237 Long Hill Rd, Little Falls, NJ 07424

St. George Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church

237 Long Hill Rd, Little Falls, NJ 07424

Matins 8:45 AM

Divine Liturgy 10:00 AM

Parish Office - (973)256 8961

Pastor Office - (973)256-9475

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Giving Thanks to God(Patriarch John X)

In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

The fragment that we heard today from the Gospel highlights an essential aspect of Man's life, and the rapport between him and God.

The ten lepers, who came to Lord Jesus, asked him saying: "Master, have mercy on us!", and as they went they were cleansed. Only one of them, who was Samaritan, turned back glorifying the name of God with a loud voice. He thanked the Lord Jesus, and fell down on his face at His feet. The Lord said: "Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger".

The relation between God and Man has many aspects:

- One of these aspects is fear, when we deal with God as a judge who seeks to punish us. That is the reason why we do what we do and what He asks us to do, because we are afraid of His punishment and judgment.

- The second aspect, when we deal with God, consciously or unconsciously, as the One that fulfills our needs, as a servant for our needs. So, we pray for Him, asking Him to give us from His blessings and to resolve our problems. But sometimes we become skeptical, when we ask for something and do not get a response. So, we ask ourselves: Why are we praying? What is the use of my prayer? I am praying and lighting candles, but all in vain. I wonder whether God listens to me or not? Does God exists?... This is what I meant when I described our relationship with God saying that He is a servant for our needs and requests.

Only one of the ten lepers turned back glorifying God and giving thanks to the Lord. So thanksgivings, praise, glorifying God, are another important aspect in Man's life and his relationship with God. And in the Gospel we have uncountable examples that show the importance of praising and glorifying God and giving thanks to him.

In our prayers, in the psalms and the hymns that we repeat every day, for how many times do we repeat in our prayers: "Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit"...? How many times do we repeat: "Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good".

You all remember the miracle of increasing the loaves and the fishes, the Gospel says: He "gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude". At the Last Supper, when He sat with His disciples eating with them, and establishing the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, the Gospel says: "he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them". The Divine Liturgy that we are officiating now is called, in theological terms, the Sacrament of thanksgiving, or Eucharist which is a word with Greek origins, used in all languages as a theological term that means thanksgiving.

You will observe in few minutes, in the Holy Anaphora, that we present the sacrifices (the bread and the wine) so that the Holy Spirit descends on them, transforming them into the body and the blood of our Lord, so we say: "Mercy and peace, a sacrifice of praise", a sacrifice of thanksgiving and glorifying.

The priest stands at the Royal Door addressing the believers and saying what we call today the "Eucharistic Dialogue": "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with all of you". People say: "and with your spirit". The priest says: "Let us lift up our hearts." We answer: "We lift them up to the Lord". The priest continues: "Let us give thanks to the Lord". While people say: "it is proper and right" the priest continues: "It is proper and right to sing to You, bless You, praise You, thank You..."

So, we can learn how to give thanks by watching the life of Jesus Christ, in the Holy Gospel, in the Divine Liturgy and every day. This expresses the state of heart humbleness in the relation between God and Man. So:

- The first form of giving thanks has been shown by the nine lepers who, after getting healed, turned their backs and left.

- The second form of giving thanks has been expressed by the only leper who got back when he realized God's Grace. That is why he fell down on his face to the Lord giving thanks to Him.

- The third form is when Man gives thanks to God, not only when he receives a gift from Him, but giving thanks to Him always, in tribulation and in rest, in happiness and in sadness, Because "for whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord". In this way the whole man's life changes into a movement of praise, glorifying and thanksgiving.

Herein, I remember what our Holy Fathers said, when they described Man's spiritual life, according to his relationship with God in three stages: the first stage is the stage of the servant, the second is the stage of the hired and finally the stage of the son. At the stage of the servant, he does what his master orders him to do, out of fear of the punishment. As for the hired, he does what he does asking for the price. As for the son, he does his master's order because he is his father and he loves him. He is the son and the heir in the house, nor out of fear neither asking for a price, only because he is the son.

We all are called to have humble hearts, so that Lord may dwell inside us. This is how we change, moving from one stage to another, till we become new as we heard today in the epistle, in the image of our Creator. Only then we can say "Glory to the God for everything", just like Saint John Chrysostom, the great Antiochian and the teacher of the world who died in the exile.

May God gives us the strength to cry with Saint John, from a heart wounded with the love of God, giving thanks to Him and saying: "Glory to the God for everything", Amen.

Tone 1 / Twenty- Sixth Sunday after Pentecost 14th Sunday of Luke / Eothinon4
Altar Servers / James Alain, Michael Handal, Jeremey Nashid, Tyler Otella, George Saad, Michael Saykali, Alex Saykali.

RESURRECTIONAL APOLYTIKION IN TONE EIGHT

From the heights Thou didst descend, O compassionate One, and Thou didst submit to the three-day burial, that Thou might deliver us from passion; Thou art our life and our Resurrection, O Lord, glory to Thee.

طروباريةالقيامة(باللحنالثامن)

انحدرتَمنالعُلىأيهاالْمُتَحَنِّن . وقبِلْتَالدفْنَذاالثلاثةِالأيام،لكيتعتقَنامنالآلام . فياحياتَناوقيامتَنَاياربُّالمجدلك

TROPARION OF SAINT GEORGE IN TONE 4

As deliverer of captives, as defender of the poor, healer of the infirm, champion of kings, Victorious, Great Martyr George, intercede with Christ our Lord, intercede for the soul’s salvation.

طروبارية القديس جاورجيوس اللابس الظفر (باللحن الرابع)

بماأنَّكَللمأسورينَمُحَرِّرٌومُعتِقٌ،وللفُقراءِوالمساكينِعاضِدٌوناصِرٌ،وللمَرضىطبيبٌوشافٍ،وعنالمؤمنينَمُكافِحٌومُحارِبٌ. أيُّهاالعظيمُفيالشُهداءِجاورجيوسُالمُظَفَّرُ. تَشفَّعْإلىالمَسيحِالإلهِفيخلاصِنفوسِنا.

KONTAKION OF PREPARATION OF CHRIST’S NATIVITY IN TONE THREE

Today the Virgin cometh to the cave where she will give birth in an ineffable manner to the Word Who is before all the ages. Rejoice, therefore, O universe, when thou hearest it heralded: Glorify Him, with the angels and the shepherds, Who chose to be seen as a new-born babe, the God Who is before all the ages.

القنداقعلىاللحن3

اليومَ العذراء تَأْتِي إِلَى المَغَارَة، لِتَلِدَ الْكَلِمَة، الّذِي قبْلَ الدُهُورِ، وِلَادَةً لا تُفَسَّر ولا يُنْطَقُ بِهَا، فَافْرَحِي أَيَّتُهَا المسْكُونَةُ إِذَا سَمِعْتِ، وَمَجِّدِي مَعَ المَلائِكَةِ والرُعَاة، الَّذِي سَيَظْهَرُ بمشيئَتِهِ طِفْلاً جَدِيداً وَهُوَ الإلهُ الَّذِي قَبْلَ الدُهُور.

EPISTLE

Make your vows to the Lord our God and perform them. God is known in Judah; His Name is great in Israel.

The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Ephesians (4:1-7)

Brethren, I, a prisoner for the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all, Who is above all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

الرسالة

صلوا وأوفوا الربّ إلهَنا, اللهُ معروفٌ في أرضِ يهوذا

فصلٌ من رسالةِ القديسِ بولسَ الرسولِ إلى أهلِ أفسس

يا اخوةُ, أطلبُ إليكم, أنا السجينُ في الربِ, أن تسلكوا سلوكاً يليق بالدعوةِ التي دُعيتم إليها, بكلّ تواضعٍ ووداعةٍ وصبرٍ, محتملين بعضُكم بعضاً بمحبةٍ, ومجتهدين في المحافظةِ على وحدةِ الروحِ برباطِ السلام. فأنتم جسدٌ واحدٌ وروحٌ واحد. مثلما دُعيتم إلى رجاءِ دعوتِكم الواحد. ربٌ واحدٌ ومعموديةٌ واحدة, والهٌ واحدٌ, أبٌ للجميع, وفوقَ الجميع, وبالجميعِ, وفي الجميع. ولكلّ واحدٍ منا أُعطيت النعمةُ على مقدارِ ما وهبَ له المسيح.

THE GOSPEL

The reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke (Luke 18:1827)

At that time, a ruler asked him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor your father and mother." And he said, "All these I have observed from my youth." And when Jesus heard it, he said to him, "One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." But when he heard this he became sad, for he was very rich. Jesus looking at him said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." Those who heard it said, "Then who can be saved?" But he said, "What is impossible with men is possible with God."

الإنجيل

فصلٌمنبشارةِالقديسِلوقا

فيذلكالزمانِ, دنامنيسوعَإنسانٌليجرّبَهفقال: "أيّهاالمعلمُالصالحُ, ماذاأعملُلأرثَالحياةَالأبدية؟" فأجابهيسوع: "لماذاتدعونيصالحاً, وماصالحٌإلاواحدٌوهوالله. أنتَتعرفُالوصايا: لاتزنِ, لاتقتلْ, لاتسرقْ, لاتشهدْبالزورِ, أكرمْأباكوأمّك. فقال: "كلّهذهالوصاياحفظتُهامنأيامِصباي." فلمّاسمعَيسوعذلك, قالَله: "يعوزُكَشيءٌواحدٌ, بعْكلّشيءووزّعْهعلىالفقراءِ, فيكونَلككنزٌفيالسماءِ, وتعالَاتبعني." فحزِنَالرجلُعندماسمِعَهذاالكلام, لأنّهكانغنياًجداً. ولمّارآهيسوعُأنّهحزِنَجداًقالَله: "ماأعسرَدخولَذويالأموالِإلىملكوتِالله, فدخولُالجملِفيثقبِالإبرةِأسهلُمندخولِالغنيّإلىملكوتِالله." فقالالسامعون: "منيستطيعُأنيخلصَ, إذن؟"فأجابَيسوع: مالايُستطاعُعندالناسِمُستطاعٌعنداللهِ.”

Today’s Thoughts

"It is not necessary to roam heaven and earth after God or to send our mind to seek Him in different places. Purify your soul, O son of man, remove from yourself the thought of memories outside of nature; hang the veil of chastity and humility before your impulses. By means of these you will be able to find Him who is within you." -- St. Isaac the Syrian

"You look into a mirror so that you may know what is in your face, whether there are any blemishes in it, and having seen blemishes, you cleanse them. Let the immaculate life of Christ be a mirror to your soul. Does it desire the same things that Christ desires? And does it do what Christ did when He lived on earth? And in it you will see what is contrary to the life of Christ, and you will cleanse it all like blemishes with repentance and contrition of heart." -- St. Tikhon of Zadonsk

ما هو البخور

عندما يطوف الكاهن بالبخور حول المذبح ويقدمه للايقونات والشعب انما يجمع صلوات الجميع كصوت واحد يحمله البخور المقدس وترفعه الملائكة مع صلوات وشفاعة والدة الاله. يقول سفر الرؤيا (4:8) )صعد دخان البخور مع صلوات القديسين( والبخور فوق المذبح يشير الى حلول الروح القدس في الهيكل لتقديس المكان حسب قول سليمان النبي )أن الله يسكن في الضباب( .. وتبخير الشعب هو لتقديسهم ولرفع غضب الله عنهم، قال موسى لهرون )خذ المبخرة وأذهب بها مسرعاً الى الجماعة وكفَر عنهم - لان السخط قد خرج من قبل الرب( . فوضع بخوراً وكفَر عنهم فأمتنع الوبأ (عدد 41:16). المبخرة تشير الى العذراء مريم والنار للاهوت الذي حل فيها بدون أن تحترق.. والبخور يشير الى العبادة.. للمبخرة أثني عشر جرساً دلالة على كرازة الرسل. يجب إحنار الرأس أمام الكاهن عندما يبخر هكذا يباركنا ويقدسنا لاننا هياكل الروح القدس

Why is Incense Used in the Orthodox Church

We find the use of incense as far back as the Old Testament, such as Psalm 141:2, “Let my prayer be set forth before you as incense; and the lifting up of my hands be as an evening sacrifice.” In Malachi 1:11, it says, “…and in every place incense is going to be offered to my name.” Much of our worship comes from the Hebrew rites and traditions established before Christ, including the reading of Psalms (which are in every service of the Orthodox Church), incense, chanting, and much more. Incense is made from aromatic plant matter, (the good smelling plant parts) and a binding agent to hold it together, either oil or resin.

A censer is the “tool” that we use in the church to get the smoke and the smell to the people. The most common censers are gold and have four chains, standing for the four evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), who wrote the four gospels that we have in the Bible. It also usually has twelve bells for the 12 Apostles, who were the closest of the followers of Jesus and the main people who spread the Word of God. Inside of the Censer, we place a piece of charcoal and on top of the charcoal we place incense. The fragrant smoke that is produced reminds us of our prayers rising to God while the gold censer resembles a church and helps us remember to pray. These golden censers also remind us of Christmas (the Nativity of the Lord), where the Magi (aka the 3 Kings) gave Jesus gold, frankincense and myrrh as frankincense is a commonly used incense.

ما هو صوم الاربعاء والجمعة

ما خلق الله آدم وحواء جعلهما في الفردوس فحسدهما الشيطان فدخل الحية ليغويهما حنى يأكلا من الشجرة الممنوعة. وكذلك يهوذا الاسخريوطي بعد ان دخله الشيطان ذهب يوم الاربعاء وسلم السيد. في البدء أراد الشيطان أن يجعلنا مخالفين بالاكل. ونحن بعكس ذلك نصوم لكي لا نشارك الاسخريوطي بالمشورة ضد المسيح وكل من لا يصوم يشارك الاسخريوطي بالهلاك... وأما يوم الجمعة ففي الساعة السادسة مد آدم يده واكل من الشجرة المحرمة فجلب الموت على نفسه وعلى نسله .. وقد مد السيد المسيح يديه على الصليب في نفس اليوم ونفس الساعة تكفيراً عن خطيئة آدم في الفردوس. لذلك وجب الصيام في هذين اليومين إكراماً لما تحمل خالقنا من الآلام فيهما وكان الرسل يصومون هذين اليومين انقطاعا كلياً. وتوما الرسول لم يأكل مدى الحياة سوى الخبز والملح.

Why do we fast Wednesday and Friday?

From the time of the Holy Apostles, Christians have fasted on Wednesdays in remembrance of Christ's betray, and on Fridays in remembrance of His Crucifixion. Once you develop a habit of keeping both days, it becomes part of the natural rhythm of life. There's a canon that calls for clergy not keeping the Wednesday and Friday fasts to be deposed--a little something that sticks in my mind, as a reader. Now, whether people keep the fasts is another story. Also, there are times when the Wednesday and Friday fast is suspended--or rather, a blessing is given, due to a liturgical seasonal occurrence not to fast on those days. (For example, the Wednesdays and Fridays after Nativity.)

هل الاعتراف ضروري بين الفينة والأخرى؟ ولمن يجب على المؤمن أن يعترف؟

القديسان الكبيران غريغوريوس بالاماس وسلوان الآثوسي ومن سبقهما ربطوا المناولة بالاعتراف. الاعتراف عملية تطبيب روحي. النصوص الآبائية واضحة كل الوضوح. المؤمن يفتح صدره لأبيه الروحي فلا يخفي عنه شيئاً. المفروض في الأب الروحي أن يكون خبيراً بالنفس البشرية وأهوائها وطرق تحويل الأهواء إلى فضائل. هذا يتطلب علماً وخبرة وممارسة ما زلنا نفتقر إليها في بلادنا. بالمقارنة مع التحليل النفسي نستنتج تماماً أن هذا تطبيبٌ للأمراض النفسية بينما الاعتراف تطبيبٌ للأمراض الروحية.

مؤخراً أصدر اللاهوتي الكبير الأرثوذكسي لارشيه كتاباً ضخماً بعنوان معالجة الأمراض الروحية. يتضمن نصوص آباء الكنسية لمعالجة الخطايا. اللفظة الفرنسية تعبّر خير تعبير عن المضمون: المسألة معالجة بأساليب روحية لأمراض فتاكة هي الأمراض الروحية أي الخطايا. وبما أن الإنسان ملوث بالخطايا كأنها برصٌ أو سرطان خبيث فالمعالجة الفنية ضرورية جداً لاستئصال السرطان الخبث.

أما ممارسة الاعتراف فتتعلق بالأب الروحي فهو الذي ينظّم أوقاتها بين اعتراف دقيق واعتراف عابر بحسب الحاجة. ثم يعطي الحلّ. مبدئياً لدى الأرثوذكس الآباء الروحيون المختصون هم شيوخ الرهبان. وعلى الأخص في الأديرة التاريخية مثل أديرة جبل آثوس في اليونان ودير أوبيتنا سابقاً في روسيا. القديس غريغوريوس النيصصي يطالب بالعلم والخبرة كما الأمر في كل المهن الأخرى. مبدئياً شيوخ الرهبان هم الخبراء الصالحون لتدريب سواهم على أصول الاعتراف. فالمحلل النفسي يدرس خمس سنوات ويخضع هو نفسه للتحليل. وبعد الممارسة يعود بين الفينة والأخرى إلى محلّله ليطهّره مما علق في لاشعوره من اختلالات. وتطيب الأمراض الروحية من الصنف نفسه فيحتاج المعرّف الروحي إلى تدريبات علمية وفنية ليصير خبيراً بالنفس البشرية. ليس الكهنوت بحد ذاته وبدون هذه التدريبات تأهيلاً للأبوّة الروحية.

Nativity Fast(November 15 - December 24)

The Nativity Fast is divided into two periods. The first period is November 15 through December 19 when the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, fish, wine and oil) is observed with katalysis for wine and oil on Tuesday and Thursday, and for fish, wine and oil on Saturday and Sunday. The second period is December 20 through 24 when the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, fish, wine and oil) is observed Monday through Friday, but with katalysis for wine and oil on Saturday and Sunday. [Katalysis is Greek, meaning “relaxation”.

Parish News
Holy Bread
The Holy Bread is being offered today for the good health of George & Peggy Nahass offered by their children and their families.
Donations
Gabriel & Diane Sabbagh for the good health of George & Margaret Nahass. Jihan Tannous in memory of Joseph Dollari.
The Spirits of the Righteous Made Perfect
Jennie Fardice, Mary Hatab, Gregory Raben, Nazeera Tahmoosh, Louis Hakim, Donald Juzdan, Elias Khoury, WadiaDoumit, Katherine Homsey, FloreneKawash, Phyllis Zamloot, AdlaZamloot, Michael Cassatly, AdlaZamloot, Mary Abood Salvatore Martorana. . May the Lord God rest their souls in peace and grant comfort to their families.
Parish Council Meeting
Parish Council meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 13, 2017, at 7:30 pm. The meeting is open to all our beloved parishioners.
CHURCH SCHOOL
Tuesday, December 5th, at 7:00 pm. Vespers for St. Nicholas Feast Day.
Sunday, December 10th, a Nativity pageant will be presented in church immediately after Liturgy.
BREAKFAST with SANTA, Sunday, December 17th, at 12:30 pm.Come join us for a buffet breakfast, DJ and welcome our special quest Santa himself. Tickets are $10 per person, children under 5 are $5. Tickets can be reserved after Liturgy in the church hall or via email or calling (862)228-0386.
Ladies Society
Ladies Christmas Party, Thursday, December 7th, at 6:30 pm. Donation: $25.00. All the women in our parish are invited. Please see Lynn Saddikni or any Ladies Society member for reservations and more details.
Charity
The Charity Committee is sponsoring a Brunch Buffet on Sunday, December 3rd, after Liturgy. All proceeds will benefit families for Christmas. Tickets $15, children 10 and under $$8.

St. George’s Organizations

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