Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
Eighth Sunday of Matthew
Mary Magdalene, Myrrh-Bearer and Equal to the Apostles
Saint Mary was from Magdala in Galilee on the Sea of Tiberias, and for this was named Magdalene. When the Lord Jesus cast out seven demons from her, from which she had been suffering, she became His faithful and inseparable disciple, following Him and ministering unto Him even to the time of His crucifixion and burial. Then, returning to Jerusalem together with the rest of the Myrrh-bearers, she prepared the fragrant spices for anointing the body of the Lord.
And on the Lord’s day they came very early to the tomb, even before the Angels appeared declaring the Resurrection of the Lord. When Mary Magdalene saw the stone taken away from the tomb, she ran and proclaimed it to Peter and John. And returning immediately to the tomb and weeping outside, she was deemed worthy to be the first of the Myrrh-bearers to behold the Lord arisen from the dead, and when she fell at His feet, she heard Him say, “Touch Me not.”
After the Lord’s Ascension, nothing certain is known concerning her. Some accounts say that she went to Rome and later returned to Jerusalem, and from there proceeded to Ephesus, where she ended her life, preaching Christ. Although it is sometimes said that Saint Mary Magdalene was the “sinful woman” of the Gospel, this is nowhere stated in the tradition of the Church, in the sacred hymnology, or in the Holy Gospels themselves, which say only that our Lord cast seven demons out of her, not that she was a fallen woman. “Madeleine” is a form of Magdalene.
Read the entire history on the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese website.
Fr. Hans is Attending Antiochian Clergy Symposium This Week
Every two years a week long Clergy Symposium is held for all Antiochian Clergy held at Antiochian Village. This is geared toward clergy continuing education as well as providing opportunity for clergy to get to know each other. Fr. Hans will be attending from Monday, July 16 to Friday, July 20.
Can You Help Cliff Tewis Get to Kenya?
Cliff Tewis (Jeremiah’s brother) is a member of our parish. He was baptized at St. Peter’s and attended often until he moved to Boca Raton to start college.
Cliff is going to Kenya this August to provide medical aid to Kenyans in need through the Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC). OCMC is the overseas medical and missionary arm of the Orthodox Church and sends teams all over the world.
His days will consist of clinic work and health education in nearby schools. The team consists of doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals and is led by a priest that was a medic in the army. Cliff was selected because of some extra work he did in the medical field as a pre-med student.
Please contribute. Team members raise their own funds. Click the image below to be taken to his Go Fund Me page.
Plans on the Purchase of the Building Have Changed
Plans have changed. We will not be purchasing the new building. Two factors contributed to our decision. First is that not all the money that needed to be raised was raised in time. Second was that the building inspection revealed some problems with the building that would have be expensive to correct. We don’t want to assume any responsibility for any cost of the repairs if the seller is not willing to reduce the price of the building equal to the cost of the repairs. The seller indicated he would only consider paying for a portion of the repairs and we are not willing to enter into this agreement.
Those who have contributed to the building will be contacted to see how you want the Parish Council to handle your donation. If you would like to have the Church keep your donation for the future, we will do so. If you would like it returned we will do that as well.
We thank everyone for their support. Although this building is clearly not the one meant for us, it is still necessary to forge plans for the future. This is a good problem to have and we trust in God to lead us as He has so far.
Calendar At A Glance
- Monday – Friday, July 16-20, 2018 — Fr. Hans at Antiochian Clergy Symposium
Wisdom From The Elders
Those who have by God’s Grace realized the vanity of this life have actually received the greatest gift. Elder Paisios of Mount Athos
Anyone can keep a prayer rope in a pocket or some other discreet place where it can be easily used unnoticed when in situations where it is better to pray or remember prayer in secret, without attracting the attention of others.
A monk of the Holy Mountain
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5:6
The likeness of Christ consists in truth, meekness, righteousness, and together with them humility and love of mankind. St. Symeon the New Theologian
But as every good comes from God, and as the means of obtaining every good from God is prayer, those who pray fervently, sincerely, from the depths of their hearts, obtain from the Lord grace to do good, and, before all, the grace of faith. St. John of Kronstadt
Edifying words, the writings of the Holy Fathers, prayers, and especially the words of the Word Himself, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, are indeed living water… St. John of Kronstadt
Remember in Your Prayers
Vasiliki
Efstratia
Alexandra
Nikos
Georgia
Ioannis
Costandino
Jeffrey
Vaso
Dave
Dimitri – Presbyter
Vassiliki
Octavio
Tom
Carl
Rena
Nikolay (5 year old boy in Bulgaria whose parents asked us to pray)
David
Eva K.
Rosie
Kathryn
Jeremy
Constantine
Robert
Jane
Theodora
David
Gina
Baby Brynn L.
Micheal
Haralambos
Lillian
Presbytera Rosy
Valentina
John
Eva W.
Barbara
Angela
Carol Ann
Matthew
Chrysostom
Tim
Ivy-Jean
Pat
Christina
Maria Louise
Maximos
Marian
Photini
Nicholas
Sarah
Petronia (Wife of Phil Pappas)
Constantine Houpis
Anna Marie Smith Baker
Ron Chromulak
Beverly Chromulak
Katerina
Loucine Kassis
Mary Kassis
Baby Maximus
Christine
Maria
Annette Star
Claire Livaditis
Eva Chandilles
Baby Dani
Scott Nedoff
Anthony Mourgis
John Hansen
James Hord
Tom
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.
Sunday Readings
Epistle
For the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
The Lord will give strength to His people.
Ascribe to the Lord, O sons of God, ascribe to the Lord honor and glory.
The Reading from the First Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians. (1:10-17)
Brethren, I appeal to you, by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissension among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brethren. What I mean is that each one of you says, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispos and Gaius; lest anyone should say that you were baptized in my name. (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the Gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
Gospel
For the Eighth Sunday of Matthew
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. (14:14-22)
At that time, when Jesus went ashore he saw a great throng; and he had compassion on them, and healed their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to Him and said, “This is a lonely place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” They said to Him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” And He said, “Bring them here to Me.”
Then He ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass; and taking the five loaves and the two fish He looked up to Heaven, and blessed, and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. Then Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He dismissed the crowds.