Church this Sunday (September 17, 2007)!
The only damage to the Church was water seepage that soaked the carpet about 10 feet in. We got on it right away and everything will be ready for Divine Liturgy this Sunday.
Sunday after the Elevation of the Holy Cross
The Elevation of the Precious and Life Giving Cross
Please Note: Since we had to cancel Liturgy this week for the Feast of the Elevation of the Cross, we will hold the small service for the Elevation following Liturgy this Sunday.
Save O Lord your people and bless your inheritance. Grant victory to the faithful against the adversaries of the faith. And protect your people through your Holy Cross.
Saint Helen, the mother of Saint Constantine the Great, when she was already advanced in years, undertook, in her great piety, the hardships of a journey to Jerusalem in search of the cross, about the year 325. A temple to Aphrodite had been raised up by the Emperor Hadrian upon Golgotha, to defile and cover with oblivion the place where the saving Passion had been suffered.
The venerable Helen had the statue of Aphrodite destroyed, and the earth removed, revealing the Tomb of our Lord, and three crosses. Of these, it was believed that one must be that of our Lord, the other two of the thieves crucified with Him; but Saint Helen was at a loss which one might be the Wood of our salvation. At the inspiration of Saint Macarius, Archbishop of Jerusalem, a lady of Jerusalem, who was already at the point of death from a certain disease, was brought to touch the crosses, and as soon as she came near to the Cross of our Lord, she was made perfectly whole.
Consequently, the precious Cross was lifted on high by Archbishop Macarius of Jerusalem; as he stood on the ambo, and when the people beheld it, they cried out, “Lord have mercy.” It should be noted that after its discovery, a portion of the venerable Cross was taken to Constantinople as a blessing. The rest was left in Jerusalem in the magnificent church built by Saint Helen, until the year 614. At that time, the Persians plundered Palestine and took the Cross to their own country (see Jan. 22, Saint Anastasius the Persian).
Later, in the year 628, Emperor Heraclius set out on a military campaign, retrieved the Cross, and after bringing it to Constantinople, himself escorted it back to Jerusalem, where he restored it to its place.
The Theotokos, St. Panteleimon and St. Paisios Protected Us During the Hurricane
The Theotokos, St. Panteleimon, St. Paisios
So far all reports are that none of the parishioners of St. Peter’s have been hurt or suffered any appreciable damage to their homes because of the hurricane. Even a parishoner whose home is on Marco Island avoided flooding and reported minimal damage (pool cage gone and a few roof tiles blown off).
This is because we were protected by the Theotokos, St. Panteleimon and St. Paisios. The Theotokos put her veil of protection on all the Orthodox in Florida and through them protection was extended to others as well. St. Paisios and St. Panteleimon were involved in calming the storm just as Christ did for the disciples. I will speak of this in more detail on Sunday.
We were blessed and protected. The Lord intervened through His Saints. That’s why a Category 4 hurricane was reduced to a Category 1 in only 175 miles of geography, and why we were not harmed and suffered only minimal damage.
Meanwhile we pray for and help those who were impacted more forcefully then we were such as the people on the Keys and the islanders whose homes were ruined. Out of our blessing we bless them with material comfort and aid.
May God be glorified in all things.
St. Demetrios Visits St. Peter’s
I shared the following on Facebook earlier this week:
After checking church today I entered my office (dark, no power) and as I opened the door a very strong aroma of myrrh had filled the office, and by strong I mean it was palpable.
I located the source and it came from this icon that had some myrrh from the relics of St Demetrios of Thessaloniki. It exuded through the plastic.
The Orthodox will understand the meaning of this. It is a sign of the protection of St. Demetrios towards our parish. I moved the icon to our still barren altar area.
God is glorified through His Saints.
Meanwhile…A Patriot Challenges Irma
Max Koco stepped out of the home of his daughter during the hurricane and in no uncertain terms refused defeat and fought back. He won too. The condo escaped damage even though there was a tornado directly over the roof.
No giving up without a fight!
Interfaith Charities Needs Cereal and Spaghettios
Interfaith Charities Needs Cereal and Spaghettios to help hungry children in our immediate area (south Lee County). Supplies are running low. Please buy some extra cereal or spaghettios the next time you are out shopping. We will make sure they get to the kids.
Interfaith Charities is a coalition of churches and business that help the poor in the San Carlos and south Fort Myers area (view their website).
St. Peter’s is committed to helping the poor among us. If each family could bring some of these items to church this Sunday and the next, then we will get them to Interfaith Charities and the families who need them.
Through the Bible in One Year Schedule Posted
On September 1, the start of the new Church Year, St. Peter’s started a program to read the bible in one year. Information is posted on the website.
Calendar At A Glance
- Sunday, September 17, 2017 Memorial Prayers for Bea Chionis following Divine Liturgy
Wisdom From The Elders
By the purity of our thoughts we can see everyone as holy and good. When we see them as fools, this comes from our frame of mind
St. Macarius of Optina
If they don’t stop loving money and placing their hope in it, they won’t be able to establish their hope in God. I’m not saying that people shouldn’t put some money aside for a time of need; I’m saying that they shouldn’t set their hopes on money and set their heart on it, because this way they forget God.
Elder Paisios of Mount Athos
Only the poor in spirit who cling to the Lord by prayer on account of the constant sense of their poverty and need are capable of discovering within themselves the greatness of the name of Jesus.
St. Ignatius Brianchaninov
God’s Providence controls the universe. It is present everywhere. Providence is the sovereign Logos of God, imprinting form on the unformed materiality of the world, making and fashioning all things. Matter could not have acquired an articulated structure were it not for the directing power of the Logos Who is the Image, Intellect, Wisdom, and Providence of God.
St. Anthony the Great
It’s better for a mother to be involved with the nurturing of her children, rather than being overly involved with household chores and inanimate objects. A mother can speak to her children about Christ; she can read the Lives of the Saints to them. Thus, at the same time she will be occupying herself dusting off her own soul so that it will be spiritually shiny.
St. Paisios of Mount Athos
Remember in Your Prayers
Theodora
Baby Brynn L.
Micheal
Haralambos
Lillian
Presbytera Rosy
Valentina
John
Eva W.
Barbara
Angela
Sonya
Kenneth
Carol Ann
Matthew
Chrysostom
Tim
Ron
Ivy-Jean
Pat
Christina
Maria Louise
Maximos
Marian
Photini
Nicholas
Brad William
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 and Jean, parents of Patty and Jerry.
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 Sunday after the Elevation of the Holy Cross
O Lord, how manifold are Thy works.
In wisdom hast Thou made them all.
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians. (2:16-20)
Brethren, you know that a man is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. Even we have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the law, because by works of the law shall no one be justified. But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we ourselves were found to be sinners, is Christ then an agent of sin? Certainly not! But if I build up again those things which I tore down, then I prove myself a transgressor. For I through the Law died to the Law, that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ Who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Gospel
For Sunday after the Elevation of the Holy Cross
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Mark. (8:34-9:1)
The Lord said, “If any man would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for My sake and the Gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” And He said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Kingdom of God come with power.”