THE ARCHANGEL Reward but of Harm to All but the Most Careful
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THE INVISIBLE SERPENT, the originator of evil, is inventive, versatile and extremely skillful in contriving wickedness. He has means to hinder our good purposes and actions as soon as they begin. But if he fails to prevent them initially, he sets up other devices by which he can render them useless once they are underway. If he is unable to make them worthless when they are half way to completion, he knows other tricks and ways to in- validate them even once they are finished, and makes them a source not of THE ARCHANGEL reward but of harm to all but the most careful. First of all he points out how laborious and difficult it is to accomplish virtue. In this way he fills us with laziness and despair, as though we were attempting difficult and impossible St. Michael Orthodox Church things and were therefore incapable of putting our intentions into action. Then he engenders disbelief in the rewards which God has promised to those St. Clair, Pennsylvania who struggle. But we, brethren, should rise above this trap by our soul’s courage, eager- ness and faith. We should bear in mind the fact that just as the earth cannot yield worthwhile fruit without labour, so the soul cannot acquire anything which pleases God or leads to salvation without spiritual struggles. But while it is possible to find earth which is unsuitable for cultivation, every human soul is naturally suited to virtue. As we are all unavoidably condemned, however, by the judgment given against our forefather, to live by labour and toil, let us turn necessity into an honour and willingly offer to God what is ours. Let us give up transitory things in exchange for things that endure, and receive what is beneficial in exchange for what is harmful, transforming short-lived toil into a means to gain eternal ease. If we labour here for the sake of virtue we shall certainly attain to the rest promised in the age to come. He who promised is trustworthy and is at hand to help all who readily take on the struggle for virtue. If He who can do all things gives us His help, is anything impossible to achieve? —St. Gregory Palamas August 27, 2017 + Please Remember St. Michael Orthodox Church in your Will + Rev. Fr. Jeff L. Zias: 570-429-0670 Joseph T. Yarashus: 570-691-4143 Holy Prophet Micah (Parish Council President) Epistle: 1 Corinthian 15:1-11 The Gospel of St. Matthew 19:16-26 Website: www.stmichaelorthodox.org The American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of the U.S.A ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE OF CONSTANTINOPLE 4 Liturgical Schedule August 27, SUNDAY Prophet Micah 10:00 a.m. The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom 6:00 p.m. Great Vespers with Litija (Blessing of Flowers!) August 28, Monday Dormition of the Mother of God 9:00 a.m. The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom (Blessing of Flowers!) August 30, Wednesday +Harry & Sally Zias 9:00 a.m. Memorial Liturgy, offered by the Zias Family ~ St. Michael’s Calendar of Events ~ September 02, Saturday 6:00 p.m. Vespers (Tone-4) September 03, SUNDAY Apostle Thaddeus Sept. 11: Holyday Liturgy: Beheading of St. John the Baptist, 9:00 a.m. Sept. 12: Cemetery Work at 9:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. Confessions Sept. 21: Holyday Liturgy: Birth of the Theotokos, 9:00 a.m. 9:30 a.m. Hours of Prayer Sept. 21: Parish Council Meeting, 7:00 p.m. 10:00 a.m. The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom Sept. 22: Stewardship Conference @ Camp Nazareth (22-24) September 05, Tuesday +Ronald Homa Sept: 23: Citizen’s Club Bean Soup Sale! 9:00 a.m. Memorial Liturgy, offered by Jack & Stephanie Shandor Sept. 27: Holyday Liturgy: Elevation of the Holy Cross, 9:00 a.m. September 07, Thursday +John Holobetz Oct. 24: Holyday Liturgy: Protection of the Mother of God, 9:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. Memorial Liturgy, offered by John & Lydia Malusky Oct. 28: The Wedding of Katie Verbitsky & Tyler Cawthern September 09, Saturday 6:00 p.m. Vespers (Tone-5) Oct. 28: St. Michael’s Food Fair September 10, SUNDAY Venerable Moses the Ethiopian Nov. 10: Citizen’s Club Lobsterfest! 9:00 a.m. Confessions Nov. 19: Our St. Michael’s Patron Saint Banquet, following Liturgy 9:30 a.m. Hours of Prayer Nov. 21: Holyday Liturgy: Archangel MICHAEL, 9:00 a.m. 10:00 a.m. The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom The Holy Prophet Micah was a companion of the holy CONGRATULATIONS to Amanda Sura, newly received into Holy Orthodoxy. prophet Elias. He prophesied the ruin of King Ahab in a Amanda was Baptized and Chrismated yesterday, and received the Holy Eucharist war with the Assyrians, for which he was cast into prison. today. May God bless you, Amanda— May you see the good things of the Heavenly Set free after the downfall of Ahab (3 Kings 22: 8-22), the holy Jerusalem all the days of your life. Many Years and God’s Choicest Blessings! prophet Micah died as a martyr in the ninth century B.C. —Orthodox Wiki + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 2 3 .