Today’s Readings:
Epistle: 1 Timothy 1:15-17
Gospel: Matthew 15:21-28
Schedule of Services:
Saturday, February 17th, Great Vespers at 4pm.
Sunday, February 18th, Divine Liturgy at 10am. Hours begin at 9:40am.
Announcements:
-Memory eternal to Renee, Pam Heitz’s mother who passed away 21 years ago.
-Thank you to Stephanie V. for hosting coffee hour last week. And many thanks to Valli for hosting today.
-There will be a sisterhood meeting after church today. All ladies are invited to attend.
-The SGP Growth Committee needs your help. As mentioned at the Annual Meeting, we are looking to update the parish website. If you have photos from services, coffee hour, Sunday School, picnic, etc. that you are willing to share, please email them to Vinni at vinni1234@live.com or text them to 908.247.8994. Your participation is greatly appreciated!
-Again, please note that Michele Lelo's cell phone number has changed. It is now 908.329.8702. Steve and Michele look forward to company. You can contact them at Michele's new number if you plan to stop by.
-Steve W. is currently residing at Hunterdon Care Center in Flemington, NJ. He is happy to welcome any visitors. His room number is C 120.
-Please text Robert Fisher at (609) 306-4714 if you would like to visit or are able to bring him to church. His address is 47 Lincoln Ave., Lambertville, NJ.
-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. Shop Rite gift cards or non-perishable foods are greatly appreciated.
-The next Church School for children will be on February 25.
Prayers for:
Departed: Archpriest Moses, Helga (Jan. 10), Michel, Teresa, Renee
Living: Michael, Elena, Janis, David, Robert, Karen, Steven, Archpriest Paul, Melissa, Stephen, Michele, Janet, Teresa, Irina, Victor; 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; the suffering people of Yemen, Syria and Turkey; and the suffering victims of the war in Israel and Palestine.
Words for the Day
Whoever does not want to know the will of God is mentally walking a path next to a cliff, and easily falls with any wind. If he is praised, he is proud. If he is rebuked he is angry. If he eats pleasant food, he is drawn into bodily passions. When he suffers he weeps. When he knows something, he wants to show that he knows. When he doesn't understand, he pretends to understand. When he is rich he puts on airs. When he is poor, he is a hypocrite. When he is full, he is bold. When he fasts he is vainglorious. When he is denounced he loves to argue, while he looks on those who forgive him as fools.
(St. Mark the Ascetic, Homilies, 2.193)
-Falsehood - and only falsehood - separates us from God ... False thoughts, false words, false feelings, false desires - Behold the aggregate of lies that leads us to non-being, illusion, and rejection of God.
(St. Nicholas of Serbia, Thoughts on Good and Evil)
The Lord does not show Himself to a proud soul. The proud soul, no matter how many books it reads, will never know God, since by its pride it does not give place for the grace of the Holy Spirit, while God is known only by the humble soul.
(St. Silouan the Athonite, Writings, III.11)
Next Week’s Readings:
Epistle: 1 Timothy 4:9-15. BrethrenThe saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe. Command and teach these things. Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.
Gospel: Luke 19:1-10. At that time Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”