Happy Independence Day!

Sunday, July 6, 2025

4th Sunday of Matthew

Sisoes the Great

This Saint, great and renowned among the ascetics of Egypt, lived in the fourth century in Scete of Nitria. After the death of Saint Anthony the Great, he left Scete to live in Saint Anthony’s cave; he said of this, “Thus in the cave of a lion, a fox makes his dwelling.” When Sisoës was at the end of his long life of labours, as the Fathers were gathered about him, his face began to shine, and he said, “Behold, Abba Anthony is come”; then, “Behold, the choir of the Prophets is come”; his face shone yet more bright, and he said, “Behold, the choir of the Apostles is come.” The light of his countenance increased, and he seemed to be talking with someone. The Fathers asked him of this; in his humility, he said he was asking the Angels for time to repent. Finally his face became as bright as the sun, so that the Fathers were filled with fear. He said, “Behold, the Lord is come, and He says, ‘Bring Me the vessel of the desert,'” and as he gave up his soul into the hands of God, there was as it were a flash of lightning, and the whole dwelling was filled with a sweet fragrance.

Liturgical Guide

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Third Mode
Εὐφραινέσθω τὰ οὐράνια…
Let the Heavens rejoice; let earthly things be glad; for the Lord hath wrought might with His arm, He hath trampled upon death by death. The first-born of the dead hath He become. From the belly of Hades hath He delivered us, and hath granted great mercy to the world.
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.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Second Mode
Προστασία τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἀκαταίσχυντε…
O Protection of Christians that cannot be put to shame, mediation unto the creator most constant: O despise not the voices of those who have sinned; but be quick, O good one, to come unto our aid, who in faith cry unto thee: Hasten to intercession and speed thou to make supplication, O thou who dost ever protect, O Theotokos, them that honor thee.
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by Holy Transfiguration Monastery

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Third Mode. Psalm 46.6,1.
Sing praises to our God, sing praises.
Verse: Clap your hands, all you nations.

The reading is from St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans 6:18-23

Brethren, having been set free from sin, you have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once yielded your members to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now yield your members to righteousness for sanctification.When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But then what return did you get from the things of which you are now ashamed? The end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the return you get is sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Gospel Reading

Matthew 8:5-13

At that time, as Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, beseeching him and saying, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, in terrible distress.” And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” But the centurion answered him, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard him, he marveled, and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.” And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; be it done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment.

Memorial Prayer

Nikolaos Solomos (40 days) Survived by his wife Anna, daughter Evagelia, son Marino (Erin), and grandchildren.

Michael Xypolitas (10 years) survived by his mother Nomiki Koutsourai, uncles Apostolos (Andrea) Velisarios and Ioannis (Anna) Koutsourais, aunts Stella Anasis and Dimitra Koutsourai, many cousins, and the Zitis family.

Baby Blessing

Athena and Kyle Soukup present Konstantinos (Dean) for the 40 day blessing

Announcements

Sunday School
Our youth ministries are scheduled to resume Sunday, September 7. The Sunday School program is asking for volunteers. If interested, please reach out to Fr. Peter.

Stewardship

We remind everyone to pledge for year 2025. Please send in the stewardship form you received in the mail or pledge here https://stdemetrios.org/our-parish/stewardship/stewardship-form/
Thank you!

Prosforo

Anyone able to bake Prosforo please do so. With the prosforo, submit the names of the living and the dead for the proskomide.

Summertime Angels
Donations towards our weekly and monthly expenses would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your generosity!

NIGHT BINGO…FRIDAY, JULY 18TH, AT 6:30PM. DOORS OPEN AT 6:00PM. JOIN US FOR BINGO!

Get 2 BINGO cards at the door for $7.00. Many gift prizes, 50/50 raffle, plus refreshments. Supporting Covenant House and other local charities. Invite your neighbors and friends. Join us for a relaxing evening of fun, family, friends, & food!! Sponsored by Philoptochos.
See you on Friday evening, July 18th at 6:00pm.

DOP/Philoptochos/AHEPA/Pap Corp End of Year luncheon
All members are welcome to attend. When: Saturday, July 12 at 11:30am Where: Anthony’s Clam House in Fort Lauderdale Cost: $50.