The Liturgical Guide and Bulletin for Sunday, February 20th, 2022
February 20, 2022
Sunday of the Prodigal Son
Saints and Feasts Commemorated
Through the parable of today’s Gospel, our Saviour has set forth three things for us: the condition of the sinner, the rule of repentance, and the greatness of God’s compassion. The divine Fathers have put this reading the week after the parable of the Publican and Pharisee so that, seeing in the person of the Prodigal Son our own wretched condition — inasmuch as we are sunken in sin, far from God and His Mysteries — we might at last come to our senses and make haste to return to Him by repentance during these holy days of the Fast.
Furthermore, those who have wrought many great iniquities, and have persisted in them for a long time, oftentimes fall into despair, thinking that there can no longer be any forgiveness for them; and so being without hope, they fall every day into the same and even worse iniquities. Therefore, the divine Fathers, that they might root out the passion of despair from the hearts of such people, and rouse them to the deeds of virtue, have set the present parable at the forecourts of the Fast, to show them the surpassing goodness of God’s compassion, and to teach them that there is no sin — no matter how great it may be — that can overcome at any time His love for man..
Saints and Feasts Commemorated
Leo, Bishop of Catania
This Saint, who was from Ravenna in Italy, lived during the reign of Leo the Wise and his son Constantine Porphyrogenitus (end of the ninth and beginning of the tenth centuries). He struggled especially against the paganism and sorcery still prevalent in those regions.
Liturgical Guide
Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Second Mode
Ὅτε κατῆλθες πρὸς τὸν θάνατον …
When Thou didst descend unto death, O Life Immortal, then didst Thou slay Hades with the lightning of Thy Divinity. And when Thou didst also raise the dead out of the nethermost depths, all the powers in the Heavens cried out: O Life-giver, Christ our God, glory be to Thee.
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Holy Transfiguration Monastery
Apolytikion of St. Demetrios in the Third Mode
Μέγαν εύρατο εv τοίς κιvδύvοις…
Greatness has been found in danger. You are champion of the world. A victor who could turn the nations back. You boldly encouraged Nestor to defeat Lyaeus in the arena. Therefore, holy great martyr Demetrios, intercede with Christ our God, to grant us His great mercy.
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Holy Transfiguration Monastery
Seasonal Kontakion in the Third Mode
Τῆς πατρῴας, δόξης σου …
O Father, foolishly I ran away from Your glory, and in sin, squandered the riches You gave me. Wherefore, I cry out to You with the voice of the Prodigal, “I have sinned before You Compassionate Father. Receive me in repentance and take me as one of Your hired servants.”
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Narthex Press
Epistle Reading
Prokeimenon. Second Mode. Psalm 117.14,18.
The Lord is my strength and my song.
Verse: The Lord has chastened me sorely.
The reading is from St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians 6:12-20
Brethren, “all things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be enslaved by anything. “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food” — and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I therefore take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who joins himself to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two shall become one flesh.” But he who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Shun immorality. Every other sin which a man commits is outside the body; but the immoral man sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body and in your spirit which belong to God.
Gospel Reading
The reading is from Luke 15:11-32
The Lord said this parable: “There was a man who had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that falls to me.’ And he divided his living between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in loose living. And when he had spent everything, a great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want. So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his belly with the pods that the swine ate; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants.’ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to make merry. Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what this meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf!’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'”
Memorial Prayer
Pantelis Sfikas (7 years) and Vassilia Sfikas (7 years) survived by children Chrisanthe, Stamatis, and Anna, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Antonis Economou (40 days) survived by his wife Demetra, his daughter Anna, and two grandsons.
Trisagion Prayer
Michael Homatas (3 years) survived by his wife Anastasia (Stacy) Homatas, and family.
Helen Kappas (3 months) survived by her son Tom (Joanne) Kappas and family.
Announcements
Coffee Hour
In memory of her husband Michael Homatas, Anastasia (Stacy) Homatas has sponsored today’s Coffee Hour.
Saturday of the Souls
The first Saturday of the Souls is February 26, followed by March 5 and March 12. The Orthros is at 9:00am followed by Divine Liturgy at 10:00am. To have the names of your departed loved ones memorialized, fill out a form at church or reply to this email with your list.
Souper Bowl for Caring
On behalf of GOYA, we would like to thank everyone that was able to donate food and/or funds. We collected a good amount of food which was donated to a local Feeding South Florida food bank in our community. We also collected $802.14 for IOCC (International Orthodox Christian Charities)
Hellenic Cultural Society of South Florida Movie Night
Join us on February 26th at 7:30pm to watch a Greek film (with English subtitles).
For more information contact Malvina @ 954-993-7456, Stavroula @ (954) 899-8455 or email us at SimplyGreekSF@gmail.com
Philoptochos 2022 Memberships
Annual dues are payable now. Become a new member or renew your membership @$50 for 2022, as you support the national, metropolis and local organizations of the philanthropic arm of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in America. Please make checks payable to Philoptochos or use credit cards via Square. https://ladies-philoptochos-of-st-demetrios.square.site/
Bingo
BINGO, FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH 4, 2022 AT 6:00PM. Doors open at 5:30pm. Many gift prizes, 50/50 raffle, plus refreshments. It’s an evening of fun, food, family & friends! Get 2 Bingo cards for $7.00 at the door. Supporting Feeding South Florida. Sponsored by Philoptochos! Bring your neighbor! See you on March 4th at 5:30pm!!
Celebration of Learning Luncheon
Celebration of Learning luncheon planned for January 23, 2022 has been rescheduled to March 6, 2022. You can purchase tickets in the hall during the coffee hour or download this form.
Stewardship
Our Church. Our Spiritual Home. Our Family
Our St. Demetrios Church is our spiritual home. It is a place of prayer, comfort, spiritual healing, and celebration. You may have been brought here on your 40th day, or it may have been the destination of your spiritual journey. For both, St. Demetrios Church is a spiritual home to which we may always return. We are brothers and sisters in Christ – a family.
We ask you to support the worship, service and activities of our vibrant community. Giving to His Church is a way to thank God for His grace, His generosity and His many blessings.
Thank you very much for your 2021 stewardship pledge. Your gift truly makes a difference by enabling us to serve those who come to seek Jesus Christ in His Church. Please consider increasing your pledge for 2022. Even a small increase will help us do that much more to strengthen and advance our parish. Please fill out a year 2022 pledge form. Fill out both sides completely so that we can update our database. Thank you!
Calander
Sunday 2/20
9:00am/10:00am Orthros/Divine Liturgy
After Communion Sunday School
1:00pm-2:00pm Bible Study
Monday 2/21
4:15pm-6:00pm Greek Classes A’,B’, Γ’, Δ’ & Adult Beginner @ church
6:30pm-7:30pm Intermediate Modern Greek -Zoom
Tuesday 2/22
7:00pm Adv. Modern Greek-Zoom
Wednesday 2/23
6:30pm DOP Board Meeting
Thursday 2/24
7:00pm Adv. Modern Greek-Zoom
Saturday 2/26 Saturday of Souls
9:00am/10:00am Orthros/Divine Liturgy
Sunday 2/27
9:00am/10:00am Orthros/Divine Liturgy
After Communion Sunday School
1:00pm-2:00pm Bible Study
