Newsletter July 25, 2024

On the Ministry of the Diaconate, Part Three

Specialized Diaconate Ministry Project for Better Pastoral Ministry “The deacon assists the hierarch and the priest in conducting prayers and services, and completing pastoral, educational and social work” (Article 95, Chapter VII of the Internal Regulations of the See of Antioch issued by the Holy Synod on April 7, 1983).

Read the entire article: https://www.antiochian.org/regulararticle/2120

Our next seasonal fast: the Dormition Fast in preparation for the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos: August 1-14. May it be blessed!

Please remember that our full calendar continues to be available at our parish web site. Here is a link:
https://stjfc.org/Pages/Calendar/calendar.php

Full schedule: https://stjfc.org/Pages/Ministries/Prosphora/Docs/prosphora sched 2024 web.pdf

Full schedule: https://stjfc.org/Pages/Ministries/Altar/Docs/epistle readers for 2024.pdf

Epistle: ST. PAUL’S LETTER TO THE ROMANS 10:1-10

Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but it is not enlightened. For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law, that every one who has faith may be justified. Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on the law shall live by it. But the righteousness based on faith says, Do not say in your heart, “Who will ascend into heaven?” (that is, to bring Christ down) or “Who will descend into the abyss?” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preach); because, if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For man believes with his heart and so is justified, and he confesses with his lips and so is saved.

Gospel: MATTHEW 8:28-34; 9:1

At that time, when Jesus came to the country of the Gergesenes, two demoniacs met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one would pass that way. And behold, they cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” Now a herd of many swine was feeding at some distance from them. And the demons begged him, “If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of swine.” And he said to them, “Go.” So they came out and went into the swine; and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and perished in the waters. The herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told everything, and what had happened to the demoniacs. And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their neighborhood. And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city.

Do You See This Woman?

Fr. Lawrence Farley

The spiritual myopia of the Pharisee is one common to the children of men. Oftentimes we also do not see people as they really are. We see them as annoyances, as sinners, as bad drivers provoking our road rage, as transgressors not keeping religious laws as we think they should. We do not see them as they really are—that is, as flesh and blood like ourselves, men and women with secret struggles and undivulged heartbreaks.

Almost everyone we meet is fighting an unseen battle we know nothing about, and sometimes they are only hanging on by a thread. We do not see them or their pain, their fear, their insecurities, or their well-hidden anguish. Like us, they cover it up so well. “Do you see this woman? Do you see this man?” No, no we don’t. We only see their surface, and cannot penetrate to their hidden heart where doubt and fear lie. If we did, we would have more compassion on them than we do.

Read the entire article: https://nootherfoundation.ca/do-you-see-this-woman