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The American CarpathoThe American CarpathoThe American Carpatho---Russian Orthodox Diocese of the U.S.ARussian Orthodox Diocese of the U.S.ARussian Orthodox Diocese of the U.S.A ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE OF CONSTANTINOPLEECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE OF CONSTANTINOPLEECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE OF CONSTANTINOPLE

Rev. Fr. Jeff L. Zias: 570-429-0670

Joseph T. Yarashus: 570-691-4143

(Parish Council President)

Website: www.stmichaelorthodox.org

+++ Please Remember St. Michael Orthodox Church in your Will Please Remember St. Michael Orthodox Church in your Will Please Remember St. Michael Orthodox Church in your Will +++

The Sunday of the Last Judgment is the third Sunday using the Lenten Triodion, the liturgical book used in the services of Great Lent. It is the Sunday after the Sunday of the Prodigal Son and Sunday before Forgiveness Sunday. This is the third week of the pre-Lenten start of the Easter cycle of wor-ship in the Orthodox Church. This Sunday is called Meatfare Sunday since it is traditionally the last day be-fore Easter for eating meat. Orthodox Christians observe a fast from meat all week, but still eat dairy products and eggs till the start of Great Lent. The Gospel reading this Sunday remembers Christ's parable of the Last Judg-ment (Matthew 25:31-46). This adds to the previous pre-Lent Sundays and teach-es that it is not enough to see Jesus, to see ourselves as we are, and to come home to God as his prodigal sons. The Church teaches that, in addition, one must also be God’s sons by following Christ, his only-begotten divine Son, and by see-ing Christ in everyone and by serving Christ through them. Salvation and final judgment will depend upon deeds, not merely on intentions or even on the mercies of God apart from personal cooperation and obedience. All piety and prayer is ultimately directed towards the goal of serving Christ through his people.

From the reading, the faithful hear:

… for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I … for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I … for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you took me in, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick was a stranger and you took me in, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick was a stranger and you took me in, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and in prison and you visited me. …. For truly I say to you, if you did it to one of and in prison and you visited me. …. For truly I say to you, if you did it to one of and in prison and you visited me. …. For truly I say to you, if you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to methe least of these my brothers, you did it to methe least of these my brothers, you did it to me (Matthew 25 ).(Matthew 25 ).(Matthew 25 ).

—OrthodoxWiki.org

Kontakion (Tone 1)

When You, O God, shall come to earth with glory, all things shall tremble, and the river of fire shall flow before Your judgment seat; The books shall be opened and the hidden things disclosed! Then deliver me from the unquenchable fire, and make me worthy to stand at Your right hand, righteous Judge!

THE ARCHANGELTHE ARCHANGELTHE ARCHANGEL

St. Michael Orthodox Church

St. Clair, Pennsylvania

February 11, 2018

The Last JudgmentThe Last JudgmentThe Last Judgment Epistle: 1 Corinthians 8:8Epistle: 1 Corinthians 8:8Epistle: 1 Corinthians 8:8---9:29:29:2

The Gospel of St. Matthew 25:31The Gospel of St. Matthew 25:31The Gospel of St. Matthew 25:31---464646

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February 16: February 16: February 16: St. Michael’s Friday Fish Dinners Begin!St. Michael’s Friday Fish Dinners Begin!St. Michael’s Friday Fish Dinners Begin! February 18: February 18: February 18: Cheesefare Sunday Cheesefare Sunday Cheesefare Sunday “Wine & Cheese Fest!”“Wine & Cheese Fest!”“Wine & Cheese Fest!”

February 19: February 19: February 19: Beginning of the Great & Holy Fast! Beginning of the Great & Holy Fast! Beginning of the Great & Holy Fast! March 04: SwearingMarch 04: SwearingMarch 04: Swearing---in of Parish Council Officers & Trusteesin of Parish Council Officers & Trusteesin of Parish Council Officers & Trustees

~ All Souls’ Liturgies: ~ All Souls’ Liturgies: ~ All Souls’ Liturgies: March 3, 10, 17 & May 26 March 3, 10, 17 & May 26 March 3, 10, 17 & May 26 ~~~

Some people seem to have an “easy” and uncomplicated path in life —or

so it seems from the outside; while for others like you everything seems

complicated and difficult. Don’t let that bother you. Actually, from the

spiritual point of view, those who really have an “easy” time are probably

in danger!—precisely because without the element of suffering through

whatever God sends, there is no spiritual profit or advancement. God

knows each of us better than we know ourselves, and He sends what is

needful for us, whatever we may think! —Fr. Seraphim Rose

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On Being a Member of the Church

The Church is the Body of Christ (Eph. 5:23, Col 1:24). The Head of the

Church is Christ (Ephesians 3:28, Col. 1:18). For God there is no past or future,

only the present. He [God the Father] chose us in Him before the foundation

of the world… having predestined us unto the adoption of children by Jesus

Christ Himself … in Whom we have redemption through His blood, the for-

giveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace (Eph. 1:4,5,7).

Those who believe in Christ enter the Church through the Mystery of Bap-

tism, and though the Mystery of the Eucharist they are joined into one body

and spirit with the Lord. If a man does not consciously reject Christ through

his words and deeds, and attempts to live according to the commandments,

and repents of his transgressions, he is not “potentially,” but actually, holy; he

is a member of the Church, a member of the Body of Christ.

Through crude and conscious sins he temporarily falls away from the

Church, yet through repentance (a “second baptism”) he can rejoin the

Church. Thus the spiritual father reads the prayer over the penitent: “reconcile

and unite him unto Thy Holy Church…” If a sinner does not repent, he re-

mains outside the Church.

A man is holy according to the image and likeness of God, holy because

through the Mystery of Baptism he “puts on” Christ (Gal. 3:27), and he is espe-

cially holy when he partakes of the Body and Blood of Christ.

If he fights sin and is wounded but continues the struggle, repents, asks for-

giveness and help from God, then he is a holy soldier of Christ. In this battle

with sin he acquires many spiritual treasures which he could not do otherwise.

And just as the body rids itself of a foreign element through an abscess, so the

Lord eliminates from the Church those foreign to Him, or rather they them-

selves leave the Church. For this reason the Church is always holy. She is the

mystical Body of Christ. She is the pillar and stronghold of the truth. Fallen

reason cannot fathom this. For this, faith is necessary. “I believe in One, Holy,

Catholic and Apostolic Church.”

He who wants to know from experience the mysteries of Christianity

should apply all his strength to spiritual labors and not attempt to understand

everything with the mind alone.

People have become dead. It is easier to analyze than to toil, than to battle

against the old man, pray, etc. Christianity is imperceptibly departing from people, leaving only hypocrisy.”

—Abbot NIKON

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Truly, not a single earthly pleasure can satisfy our heart. We are strangers on earth, pilgrims and travelers; our home and fatherland are there in heaven, in the heavenly kingdom; and there does not exist on earth things that could perfectly satisfy our desires. Let a man own the whole world and all that is in the world, yet all that will not interest him for more than a minute, so to speak, and it will never satisfy his heart; for the heart of man can be fully satisfied only by the love of God, and therefore God alone can fill the heart and soul of man and quench the thirst of his desires. And so, do you wish to live with God there, in the kingdom of heaven? Be an Orthodox Christian. Do you want prosperity and happiness? Seek it in God. Do you want your heart to be fully satisfied? Turn it to God from Whom you have been separated by your sins. However, no one by himself, without Jesus Christ, can turn and draw near to God, because our sins, like a high wall, do not let us come to Him. And unless Je-sus Christ in His mercy to us had come down to earth, and unless He had taken to Himself our human flesh and by His death destroyed the wall that separated us from God, everyone would have perished and not a single soul could have drawn near to God or lived with Him. For everyone is a sinner and is born in sin from his mother’s womb; and even in an infant, although it knows nothing of the world and does nothing, there is already the seed of sin. Therefore Jesus Christ is our Redeemer, Savior, Deliverer and Benefactor. Now everyone who wants to do so can return to God and enter the kingdom of heaven. But there is only one way into the kingdom of heaven, and that is the very way that Jesus Christ went when He lived on earth. There is no other way, and never

was, and never will be, for Jesus Christ said, “I am the way” ( John 14:6). “If an-yone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matt 16:24).

“The Kingdom of Heaven is the very highest beatitude, and the greatest glory and honor, and the most inexhaustible riches, and therefore if great cares and labors are necessary to obtain a trifling quantity of earthly wealth, how can such an unspeakable treasure be obtained without la-bors?”

“The Kingdom of Heaven is a reward, and the very greatest reward; and where is a reward given free and for nothing? So, if it is necessary to labor and struggle to get an earthly and temporal reward, how much more must it be necessary to get a heavenly and eternal reward?”

—St. Innocent of Alaska,

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Liturgical ScheduleLiturgical ScheduleLiturgical Schedule

February 11, SUNDAYFebruary 11, SUNDAYFebruary 11, SUNDAY Meatfare Sunday

10:00 a.m. The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom10:00 a.m. The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom10:00 a.m. The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom

February 12, MondayFebruary 12, MondayFebruary 12, Monday The Three Holy Hierarchs

9:00 a.m. The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom9:00 a.m. The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom9:00 a.m. The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom

February 15, ThursdayFebruary 15, ThursdayFebruary 15, Thursday Meeting of the Lord

9:00 a.m. The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom9:00 a.m. The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom9:00 a.m. The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom

February 17, SaturdayFebruary 17, SaturdayFebruary 17, Saturday 6:00 p.m. Vespers 6:00 p.m. Vespers 6:00 p.m. Vespers (Tone(Tone(Tone---4) 4) 4)

February 18, SUNDAYFebruary 18, SUNDAYFebruary 18, SUNDAY (Plain Chant!)(Plain Chant!)(Plain Chant!) Cheesefare Sunday

9:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. ConfessionsConfessionsConfessions 9:30 a.m. Hours of Prayer9:30 a.m. Hours of Prayer9:30 a.m. Hours of Prayer 10:00 a.m. The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom10:00 a.m. The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom10:00 a.m. The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom Panachida: Panachida: Panachida: +John & Susan Mochnoc, offered by Michael & Colleen+John & Susan Mochnoc, offered by Michael & Colleen+John & Susan Mochnoc, offered by Michael & Colleen

~ THE GREAT & HOLY FAST BEGINS! ~~ THE GREAT & HOLY FAST BEGINS! ~~ THE GREAT & HOLY FAST BEGINS! ~

February 19, MondayFebruary 19, MondayFebruary 19, Monday Great Kanon of St. Andrew, 6:00 p.m.Great Kanon of St. Andrew, 6:00 p.m.Great Kanon of St. Andrew, 6:00 p.m.

February 20, TuesdayFebruary 20, TuesdayFebruary 20, Tuesday Great Kanon of St. Andrew, 6:00 p.m.Great Kanon of St. Andrew, 6:00 p.m.Great Kanon of St. Andrew, 6:00 p.m.

February 21, Weds.February 21, Weds.February 21, Weds. Great Kanon of St. Andrew, 6:00 p.m.Great Kanon of St. Andrew, 6:00 p.m.Great Kanon of St. Andrew, 6:00 p.m.

February 22, Thurs.February 22, Thurs.February 22, Thurs. Great Kanon of St. Andrew, 6:00 p.m.Great Kanon of St. Andrew, 6:00 p.m.Great Kanon of St. Andrew, 6:00 p.m.

February 23, FridayFebruary 23, FridayFebruary 23, Friday The PreThe PreThe Pre---sanctified Liturgy, 6:00 p.m.sanctified Liturgy, 6:00 p.m.sanctified Liturgy, 6:00 p.m.

February 25, SUNDAYFebruary 25, SUNDAYFebruary 25, SUNDAY (Plain Chant!)(Plain Chant!)(Plain Chant!) Sunday of Orthodoxy

9:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. Orthodox Education Class Orthodox Education Class Orthodox Education Class 9:30 a.m. Hours of Prayer9:30 a.m. Hours of Prayer9:30 a.m. Hours of Prayer 10:00 a.m. The Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great10:00 a.m. The Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great10:00 a.m. The Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great

March 03, SaturdayMarch 03, SaturdayMarch 03, Saturday 6:00 p.m. Vespers 6:00 p.m. Vespers 6:00 p.m. Vespers (Tone(Tone(Tone---6) 6) 6)

9:00 a.m. All Souls’ Liturgy9:00 a.m. All Souls’ Liturgy9:00 a.m. All Souls’ Liturgy

March 04, SUNDAYMarch 04, SUNDAYMarch 04, SUNDAY St. Gregory Palamas

9:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. ConfessionsConfessionsConfessions 9:30 a.m. Hours of Prayer9:30 a.m. Hours of Prayer9:30 a.m. Hours of Prayer 10:00 a.m. The Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great10:00 a.m. The Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great10:00 a.m. The Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great

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What is Orthodoxy? Is it a culture in the sense of Western culture? No, Orthodoxy is not a

culture, … . Why? Because Orthodoxy is a science. And according to today’s criteria, it is a medical science. It is not a culture. Orthodoxy is neither a cul-ture nor a political system, because it is concerned with our personal salva-tion, with the salvation of our souls. Orthodoxy is based on two facts: “the Word became flesh” and “in hell there is no repentance.” Of course, Ortho-doxy contains within itself all that is necessary for the creation of culture, but Orthodoxy is not a culture. Orthodoxy is not even a religion. Orthodoxy is not a religion like all the other religions. Orthodoxy is distinguished from the rest by a unique phenomenon that is not present in any other religion. This phe-nomenon concerns the origin, nature and destiny of human beings, as well as how human beings can be cured. It makes Orthodoxy different from the rest of the religions. Orthodoxy is a therapeutic course of treatment that heals the human personality. A genuine doctor concerns himself with the treatment of anyone who is sick, without exception and without discrimination. He does not single out only certain people from the rest for treatment. He is not interested in peo-ple’s social standing, their educational level, their economic situation, their religion, or their ethical conduct. A genuine doctor only notices whether or not the people who come to him are sick. And if they are sick, he takes an interest, tries to treat them, and heal their infirmities. He is obligated to treat them. In the Orthodox tradition we have something similar to this, but even more so. And it is precisely this something more that constitutes our way of fighting back against westernization. God loves not only saints but all people, without exception, including sin-ners, people in hell, and even the devil. And He desires to save and heal eve-ryone of them. He wants to heal them all, but He cannot, because they do not all want to be healed. We know this—that God is love and that He de-sires to heal everyone and loves everyone—because it has been verified and continues to be verified by the experience of those who have attained to the-osis, in which God is seen and they have seen God. Nevertheless, God cannot heal everyone, because He does not violate the human will. God holds man in high regard and loves him. He cannot, howev-er, heal someone by force. He heals only those who want to be healed and who request that He heal them. Normally, someone who is physically ill,

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or even mentally ill, goes to the doctor on his own accord and not by force in order to get well—that is, if he is still thinking rationally. The same thing happens in the Orthodox therapeutic course of treatment. We must go to church freely on our own accord, without being forced or pressured. We must go to competent people who have reached illumination, are experi-enced, and possess the curative method of the Orthodox tradition. And then we must be obedient to them in order to find healing.

—Protopresbyter John S. Romanides, PATRISTIC THEOLOGY

People Were Not Created merely to live here on earth like animals that

disappear after death, but to live with God and in God, and to live not for a hun-dred years or thousand years, but to live eternally. But only Christians can live with God: that is to say, those who rightly believe in Jesus Christ. Everyone, whoever he may be, desires and seeks prosperity and happiness. To desire what is good for oneself and to seek prosperity or happiness is part of man's nature, and, therefore, it is not a sin or vice. But we need to know that here on earth there has not been, is not, and never will be true and perfect happiness and prosperity; for all our prosperity and happiness is only in God. NO one will ever find true happiness and perfect prosperity without God or outside God. Noting in this world but God can fill our heart or fully satisfy our desires. A fire cannot be put out with brushwood an oil because only water will put it out. In exactly the same way, the desires of the human heart cannot be satisfied with the goods of this world because only the grace of God can quench our desires. Everything we desire pleases us only so long as we do not possess it; and when we get it, we soon get tired of it. Or only what we do not as yet have seems to us good and attractive; whereas all that we have, even though it is the very best, is either not enough for us or does not attract us. A good example of this is King Sol-omon, who, as is well known, was so rich that all the household plate and furni-ture in his palaces was of pure gold; he was so wise that kings came to visit him; and he was so glorious that his foes were terrified of him. Being wiser and mighti-er than all his contemporaries, he was able to satisfy all his wishes and desires, so that there was hardly a thing in the world that he did not possess or could not ob-tain. But with all this he could not satisfy his heart, and the desires of his heart wearied and tormented him far more than an ordinary man; and in the end, hav-

ing tried everything in the world, he said in his writings, “Everything in this world is vanity, and nothing can satisfy our desires.”

(Continued on Pg. 6)