January 19, 2025
30th Sunday After Pentecost
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Today’s Readings:
Epistle: Colossians 3:12-16
Gospel: Luke 18:35-43
Schedule of Services:
Saturday, January 25th, Great Vespers at 4pm.
Sunday, January 26th, Divine Liturgy at 10am. Hours begin at 9:40am.
Announcements:
-Memory eternal to our departed parishioners of January.
-Please say extra prayers for Stephanie Lockman’s aunt, June, who is currently in the hospital.
-Thank you to the Burns’ for hosting coffee hour today.
-There is a sign-up sheet posted on the fridge downstairs for house blessings. Please sign up for a house blessing.
-There is Church School scheduled for today.
-Our Annual Parish Meeting will be held next Sunday, January 26th. For this meeting, all of our parishioners are expected to attend to vote on our upcoming budget for 2025 and vote in new parish council members. Please be present, so we do not have to postpone the meeting for another Sunday.
-On Thursday of this week, we will have an Adult Study class at 6pm.
-Next week, beginning Monday, January 27th to Friday, January 31st, Fr. Tristan will be gone and unavailable. If there happens to be any emergency, please let Deacon Corrado know. If a priest is needed, please contact Fr. Volodymyr Chaikivskyi of St. Vladimir’s Church in Trenton. He will cover Fr. Tristan for any priestly needs in case of an emergency. His contact is: 908-494-3620.
-Please consider donating to the Building Preservation/Rectory Fund. Sign up is located on the bulletin board. All donations are appreciated.
-Don’t forget the needy. ShopRite gift cards or non-perishable foods are greatly appreciated.
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Prayers for:
Departed: Feodora, Nadia Living: Archpriest Vladimir, June, Dilara, Kaylee, Vera, Galina, Sandy, Stephanie and Forrest, Robert, Marie, Fernando, Michael, Bernard, Mark, Gerald, David, Robert, Steven, Stephen, Michele; Metropolitan Onuphry and the faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church; the suffering people and innocent victims of the Ukrainian/Russian war and those being persecuted; and the suffering victims of the war in Israel and Palestine.
Words for the Day:
Each of us can discuss God inasmuch as he has known the grace of the Holy Spirit; for how can we think of or discuss what we haven't seen, or haven't head of, or don't know? The saints say that they have seen God, but there are people who say that there is no God. Clearly, they say this because they haven't known God, but this does not at all mean that He is not. The saints speak of that which they have truly seen and know.
(St. Silouan the Athonite, Writings, VIII.9)
Pride does not allow the soul to set out on the path of faith. Here is my advice to the unbeliever: let him say, "Lord, if you exist, then illumine me, and I will serve you with all my heart and soul." And for this humble thought and readiness to serve God, the Lord will immediately illumine him... And then your soul will sense the Lord; she will sense that the Lord has forgiven her, and loves her, and you will know this from experience, and the grace of the Holy Spirit will be a witness in your soul of your salvation, and you will want to cry out to the whole world: "The Lord loves us so much!"
(St. Silouan the Athonite, Writings, III.6)
Next Week’s Readings:
Epistle: 1 Timothy 1:15-17. Brethren, The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. 17 To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Gospel: Matthew 15:21-28. At that time, Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” 23 But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 And he answered, “It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.” 28 Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.
