February 19, 2012

Sunday of Meatfare — The Last Judgment

Apostles of the Seventy Archippus and Philemon, and Martyr Apphia (1st c.)

Saints Eugene and Macarius, Presbyters and Confessors, at Antioch (363)

Epistle: 1 Corinthians 8:8-9:2           (Sunday)          Gospel:  St. Matthew 25:31-46

Wednesday Bible Study...6 pm

Saturday Vespers...6 pm  

Sunday Divine Liturgy...9:30 am  (Vespers and Rite of Forgiveness follows the Liturgy)

TODAY IS THE LAST DAY FOR EATING MEAT  Beginning tomorrow we abstain from eating meat until Pascha. Eggs and dairy products are permitted this week, even on Wednesday and Friday.  (At least start off STRONG!!! these next couple of weeks.)

NEXT SUNDAY IS CHEESEFARE  Liturgically, it is the Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise. There are two important notes for next Sunday:

1)  The Vespers and Rite of Forgiveness immediately follow the Divine Liturgy. We should all try to be here for this service.  We begin Great Lent together.

2)  Next Sunday is the last day for eating eggs and dairy products until Pascha.

WEDNESDAY “LEARNERS CLASS” & BIBLE STUDY  This Wednesday evening at 6 pm we will begin a study of the Scriptures that are central to our faith and experience as Orthodox Christians.  This week there is no church service. The study will be one hour long.

During Great Lent the study will continue on Wednesdays according to this schedule:

5-5:45 pm — Confessions. No confessions will begin after this time.

6 pm — The Akathist hymns to the Mother of God will begin promptly at 6 pm. (45 minutes)7-8 pm — The Bible Study will take place in the parish hall and end at 8 pm.

This Wednesday we will be examining some of the great WORDS of the New Testament as they were originally presented and understood in the language of the original writers of the Gospels and Letters (Greek).  We are confident that your faith will be strengthened with just a little “tweaking” of some familiar words used in our prayers and Scripture readings.

NOTES AND UPCOMING EVENTS...

1) Great Lent begins on Monday, February 27th (a week from tomorrow). The first week of 

      the Great Fast has services scheduled each evening.  Plan now to get off to a good start!  

      Monday through Thursday will be the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete at 6 p.m.

      That Friday we will celebrate the Presanctified Liturgy at 6 p.m.

2)   Icon Festival and the Triumph of Orthodoxy  This event is sponsored by the

      Clergy Brotherhood of Pittsburgh. The Icon Festival is Saturday, March 3rd, and Sunday,

      March 4th, and includes lectures and icon painting demonstrations.  It is at St. George

      Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral, 3400 Dawson St., Pittsburgh, PA 15213.

      The Triumph of Orthodoxy service is Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. Posters on the boards.

SO FAR, SO GOOD…  Vern Baldwin had successful outpatient surgery this past Thursday to remove some cancerous polyps on/near his voice box.  Vern wants to say “thanks” for all your prayers. God willing, he hopes to be back with us next week.

Metropolitan Anthony — “The Last Judgment”

We have seen the humility of the Publican...he realized that he was totally, utterly, hopelessly unworthy, and he stood, not daring even to enter the Temple, because the Temple was the place where the Lord lives, a place as holy as God's presence makes it; and he beat his breast saying: Forgive me; I am a sinner. That is a first step towards forgiveness, towards a healing of our life and soul.

Today we are confronted with something else. It is not strict adherence to rules; to piety exhibited for the benefit of others; to praying, if we pray unworthily; that saves us. The Lord at the Last Judgment, as it appears clearly from this passage of the Gospel, will ask us nothing about the tenets of our faith, or about the way in which we have tried outwardly to please Him. He will ask us: “Have you been human, or inhuman?” 

When you saw someone who was hungry, did your heart turn to him in compassion and did you give him food? When you saw someone homeless, did you think of a way of providing a roof and a little warmth and safety for him? When we were told that someone, perhaps someone we knew, had disgraced himself and been put into prison, did we overcome the shame of being his or her friend, and go to visit him? When we saw someone to whom we could give the surplus of what we have, the unnecessary coat, the unnecessary object which we possessed - did we turn and do that? 

His only question is: have you been human in the simplest way in which any pagan can be human? Anyone can be human who has a heart that can respond. If you have, then the doors are open for you to enter into the Kingdom and to become by communion with God, not sacramental communion, but a deeper communion even than the Sacrament, become one with Him and grow into being the Temple of the Spirit, the Body of Christ, a place of His incarnate presence.

The law of the lord is perfect,

     reviving the soul;

The testimony of the Lord is sure,

     making the wise the simple;

the precepts of the Lord are right,

     rejoicing the heart;

the commandments of the Lord are pure,

     enlightening the eyes;

the fear of the Lord is clean,

     enduring forever;

The ordinances of the Lord are true,

     and righteous altogether.

More to be desired are they than gold,

     even much fine gold;

sweeter also than honey

     and drippings of the honeycomb.  (Psalm 19:7-10)

St. Tikhon ― Confessor of the Faith,

Patriarch of Moscow and Enlightener of North America

"May God teach every one of us to strive for His truth,

 and for the good of the  Holy Church,

rather than something for our own sake."

This will be your bulletin if you were unable to get to Church.  We will only be mailing the bulletins to those without internet access.  Please make a copy of this Sunday Bulletin and distribute it to those you know who may have missed a Sunday.  Thanks!