Today’s Readings:
Epistle: 1 Timothy 4:9-15
Gospel: Luke 19:1-10
Schedule of Services:
-Thursday, February 2nd, Divine Liturgy for the Meeting of Our Lord in the Temple at 10am.
-Saturday, February 4th, No Great Vespers.
-Sunday, February 5th, Divine Liturgy at 10am. Hours begin at 9:40am.
Announcements:
-Thank you Mila for hosting the coffee hour today. Mila will be honoring her Grandmother by using recipes she learned from her.
-The Annual Parish Meeting will be held today.
-Don’t forget the needy. Shop Rite gift cards or non-perishable foods are needed and greatly appreciated.
-There will be no Great Vespers held the evening of February 4th, since His Eminence’s 50th year of ordination to the priesthood celebration will be taking place that day.
-On Thursday, February 2nd, we will celebrate Divine Liturgy for the Meeting of Our Lord in the Temple.
-Another reminder that January has been designated by our Diocese as a month to hold a special collection for relief to the Alaskan Diocese, which desperately needs financial assistance. If donating by check, please make check out to the church, but dedicate it to Alaskan Diocese Relief.
-Next Church School for children: Sunday, February 19th.
Prayers for:
Living: Paul, Melissa, Helen, John, Stephen, Michele, Janet, Teresa, Irina, Alla, Ira, Victor, the child of God, Gideon; the servant of God, Brendan; 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 Palestine.
Departed: Fr. Sergius (Kuharsky)
Words for the Day:
One who strictly prosecutes the misdemeanors of others will find not condescension towards his own.
(St. John Chrysostom, On the Statutes, 3.6)
A man becomes spiritual insofar as he lives a spiritual life. He begins to see God in all things, to see His power and might in every manifestation. Always and everywhere he sees himself abiding in God and dependent on God for all things. But insofar as a man lives a bodily life, so much he does he do bodily things; He doesn't see God in anything, even in the the most wondrous manifestations of His Divine power. In all things he sees body, material, everywhere and always - "God is not before his eyes." (Ps. 35:2)
(St. John of Kronstadt, My Life in Christ, I.5)
One should not seek among others the truth that can be easily gotten from the Church. For in her, as in a rich treasury, the apostles have placed all that pertains to truth, so that everyone can drink this beverage of life. She is the door of life.
(St. Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies, III.4)
Next Week’s Readings:
Epistle: 2 Timothy 3:10-15. You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Brethren, Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things. I urge you the more earnestly to do this in order that I may be restored to you the sooner. Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Gospel: Luke 18:10-14. “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said:“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.“Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.