Schedule for May 22nd-May 30th
- Saturday, May 22nd: Father Jeffrey serving morning Divine Liturgy in Lake Havasu, 5pm Great Vespers, confessions heard following
- Sunday, May 23rd: 8:30am Orthros, 9:30am Divine Liturgy
- Tuesday, May 25th: 6pm Great Vespers for Mid-Pentecost
- Wednesday, May 26th: 8am Orthros and Divine Liturgy for Mid-Pentecost
- Saturday, May 29th: 5pm Great Vespers, confessions heard following
- Sunday, May 30th: 8:30am Orthros, 9:30am Divine Liturgy
Commemorations This Week
The icon of the Sunday of the Paralytic depicts the biblical story of the Christ healing the paralytic. Our Lord, accompanied by His disciples, is shown blessing the paralytic. The man has risen and taken up his bed as commanded by Christ. The paralytic is bowing toward the Lord in reverence and in gratitude for the great miracle that has been done. In the background of the icon is the pool where the infirmed came for healing.
Sunday of The Paralytic
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.
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.
On May 24th, the fourth Wednesday after Pascha,
we celebrate the feast of Mid-Pentecost
After the Saviour had miraculously healed the paralytic, the Jews, especially the Pharisees and Scribes, were moved with envy and persecuted Him, and sought to slay Him, using the excuse that He did not keep the Sabbath, since He worked miracles on that day. Jesus then departed to Galilee. About the middle of the Feast of Tabernacles, He went up again to the Temple and taught. The Jews, marvelling at the wisdom of His words, said, "How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?" But Christ first reproached their unbelief and lawlessness, then proved to them by the Law that they sought to slay Him unjustly, supposedly as a despiser of the Law, since He had healed the paralytic on the Sabbath. Therefore, since the things spoken by Christ in the middle of the Feast of Tabernacles are related to the Sunday of the Paralytic that is just passed, and since we have already reached the midpoint of the fifty days between Pascha and Pentecost, the Church has appointed this present feast as a bond between the two great feasts, thereby uniting, as it were, the two into one, and partaking of the grace of them both. Therefore today's feast is called Mid-Pentecost, and the Gospel Reading, "At Mid-feast"--though it refers to the Feast of Tabernacles--is used.
It should be noted that there were three great Jewish feasts: the Passover, Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles. Passover was celebrated on the 15th of Nisan, the first month of the Jewish calendar, which coincides roughly with our March. This feast commemorated that day on which the Hebrews were commanded to eat the lamb in the evening and anoint the doors of their houses with its blood. Then, having escaped bondage and death at the hands of the Egyptians, they passed through the Red Sea to come to the Promised Land. It is also called "the Feast of Unleavened Bread," because they ate unleavened bread for seven days. Pentecost was celebrated fifty days after the Passover, first of all, because the Hebrew tribes had reached Mount Sinai after leaving Egypt, and there received the Law from God; secondly, it was celebrated to commemorate their entry into the Promised Land, where also they ate bread, after having been fed with manna forty years in the desert. Therefore, on this day they offered to God a sacrifice of bread prepared with new wheat. Finally, they also celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles from the 15th to the 22nd of "the seventh month," which corresponds roughly to our September. During this time, they live in booths made of branches in commemoration of the forty years they spent in the desert, living in tabernacles, that is, tents (Ex. 12:10-20; Lev. 23).
At Midfeast give Thou my thirsty soul to drink of the waters of piety; for Thou, O Saviour, didst cry out to all: Whosoever is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Wherefore, O Wellspring of life, Christ our God, glory be to Thee.
On Tuesday, May 11th we commemorate Methodius & Cyril, Equal-to-the Apostles Illuminators of the Slavs
Born in Thessalonica, Saint Methodius was a military man before becoming a monk on Mount Olympus. His brother Constantine, known as the Philosopher because of his erudition, was Librarian at the Church of the Holy Wisdom in Constantinople; he later became a monk with the name of Cyril. The Emperor Michael sent him with his brother Methodius to the Khazars in response to their petition for teachers to expound to them the Christian Faith. On their way, they stayed in Cherson, where they recovered from the Black Sea the relics of Saint Clement of Rome. Later, they were called by Prince Rostislav of Moravia to instruct his people in the Orthodox Faith (Saint Rostislav died a martyr's death and is celebrated Oct. 15). The Saints devised an alphabet for the Slavs, and used it to translate the Greek books into the language of the people. In their apostolic labours throughout the Balkans, the holy brothers were slandered by certain Germanic bishops who opposed the use of the vernacular in the church services. Summoned to court at Rome in 867, they presented their Slavonic translations to Pope Adrian II, who received them with love and full approval. Two years later, Saint Cyril reposed in Rome on February 14 and was buried in the Church of Saint Clement. Saint Methodius was made Bishop of Moravia, but at the intrigues of certain Latin clergy, was cast into prison by the "Holy Roman Emperor" (the Germanic Emperor of the West), where he was cruelly tormented for some three years. In 874, through the defence of Pope John VIII, he was freed and made Archbishop of Moravia. Because he reproved the lax morals of the German priests in Moravia, he was soon accused of heresy by them, and was forbidden to celebrate the Liturgy in Slavonic. Summoned to Rome again in 879, he was completely exonerated and allowed once again to use the Slavonic tongue for the divine services. He reposed on April 6, 885.
Sunday, May 23rd
Epistle and Gospel Readings
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.
The Gospel According John 5:1-15
At that time, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Hebrew called Bethesda 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 down at certain seasons into the pool, and troubled the water; whoever stepped in first after the troubling of the water was healed of whatever disease he had. One man was there, who had been ill for thirty-eight years. 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 the pool when the water is troubled, and while I am going another steps down before me." Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your pallet, and walk." And at once the man was healed, and he took up his pallet and walked.
Now that day was the sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who was cured, "It is the sabbath, it is not lawful for you to carry your pallet." But he answered them, "The man who healed me said to me, 'Take up your pallet, and walk.' "They asked him, "Who is the man who said to you, 'Take up your pallet, and walk'?" Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse befall you." The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him.
Click below to access recent homilies
from Father Jeffrey
Parish News
Mark your calendars!
The blessing of the church land is this Sunday, May 23rd, directly following Coffee Hour (so, approximately 1pm).
The land is located on the north side East Rosser Street, between Cloudstone Drive and Blooming Hills Drive. Printed directions will be available at church that day.
Parking is available at the Rowle B. Simmons Community Center at 1280 E Rosser Street. From there, the site is a fairly short walk across Blooming Hills Drive.
We hope to see you there as we pray for the future home of St. George!
Community News
The purpose of Mental Health Awareness Month is to raise awareness and educate the public about mental illnesses, such as the 18.1% of Americans who suffer from depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder; the realities of living with these conditions; and strategies for attaining mental health and wellness.
As the conversation around mental health grows, Sebastian Press hopes to shine a light on some preventative measures that can support you in managing your mental health. Sebastian Press wants to contribute to your mental wellness by providing you with high-quality books and text by our best theologians and psychologists.
The purpose of Mental Health Awareness Month is to raise awareness and educate the public about mental illnesses, such as the 18.1% of Americans who suffer from depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder; the realities of living with these conditions; and strategies for attaining mental health and wellness.
As the conversation around mental health grows, we hope to shine a light on some preventative measures that can support you in managing your mental health. Sebastian Press wants to contribute to your mental wellness by providing you with high-quality books and text by our best theologian and psychologist.
Soul and Psyche as a Surprise
Psychoanalysis and Orthodox Theologian Dialogue by Eudoxia Delli and Vasileios Thermos
Some of the most vital ideas in modern Psychology are worked out by the most important Orthodox psychologists of recent times. For the first time, Orthodox theologians collectively elaborate on Psychoanalysis in addressing an English-speaking audience. This profound collection of studies—showing the reciprocal complementarity between the fields of Orthodox Theology and Psychoanalysis and leading to their interdisciplinary encounter—holds special value for our contemporary society.
Prescott Area Shelter Services, or PASS, is a local women & children's shelter. St. George parishioners provide a meal once a month for the residents there. If you would like to further support them, please consider donating needed items on their "Wish List". To find out more, check out their website, prescottshelters.org, and click on "Ways To Help". Contact Laura Scott for more information.
Metropolis & Archdiocese News
The Christian Education Ministry of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco, together with Saint Paul Greek Orthodox Church in Irvine, CA, are offering "A Very Short Course in Orthodox Theology". This six-week series will be held on Wednesday evenings beginning on May 12 and continue through June 16, 2021 from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. PDT. Dr. Paraskevè (Eve) Tibbs, chair of the Metropolis Christian Education Ministry will be leading this course which is open to all interested adults. Each class session topic is independent, thus you do not need to commit to attending each session – just attend when you are able.
The fast moving format is a combination of lecture, visual presentation, discussion, and occasional video, and there is no homework! Supplemental reading will be provided to all participants at no cost through the sharing of PDF documents. Watch this short promotional video to learn more about this course.
The fast moving format is a combination of lecture, visual presentation, discussion, and occasional video, and there is no homework! Supplemental reading will be provided to all participants at no cost through the sharing of PDF documents. Watch this short promotional video to learn more about this course.
Register today for this great educational program – you won’t want to miss it!
For more information, please email: religioused@sanfran.goarch.org.
For more information, please email: religioused@sanfran.goarch.org.
