Today’s Readings:
Epistle: 1 Corinthians 1:10-18
Gospel: Matthew 14:14-22
Schedule of Services:
For the Feast of the Transfiguration:
Saturday, August 5th, Great Vespers with Litya at 4pm.
Sunday, August 6th, Divine Liturgy at 10am. Hours begin at 9:40am.
Announcements:
-Many years to Dn. Corrado and Alfie on the celebration of their wedding anniversary today!
-Thank you, Bill, for hosting coffee hour today.
-Again, regarding Robert Fisher who had pre-cancer/or cancer on his tongue and had to have surgery—he is doing well and is still his good self, although it will take some rehabilitation for him to get back to normal with speaking and eating. Nevertheless, he would be very happy to get out and go to church. Any visitation or ride to church from our parishioners, he would be more than happy to accept. If anyone would like to take him out, please just ensure that he signs out at the reception area where his wing is located. It is my understanding, from speaking to a receptionist, that that is all that is asked of him to do to leave the facility. It is best to text him on his cell phone number: 609-306-4714. And the address is: Country Arch Care Center
114 Pittstown Rd. Pittstown, NJ 08867.
-Steve W is doing well and is in pretty good spirits. He was moved to Room C120 at Hunterdon Care Center due to a Coronavirus outbreak in his wing.
-Looking ahead: Vinni, Caroline, Tyler, and Aubrey will be received into the Orthodox Church on October 1st—the Feast of the Protection of the Theotokos.
-There will be a church council meeting on Sunday, August 13th.
-Again, 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.
Prayers for:
Departed: Alexandra
Living: Dn. Corrado and Alfonsia, Nicholas, Nicholas, Karen, Alexandra,Steven, Paul, Archpriest Paul, Melissa, Helen, John, Stephen, Michele, Janet, Teresa, Irina, Alla, Ira, Victor; Vinni, Caroline, Tyler, and Aubrey, 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 Palestine.
Words for the Day:
Do not say, "this happened by chance, while this came to be of itself." In all that exists there is nothing disorderly, nothing indefinite, nothing without purpose, nothing by chance ... How many hairs are on your head? God will not forget one of them. Do you see how nothing, even the smallest thing, escapes the gaze of God?
(St. Basil the Great)
It is an indubitable truth that the highest Divine Providence arranges all of creation. God considers all things beforehand and takes care for all things. This is the Divine fatherly care of which the blessed apostle Peter speaks: "Cast all of your cares upon Him, because He is concerned for you." (I Pet. 5:7)
(St. Elias Minjatios. Sermon on the Great Fast, 1)
The purpose of God's Providence is to unite, by means of right faith and spiritual love, people who have been separated by evil. To this end the Savior also suffered for us, "in order to gather together the children of God who were scattered." (John 11:52)
(St. Maximus Confessor, Chapters of Love, 4.17)
Next Week’s Readings:
Epistle: 2 Peter 1:10-19. Brethren, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For
in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. I think it right, as long as I am in this body,[b] to stir you up by way of reminder, since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things. For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts,
Gospel: Matthew 17:1-9. And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.”