Weekly Sunday Bulletin – Sunday of the Paralytic

Apolytikion Ἦχος Γ ʹ.

Εὐφραινέσθω τὰ οὐράνια…
Let all things above in heaven rejoice, and let all things below on earth be glad. With all the might and strength of His arm an eternal deed the Lord did perform. Beneath His feet He has trampled down death by death, and first born of the dead has He become. From the womb of Hades has He delivered us, and to all the world has granted His great redeeming mercy.

Apolytikion for St. Demetrios

Μέγαν εύρατο εv τοίς κιvδύvοις…
The world found in you a great champion in dangers a victor who could turn the nations back! As you restrained Levi in the arena, you also inspired Nestor to courage! Therefore, holy, great martyr, Demtrios, entreat Christ God to grant us great mercy!

Apolytikion of Pascha

Χριστός ἀνέστη…
Christ is risen from the dead, by death hath He trampled down death, and on those in the graves hath He bestowed life.

Kontakion

Εἰ καὶ ἐν τάφῳ κατῆλθες ἀθάνατε…
Though You went down into the tomb, You destroyed Hades’ power, and rose the victor, Christ God. To the myrrh-bearing women, saying “Hail!” and granting peace to Your disciples, You are He Who raises up the fallen.

Trisagia

Katina Maounis (4yrs) survived by her husband Chris , daughter Zoe , son-in-law Vito and grandson Michael

Teddy Filosofos (5yrs) survived by his daughter Denise and family

Flowers

Flowers on the altar donated in loving memory of Zoe’s mother Katina Maounis. May her memory be eternal !

Jesus Heals the Paralytic by the Pool

Great is the profit of divine Scriptures, and all sufficient is the aid which comes from them… for the divine oracles are a treasury of all manner of medicines. Whether it be needful to quench pride, to lull passion to sleep, to tread under foot the love of money, to despise pain, to inspire confidence, to tread under foot the love of money, to despise pain, to inspire confidence, to gain patience– in the Scriptures we may find abundant resource. For what man of those who struggle with long poverty or who are nailed by a grievous disease will not, when he reads the passage before us, receive much comfort? Since this man had been a paralytic for thirty eight years, and he saw others delivered each year, and himself bound by his disease, not even so did he fall back and despair, though in truth not merely despondency for the past, but also hopelessness for the future was sufficient to overstrain him… Yes, Lord, he says, but I have no man… to put me in the pool. What can be more pitiable than these words?… Do you see a heart crushed through long sickness? Do you see all violence subdued?.. He did not curse his day… but replied gently… Yes, Lord; yet he did not know who it was who asked him.
St. John Chrysostom. Homily XXXVII

I am the Light of the World; He who follows Me shall not Walk in Darkness

Sometimes in his heart a man draws near to God, sometimes he goes far from God, and therefore he experiences either peace and joy, or fear, disturbance, and oppression. The one is life and light, the other spiritual darkness and death. We draw near to God mostly in time of afflication, from which no one can save us but God, to Whom we then turn with our whole heart, and thus approach Him sincerely; whilst we go far from God in times of ease and abundance of earthly blessing, which make the old carnal man proud of himself, and—especially when he thirsts for riches, glory and distinction, and has attained all these he loses faith from his heart and forgets God, his Judge and Recompenser, forgets the immortality of his soul, and his duty to love God with all his heart and his neighbor as himself. St. John of Kronstadt. My Life in Christ. B#61, p. 21

Epistle Reading

Acts of the Apostles 9:32-42

IN THOSE DAYS, as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints that lived at Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years and was paralyzed. And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” And immediately he rose. And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. Now there was at Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. In those days she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him entreating him, “Please come to us without delay.” So Peter rose and went with them. And when he had come, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping, and showing tunics and other garments which Dorcas made while she was with them. But Peter put them all outside and knelt down and prayed; then turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, rise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. And he gave her his hand and lifted her up. Then calling the saints and widows he presented her alive. And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord

Gospel Reading

John 5:1-15

At that time, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Hebrew called Bethesda which has five porticoes. In these lay a multitude of invalids, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water; for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool, and troubled the water; whoever stepped in first after the troubling of the water was healed of whatever disease he had. One man was there, who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew that he had been lying there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is troubled, and while I am going another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your pallet, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his pallet and walked

Now that day was the sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who was cured, “It is the sabbath, it is not lawful for you to carry your pallet.” But he answered them, “The man who healed me said to me, ‘Take up your pallet, and walk.’ “They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your pallet, and walk’?” Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse befall you.” The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him.