you decide to give please know that you have our utmost gratitude and appreciation, and please know our Church is here to serve your each and every need. The important thing to keep in mind is that we need everyone to do something. Sincere thanks to those who have already made their Stewardship Commitment for 2023!   

St. Paraskevi Philoptochos "Adopt a School Initiative":  

We will once again be collecting basic school supplies to support our adopted school initiative, Dawn Treader Christian School located in Paterson, NJ. Please leave your donations in the provided box in the hall outside the back-office door. If you prefer, please feel free to write a check and leave it in the Philoptochos mailbox by September 10, 2023. For further information contact Phyllis @ [email protected] or Harriet @ [email protected]. Your generosity is greatly appreciated. 

Sponsor A Day Program:

One way to help the church is through our “Sponsor A Day” program.  We encourage our parishioners to select a day that has special meaning to them like a birthday, feast day, anniversary or a memorial and make a suggested donation of $250. We would like to thank the Hiras family for sponsoring August 27th, the feast day of St. Phanurius. For more information about the program, please speak to one of our Parish Council members, Ministry Leaders or call the church office. 

Please consider sponsoring these upcoming feast days: 

  • August 6th – The Transfiguration of our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ
  • August 15th – Kimisis Tis Theotokou
  • September 1st – Ecclesiastical New Year
  • September 8th – The Nativity of the Theotokos
  • September 14th – Elevation of the Venerable & Life-Giving Cross

St. Paraskevi Philoptochos White Candle: 

Our Philoptochos has a memorial candle holder under the icon of the Theotokos at the iconostasio. Anyone can purchase a 7-day white candle, at the pangari, in memory of a deceased loved one. Feel free to light one and place it by the icon. 

 

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Saints and Feasts

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 09

Matthias, Apostle of the 70

After Judas by transgression fell from his apostleship (Acts 1: 25), and hanging himself out of despair ended his life with a wretched and shameful death (Matt. 27: 5), then, that the number of the Twelve not be lacking, all the disciples gathered in one place after the Ascension of the Savior (the number of men and women being 120), and they chose two men from among them, Joseph, called Barsabas, who was also surnamed Justus, and Matthias, and they set them in the midst. Then they prayed to God and cast lots, "and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven Apostles" (Acts 1: 15-26). And thus, having taken the place of Judas, Matthias fulfilled the work of apostleship and the prophecy concerning Judas, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David: "And his bishopric let another take" (Ps. 108(109):8). After this, it is said, Matthias preached the Gospel in Ethiopia, and completed his life there in martyrdom.

August 12

Photios & Aniketos the Martyrs of Nicomedea

These Martyrs contested in Nicomedia about the year 288. When Diocletian stirred up his persecution of the Christians, Anicetus presented himself openly and said that all who worship idols are blind and senseless. He was beaten with rods so ruthlessly that his bones appeared from the rents and wounds in his flesh. As he was suffering further torments, his nephew Photius came and embraced him, calling him his father and his uncle. He was also put to many tortures with him. They were then imprisoned together for three years. Finally they were cast into a furnace, where they gave up their spirits, and their bodies were preserved unharmed. Saint Anicetus is one of the Holy Unmercenaries.

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Hymns of the Day

Apolytikion for Holy Transfiguration in the Grave Mode

Thou wast transfigured on the mountain, O Christ our God, showing to Thy disciples Thy glory as each one could endure. Shine forth Thou on us, who are sinners all, Thy light ever-unending, through the prayers of the Theotokos. Light-bestower, glory be to Thee.

Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Holy Transfiguration Monastery


Μετεμορθώθης εν τώ όρει Χριστέ ο Θεός, δείξας τοίς Μαθηταίς σου τήν δόξαν σου, καθώς ήδυναντο, Λάμψον καί ημίν τοίς αμαρτωλοίς, τό φώς σου τό αϊδιον, πρεσβείαις τής Θεοτόκου, φωτοδότα δόξα σοι.

Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Greek Standard Text


Seasonal Kontakion in the Grave Mode

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.

Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Narthex Press


Επί τού όρους μετεμορφώθης, καί ως εχώρουν οι Μαθηταί σου τήν δόξαν σου, Χριστέ ο Θεός εθεάσαντο, ίνα όταν σε ίδωσι σταυρούμενον, τό μέν πάθος νοήσωσιν εκούσιον, τώ δέ κόσμω κηρύξωσιν, ότι σύ υπάρχεις αληθώς, τού Πατρός τό απαύγασμα.

Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Greek Standard Text


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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Transfiguration of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
The Reading is from Luke 9:28-36

At that time, Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And as he was praying, the appearance of his countenance was altered, and his raiment became dazzling white. And behold, two men talked with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, and when they wakened they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is well that we are here; let us make three booths, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah" - not knowing what he said. As he said this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, my Beloved; listen to him!" And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silence and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.

Transfiguration of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 9:28-36

᾿Εγένετο δὲ μετὰ τοὺς λόγους τούτους ὡσεὶ ἡμέραι ὀκτὼ καὶ παραλαβὼν τὸν Πέτρον καὶ ᾿Ιωάννην καὶ ᾿Ιάκωβον ἀνέβη εἰς τὸ ὄρος προσεύξασθαι. καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ προσεύχεσθαι αὐτὸν τὸ εἶδος τοῦ προσώπου αὐτοῦ ἕτερον καὶ ὁ ἱματισμὸς αὐτοῦ λευκὸς ἐξαστράπτων. καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄνδρες δύο συνελάλουν αὐτῷ, οἵτινες ἦσαν Μωϋσῆς καὶ ᾿Ηλίας, οἳ ὀφθέντες ἐν δόξῃ ἔλεγον τὴν ἔξοδον αὐτοῦ ἣν ἔμελλε πληροῦν ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ. ὁ δὲ Πέτρος καὶ οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ ἦσαν βεβαρημένοι ὕπνῳ· διαγρηγορήσαντες δὲ εἶδον τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ καὶ τοὺς δύο ἄνδρας τοὺς συνεστῶτας αὐτῷ. καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ διαχωρίζεσθαι αὐτοὺς ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ εἶπεν ὁ Πέτρος πρὸς τὸν ᾿Ιησοῦν· ἐπιστάτα, καλόν ἐστιν ἡμᾶς ὧδε εἶναι· καὶ ποιήσωμεν σκηνὰς τρεῖς, μίαν σοὶ καὶ μίαν Μωϋσεῖ καὶ μίαν ᾿Ηλίᾳ, μὴ εἰδὼς ὃ λέγει. ταῦτα δὲ αὐτοῦ λέγοντος ἐγένετο νεφέλη καὶ ἐπεσκίασεν αὐτούς· ἐφοβήθησαν δὲ ἐν τῷ εἰσελθεῖν ἐκείνους εἰς τὴν νεφέλην· καὶ φωνὴ ἐγένετο ἐκ τῆς νεφέλης λέγουσα· οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός· αὐτοῦ ἀκούετε. καὶ ἐν τῷ γενέσθαι τὴν φωνὴν εὑρέθη ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς μόνος. καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐσίγησαν καὶ οὐδενὶ ἀπήγγειλαν ἐν ἐκείναις ταῖς ἡμέραις οὐδὲν ὧν ἑωράκασιν.

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Fourth Mode. 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. Peter's Second Universal Letter 1:10-19.

BRETHREN, be more zealous to confirm your call and election, for if you do this you will never fall; so there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Therefore I intend always to remind you of these things, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to arouse you by way of reminder, since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. And I will see to it that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.

For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased," we heard this voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. And we have the prophetic word made more sure. You will do well to pay attention to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

Προκείμενον. Fourth Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 103.24,1.
Ὡς ἐμεγαλύνθη τὰ ἔργα σου Κύριε, πάντα ἐν σοφίᾳ ἐποίησας.
Στίχ. Εὐλόγει ἡ ψυχή μου τὸν Κύριον.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πέτρου β' 1:10-19.

Ἀδελφοί, σπουδάσατε βεβαίαν ὑμῶν τὴν κλῆσιν καὶ ἐκλογὴν ποιεῖσθαι· ταῦτα γὰρ ποιοῦντες οὐ μὴ πταίσητέ ποτε· οὕτως γὰρ πλουσίως ἐπιχορηγηθήσεται ὑμῖν ἡ εἴσοδος εἰς τὴν αἰώνιον βασιλείαν τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν καὶ σωτῆρος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. Διὸ οὐκ ἀμελήσω ἀεὶ ὑμᾶς ὑπομιμνῄσκειν περὶ τούτων, καίπερ εἰδότας, καὶ ἐστηριγμένους ἐν τῇ παρούσῃ ἀληθείᾳ. Δίκαιον δὲ ἡγοῦμαι, ἐφʼ ὅσον εἰμὶ ἐν τούτῳ τῷ σκηνώματι, διεγείρειν ὑμᾶς ἐν ὑπομνήσει· εἰδὼς ὅτι ταχινή ἐστιν ἡ ἀπόθεσις τοῦ σκηνώματός μου, καθὼς καὶ ὁ κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς ἐδήλωσέν μοι. Σπουδάσω δὲ καὶ ἑκάστοτε ἔχειν ὑμᾶς μετὰ τὴν ἐμὴν ἔξοδον τὴν τούτων μνήμην ποιεῖσθαι. Οὐ γὰρ σεσοφισμένοις μύθοις ἐξακολουθήσαντες ἐγνωρίσαμεν ὑμῖν τὴν τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ δύναμιν καὶ παρουσίαν, ἀλλʼ ἐπόπται γενηθέντες τῆς ἐκείνου μεγαλειότητος. Λαβὼν γὰρ παρὰ θεοῦ πατρὸς τιμὴν καὶ δόξαν, φωνῆς ἐνεχθείσης αὐτῷ τοιᾶσδε ὑπὸ τῆς μεγαλοπρεποῦς δόξης, Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός, εἰς ὃν ἐγὼ εὐδόκησα· καὶ ταύτην τὴν φωνὴν ἡμεῖς ἠκούσαμεν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἐνεχθεῖσαν, σὺν αὐτῷ ὄντες ἐν τῷ ὄρει τῷ ἁγίῳ. Καὶ ἔχομεν βεβαιότερον τὸν προφητικὸν λόγον, ᾧ καλῶς ποιεῖτε προσέχοντες, ὡς λύχνῳ φαίνοντι ἐν αὐχμηρῷ τόπῳ, ἕως οὗ ἡμέρα διαυγάσῃ, καὶ φωσφόρος ἀνατείλῃ ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν.

Gospel Reading

Transfiguration of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
The Reading is from Matthew 17:1-9

At that time, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain apart. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. And Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is well that we are here; if you wish, I will make three booths here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah." He was still speaking, when lo, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him." When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces, and were filled with awe. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Rise, and have no fear." And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, "Tell no one the vision, until the Son of man is raised from the dead."

Transfiguration of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 17:1-9

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, παραλαμβάνει ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς τὸν Πέτρον καὶ ᾿Ιάκωβον καὶ ᾿Ιωάννην τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀναφέρει αὐτοὺς εἰς ὄρος ὑψηλὸν κατ᾿ ἰδίαν· καὶ μετεμορφώθη ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν, καὶ ἔλαμψε τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ὡς ὁ ἥλιος, τὰ δὲ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο λευκὰ ὡς τὸ φῶς. καὶ ἰδοὺ ὤφθησαν αὐτοῖς Μωσῆς καὶ ᾿Ηλίας μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ συλλαλοῦντες. ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Πέτρος εἶπε τῷ ᾿Ιησοῦ· Κύριε, καλόν ἐστιν ἡμᾶς ὧδε εἶναι· εἰ θέλεις, ποιήσωμεν ὧδε τρεῖς σκηνάς, σοὶ μίαν καὶ Μωσεῖ μίαν καὶ μίαν ᾿Ηλίᾳ. ἔτι αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντος ἰδοὺ νεφέλη φωτεινὴ ἐπεσκίασεν αὐτούς, καὶ ἰδοὺ φωνὴ ἐκ τῆς νεφέλης λέγουσα· οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός, ἐν ᾧ εὐδόκησα· αὐτοῦ ἀκούετε· καὶ ἀκούσαντες οἱ μαθηταὶ ἔπεσον ἐπὶ πρόσωπον αὐτῶν καὶ ἐφοβήθησαν σφόδρα. καὶ προσελθὼν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς ἥψατο αὐτῶν καὶ εἶπεν· ἐγέρθητε καὶ μὴ φοβεῖσθε. ἐπάραντες δὲ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν οὐδένα εἶδον εἰ μὴ τὸν ᾿Ιησοῦν μόνον. καὶ καταβαινόντων αὐτῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ ὄρους ἐνετείλατο αὐτοῖς ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς λέγων· μηδενὶ εἴπητε τὸ ὅραμα ἕως οὗ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναστῇ.

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Wisdom of the Fathers

Many scripture writers will tell you that the divinity is not only invisible (Col. 1:15 et. al.) and incomprehensible, but also 'unsearchable and inscrutable' (Rom. 11:13), since there is not a trace for anyone who would reach through into the hidden depths of this infinity. And yet, on the other hand, the Good is not absolutely incommunicable to everything. By itself it generously reveals a firm, transcendent beam, granting enlightenments proportionate to each being, and thereby draws sacred minds upward to its permitted contemplation, to participation and to the state of becoming like it. What happens to those who rightly and properly make this effort is this. They do not venture toward an impossibly daring sight of God, one beyond what is duly granted them. Nor do they go tumbling downward where their own natural inclinations would take them. No. Instead they are raised firmly and unswervingly upward in the direction of the ray which enlightens them. With a love matching the illuminations granted them, they take flight, reverently, wisely, in all holiness.
St. Dionysius the Areopagite
The Divine Names, Chapter One para. 2, Pseudo-Dionysius: The Complete Works; Paulist Press pg. 50, 5th Century

The Lord does not always appear in glory to all who stand before Him. To beginners He appears in the form of a servant (Phil. 2:7); to those able to follow Him as He climbs the high mountain of His transfiguration He appears in the form of God, the form in which He existed before the world came to be (John 17:5).
St. Maximos the Confessor
Second Century on Theology, 13., 7th Century

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Flyers

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