Christ is Risen! Truly He has Risen!
Christ is Risen!
The Fourth Sunday After Pascha
The Sunday of the Paralytic
Appearance of the Sign of the Precious Cross in the heavens above Jerusalem (351 A.D.); Martyr Akakios the centurion at Byzantium
Jesus Heals the Paralytic
Introduction
The fourth Sunday of Holy Pascha is observed by the Orthodox Church as the Sunday of the Paralytic. The day commemorates the miracle of Christ healing a man who had been paralyzed for thirty-eight years. The biblical story of the event is found in the Gospel of John 5:1-15.
Background
Close to the Sheep’s Gate in Jerusalem, there was a pool, which was called the Sheep’s Pool. It had 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 person 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 was lying, tormented by his infirmity of thirty-eight years. When Christ beheld him, He asked him, “Will you 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 your 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.
Read the entire story on the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese website.
Services and Events This Week
- Sun Apr 30 — SUNDAY OF THE MYRRH BEARING WOMEN Orthros 8:30am Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Tue May 02 — Paraklesis to the Theotokos 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Thu May 04 — St. Nicholas School Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Thu May 04 — Active Shooter Training 1:00pm
- Fri May 05 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm Social Hall
Lee County Sheriff Active Shooter Training, Thursday, May 4, from 1:00pm – 3:00pm
A reminder that the Lee County Sheriff Active Shooter Training team will conduct a review of actions that Saint Peter’s congregation deploy should an Active Shooter attempt to disrupt services or gatherings. This includes medical, communication, and use of restraint/force.
Training will be conducted on Thursday, May 4, from 1 PM to 3PM. The training is open to all but we encourage that members of the Security Advisory Team and the Church Board attend. Refreshments will be supplied by Joe and Deb Repya.
Need Your Windows Cleaned?
Timothy Peterson, a catechumen at St. Peter’s, owns and operates “Transparent Window Cleaning” in Fort Myers, Florida.
Timothy has been at this for several years and is looking to expand his business. If you or any of your friends are looking for professional grade, high quality window cleaning give Timothy a call at 239-565-5256.
Let’s Pray the Paraklesis to the Theotokos Daily
Click the image to get more information on how to participate from the St. Peter’s website
Our goal at St. Peter’s is to have one person or family pray the Parakelsis to the Theotokos for at least one day of every month. For each day of the month, individuals or even an entire family can sign up to pray the Paraklesis in their homes on the day/s which they select.
Get more information on how to participate from the St. Peter’s website.
Sign up the the Monthly DOMSE Newsletter on the DOMSE (Diocese of Miami and the Southeast) Website!
Visit the DOMSE Website (scroll to the bottom, fill in the form on the left side) to sign up for “The Light” Newsletter and DOMSE emails.
ST. PETER’S GREETERS
APRIL 2023
- Apr 2 Joe and Deb Repya, George Tsikitas
- Apr 9 Dan Delorenzo, George Tsikitas
- Apr 16 Joe Repya, Dan Delorenzo
- Apr 23 Dan Delorenzo, George Tsikitas
- Apr 30 Tom and Marlene Haley, George Tsikitas
MAY 2023
- May 07 Will Schwarz Need Additional Volunteer
- May 14 Joe and Deb Repya, George Tsikitas
- May 21 Candace Rosen, George Tsikitas
- May 28 Candace Rosen, Need Additional Volunteer
JUNE 2023
- Jun 04 Joe and Deb Repya Need Additional Volunteer
- Jun 11 Need Additional Volunteers
- Jun 18 Need Additional Volunteers
- Jun 25 Need Additional Volunteers
Can you volunteer? Please call Joe Repya 612-270-4443.
SOCIAL HALL ALL STARS
APRIL
- BARBARA DIONYSOPOULOS
- Al Joseph
- Bonnie Joseph
- Marianthi Kazakos
- Sandy Krotov
- Niki Locklear
- Ray Locklear
- Eleni Moran
- Koula Ormanidou
The Social Hall All Stars are the men and women that make St. Peter’s Social Hall happen. Thank you All Stars!
APRIL / MAY
- Sun Apr 30 — SUNDAY OF THE MYRRH BEARING WOMEN Orthros 8:30am Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Tue May 02 — Paraklesis to the Theotokos 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Thu May 04 — St. Nicholas School Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Thu May 04 — Active Shooter Training 1:00pm
- Fri May 05 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm Social Hall
- Sun May 07 — SUNDAY OF THE PARALYTIC Orthros 8:30am Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Mon May 08 — St. John the Apostle Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed May 10 — Mid-Pentecost Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Thu May 11 — CANCELLED
St. Nicholas School Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Fri May 12 – Sat May 13 — Fr. Hans Out of Town — Met Sava Enthronement in New York
- Fri May 12 — CANCELLED
Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm Social Hall
- Sun May 14 — SUNDAY OF THE SAMARITAN WOMAN Orthros 8:30am Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Tue May 16 — Mid-Pentecost Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Thu May 18 – Sat May 20 — Fr. Hans Out of Town – Attending Seminar at Antiochian Village
- Thu May 18 — CANCELLED
St. Nicholas School Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Fri May 19 — CANCELLED
Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm Social Hall
MAY / JUNE
- Sun May 21 — SUNDAY OF THE BLIND MAN Orthros 8:30am Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Tue May 23 — Paraklesis to the Theotokos 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Thu May 25 — St. Nicholas School Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Fri May 26 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm Social Hall
- Sun May 28 — FATHERS OF THE FIRST ECUMENICAL COUNCIL Orthros 8:30am Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Tue May 30 — Paraklesis to the Theotokos 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Thu Jun 01 — St. Nicholas School Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Jun 02 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm Social Hall
Many people focus on the wants and the needs of the body and how to satisfy themselves in the present, but through neglect of the soul and spirit, they have died already to God and His Kingdom. Fr. Vojislav Dosenovich
It is a problem when a child wants this and that and when his parents cater to his every whim. Then, when the children grow up, they still expect everyone to comply with their wishes. Have you ever seen anything like that? Not even kings and queens get this kind of treatment! Elder Thaddeus(Strabulovich) of Vitovnica
Man should likewise rise up with all his strength against sin and the devil, using as weapons the means indicated by the Lord, the Apostles and the holy fathers. For an Orthodox Christian, these weapons are: fasting, prayer, sobriety and humility. Without humility, nothing will be of any use, for those who are proud and sure of themselves do not receive the Lord’s help, but inevitably fall into the various snares of the devil. Abbot Nikon Vorobiev
Prayer inspired by divine grace is here called spiritual prayer, while prayer performed by one’s own efforts without the obvious assistance of grace is called bodiily prayer. The latter kind of prayer is indispensible, as St. John of the Ladder says, in order that grace-given prayer may be granted in its time. St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov), Bishop of the Caucasus and the Black Sea
If it is necessary to chastise a person in order to instruct him or to prevent him from falling into a worse mishap, He does so with mercy, and, if a person is able to accept this in the right spirit, He rewards him greatly, as though He feels sorry for having issued the punishment. Those whose inner vision has begun to clear can see God’s amazing Providence over man in things both great and small. Abbot Nikon Vorobiev
- Names will remain on the list for three months.
- If you would like to keep them on longer please mention it to Fr. Hans. We will keep the names on the list for as long as the person needs prayers.
- Names will include the person who requested the prayers and the month the name will be removed.
- The permanent list includes friends and members of St. Peter’s and others including shut-ins.
Were names dropped that should have remained? Please mention it to Fr. Hans. He will add them back.
Current Prayer List
Madison (Tewis 6/1)
Anthony (Breitenbach 6/1)
Arielle (Ghanem 6/1)
Nicholas (Ghanem 6/1)
Christos
Father Demetris
Jamie
Pamela
David
Jessica
Christina (Hildreth)
Georgia and Richard and their unborn child (Chapekis)
Dionysios Chapekis)
Nancy (Forderhase)
Kayla (Palantine)
George (3/23 Chapekis)
Penelope (3/23 Chapekis)
Theodora (3/23)
Victor (3/23)
Barbara (Dusckas 3/23)
James (Dusckas 3/23)
Les (3/23
Lynn (Hurely 1/23)
Irene and unborn baby (Tsikitas 1/23)
Linda (Pappas 1/23)
Ekaterina (Chapekis 1/23)
Lee (Hurley 1/23)
Emmanuel (Kalousdis 1/23)
Katherine (Dusckas 1/23)
Vassiliki (Diveris 1/23)
Zena Touma (Contorelli 1/23
Lamia Touma (Contorelli 1/23
Matthew (Contorelli 1/23
Emmanuel (Kaloudis 1/23)
Nicholas
Marlene (Tewis 12/22)
Tina (Johnson 12/22)
Nicholas (De Lorenzo 12/22)
Priest Anthony (Karbo 11/22)
Archpriest Dionysius (Valentine 9/12)
Anthony Presbyter (Kerr 10/22)
Angel (Ghanem 10/22)
Edgar (Chapekis 9/22)
Evthriki (Jacobse 9/22)
Christos (Johnson 8/22)
Jon Paul (Andrew 8/22)
William (Brubaker 8/22)
Peter (Tewis 8/22)
The People of Ukraine and People of Russia and all those who are suffering in the war
Permanent Prayer List
Katheryn (Tolkkinen)
Markisia (Long)
Angela (Long)
Marina (Long)
Eleni (Long)
Raphaella (Long)
Joanne (Haley)
Corwin (Dusckas)
Corgette (Troutman)
Irina (Irina)
Seraphim (Irina)
Lidia (Irina)
Sarina (Ghanem)
Debbie (Breitenbach)
Kathy (Breitenbach)
Hope (Isadore)
John (Long)
Pantelis (Tsikita)
Marisa (Tsikita)
Barbara (Dionysopoulos)
Patricia (Evanoff)
Gabriel (Mankus)
Baby Dani (Repya)
Despina (Diversis)
Fredericos (Diveris)
Makrina and her unborn baby (Kerr)
Herman (Kerr)
Innocent (Kerr)
Nicholas (Kerr)
Paola (Jacobse)
Gregory (Yankopolos)
Pauline (Poulos)
Sergio (Kazakos)
Fran (Hansen)
Nina (Krotov)
Franklin (Pyrrson)
Demetrios (Kuchera)
Theodosios (Palis)
Theodora (Webb)
Robert (Smith)
Presbytera Rosy (in Pakistan)
James (Hord)
Vassiliki (Kontinos)
Vassiliki (Morekeas)
Vassilike (Hord)
Founders, Members, Benefactors and Friends Departed this Life
John (Hansen)
Anatoly (Kurdsjuk)
Thareni (Brooks)
Milan Evanoff
Jean (Sam)
Eleni (Pearson)
Richard (Pearson)
Fr. Stephanos (Shagoury)
Panagiota (Bea Chionis)
Anthony (Mourgis)
Anthony (Mankus)
Constantine (Houpis)
Constantine (Joseph)
Mary (Jarvis)
Panagiota Margarita (Palis)
Maria (Ninos)
Soterios (Ninos)
John (Katsigianopoulos)
George (Chionis)
Mary (Spiropoulos)
Gregory (Pappas)
Angela (Coran K
Eugene (Rust)
Robert (Jarvis)
George (Corey)
Patricia (Cotsones)
How should we pray for the sick? Remember them daily. Say their names (first names are sufficient) and ask God to bestow mercy and grace on them.
Add or remove names and print this list for easy reference during your prayer time on the St. Peter website.
EPISTLE
Sing praises to our God, sing praises.
Clap your hands, all you nations.
The Reading from the 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.
GOSPEL
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. John. (5:1-15)
At that time, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate apool, in Hebrew called Bethsaida, 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 downat certain seasons into the pool and troubled the water; whoever stepped in first, after the troublingof the water was healed of whatever disease he had. One man was there, who had been ill for 38years. 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 thepool when the water is troubled, and while I am going another steps down before me.” Jesus saidto him, “Rise, take up your pallet, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up hispallet and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who was cured, “Itis the Sabbath, it is not lawful for you to carry your pallet.” But he answered them, “The man whohealed me said to me, ‘Take up your pallet, and walk.’” They asked him, “Who is the man whosaid to you, ‘Take up your pallet, and walk’?” Now the man who had been healed did not knowwho it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. Afterward, Jesus foundhim in the temple, and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse befallsyou.” The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus Who had healed him.
