December 15th, 2024
Always a Spiritual Focus, First
Dearest Parish Family Members,
I know not everybody can make it to experience the morning Orthros service, which always precedes immediately our Divine Liturgy. So, here’s an interesting detail found in this Sunday’s morning Orthros service gospel lesson. In fact, it is interesting to know that, apart from special Orthros services (because of their dates), there are eleven standard morning Orthros services and eleven corresponding Gospel passages—and all of them focus on the resurrection of Jesus Christ and his appearances to his disciples and followers.
In this Sunday morning Orthros Gospel lesson (the third one), it is recorded by Saint Mark that Jesus “appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons.” This small detail is one of the few mentions in the Bible of Saint Mary Magdalene; essentially, this is all we know about her biography. Terrible folklore tries to purport that Mary Magdalene was also the same women whom Christ saved from being stoned to death after being accused of adultery. This is absolutely false. Human beings always try to string narrative together and blend details. But this is not true.
Mary Magdalene was a woman who, according to the four canonical gospels, traveled with Jesus as one of his followers and was a witness to his crucifixion and resurrection. She is mentioned by name twelve times in the canonical gospels, more than most of the apostles and more than any other woman in the gospels, other than Jesus's family. Mary's epithet Magdalene may be a topical surname, meaning that she came from the town of Magdala, a fishing town on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee in Roman Judea —a town that no longer exists
The Gospel of Luke (chapter 8) lists Mary Magdalene as one of the women who traveled with Jesus and helped support his ministry "out of their resources", indicating that she was probably wealthy.
The same passage also states that seven demons had been driven out of her, a statement which is repeated from Mark 16. In all four canonical gospels, Mary Magdalene is a witness to the crucifixion of Jesus and, in the Synoptic Gospels. She is also present at his burial. All four gospels identify her, either alone or as a member of a larger group of women, as the first to witness the empty tomb. and, either alone or as a member of a group, as the first to witness Jesus's resurrection.
The Eastern Orthodox churches also commemorate her on the Sunday of the Myrrhbearers.
From all of this, we can take delight in our morning Orthros services which serve to lead us into the Great Doxology hymm and then into the proclamation of the Divine Liturgy. This is why I value the Orthros service so much and always encourage everyone to take advantage of attending our Orthros services and be able to hear more details about the Bible and Christ’s life and those who served him—as we always strive to serve each and everyone one of you, too.
Faithfully, Father Samaras
3rd Morning Gospel
On this day Saint Anthia, mother of Saint Eleftherios and martyr; Saint Coremmon the Eparch; the two Executioners who believed in Christ, themselves died by the sword; the contest of the devout martyr Saint Susanna; the holy Martyr Eleftherios the Chamberlain; the holy Martyr Bacchous the New; our devout father Paul the New, who was an ascetic on Mt. Latros in the days of Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitos; and we celebrate today the Sunday of the holy Forefathers.
2024 PARISH COUNCIL
President - Theo Christ
Vice President – Yvonne Anastasiou
Secretary – Dina Mastoras
Parish Council Member - Evdokia Sofos
Parish Council Member - Dialecti Voudouris
Parish Council Member - Anastassios Mentis
Parish Council Member – Paula Refolo
Parish Council Member - Theodore Vougiouklakis
Parish Council Member - Mike Anastasiou