كنيسة مار نقوال االنطاكية االثوذكسية St. Nicholas Weekly Bulletin Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church Antiochian Archdiocese of North America Diocese of Los Angeles and the West 5200 Diamond Heights Boulevard, San Francisco, California 94131 Tel: (415) 648-5200 Email: [email protected] stnicholas-sf.com V. Rev. Fr. George Baalbaki (586) 214-4428- [email protected] Rev. DEACON NIPHON SWEISS SUBDEACON MICHEL KHOURY PARISH COUNCIL CHAIRMAN: SALIM QARU

أحد األمعى Sunday, June 9, 2013 Sunday of The Blind Man th Memorial Service: Sunday June 9  Nine- Day Memorial Service for the servant of God Joseph Milano (Wakim) is being offered by his sisters Samira, Fay, Lamis and their families, and by his children Caroline, Joe Jr., Carol, Suragha and their families. May he rest in peace and memory eternal!

 We would like to offer our sincere condolences and Sympathy to the entire Kakunda families on the passing of Nazar Halteh kakunda into eternal life. May she rest in peace, and memory eternal!

This Sunday’s Holy Bread of Oblation will be offered by:

 St. Nicholas Parish Family for the good health of Ishaq Qaqish, Issa Khoury, Najla Jarjura, Chris Atwan, Janette Tannous, Fifi Batshon, Sally Habeeb, Rose Habeeb, Georgette Baba, Nabil Dabai, Issa Nijmeh, Najla Fadayel . Many years!  Wehbe family and by Josephine Tannous in loving memory of Georgette Wehbe. Memory Eternal  Tannous family in loving memory of Yousf Tannous. Memory Eternal  Nadim, Basma, Brandon, Jenifer and Mathew Howell, Dean and Oscar, Moran for the good health of Janan Howell on the occasion of her birthday (June 10th) and for a speedy recovery of Jamil Howell.  John and trix Salih and family in loving memory of nephew Joseph Milano. May his memory be eternal.

This Sunday’s Altar Candles & Coffee Hour will be offered by:  John and trix Salih and family in loving memory of nephew Joseph Milano. May his memory be eternal.  Nader and Shadia Dahdah for the good health of their family.  Nadim, Basma, Brandon, Jenifer and Mathew Howell, Dean and Oscar, Moran for the good health of Janan Howell on the occasion of her birthday (June 10th) and for a speedy recovery of Jamil Howell.  Wehbe family and by Josephine Tannous in loving memory of Georgette Wehbe. Memory Eternal

th Sponsors for March 10 are needed. Please make checks payable St. Nicholas Church in the amount of $25.00 or more.

Mark Your Calendar:

1. This Sunday May 16th the monthly Ladies Auxiliary meeting will take place at St Nicholas church. 2. This Sunday May 16th we will have the Sunday School graduation. 3. Attached you will find the 2013 St. Nicholas Census Form. We ask everybody to fill out the forms and return them by mail or email to the office. 4. All, Beginning last Sunday, we will have a table set up downstairs after liturgy to sign people up for photo appointments and to update their contact information. In order for this to be a success we need EVERYONE to actively send people to the table to make appointments and to update their information. Please note, we all need to start spreading the word to get our extended families and our friends to sign up. It's better to get everyone to sign up early so they can get their preferred times. People can also sign up online by visiting the Church website www.stnicholas-sf.com. Thank you. 5. Father's Day Picnic (June 16th) will be held at the Heather Farm Park in Walnut Creek. Admission is $10 per person and food is included. Please see Maurice, Fr. George, or the church office for more details. We will be joining St. John's parish at the park. 6. The Parish Life Conference will take place this year on July 3-7 2013 in Anaheim, CA. All our organizations are encouraged to participate. For more info please visit http://plc2013.org/ 7. The Antiochian Archdiocese National Convention will take place on July 21-28th2013 in Houston, Texas. For more information please visit : http://www.achouston2013.com/ 8. Our annual Festival will take place on August 24- 25 9. The diamond Jubilee Anniversary will be held October 23-27 2013. Please submit any memorabilia or old pictures you have to the church. We are working on a souvenir booklet *******************************

Let us believers praise and worship the Word, co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit, born of the Virgin for our salvation; for he took pleasure in ascending the Cross in the flesh, to suffer death, and to raise the dead by his glorious Resurrection. لنسبح نحن الىؤمنين ونسجد للكلمة، المساوي لآلب والروح في األزلية وعدم االبتداء، المولود من العذراء لخالصنا. ألنه سر بالجسد أن يعلو على الصليب ويحتمل الموت، وينهض الموتى بقيامته المجيدة.

Thy work of justice did reveal Thee to Thy community as a Canon of faith. The likeness of humility and the teacher of abstinence. O, Thou Father and great Bishop Nicholas. Wherefore by humility thou didst achieve exaltation, and by Thy meekness wealth, intercede therefore, intercede with that He will save our souls. لقد أظهرتك أفعا ل الحق لرعيتك، قانونا لإليمان، وصورة للوداعة ومعلما لالمسا ِك، أيها األب رئيس الكهنة ِ نيقوالوس، فلذلك أ حرز ت بالتواضع ِ الرفعة وبالمسكنة ِ الغنى، فتشفع إلى المسيح ِ اإلله في خال ِص نفو ِسنا

Though thou, O deathless One, didst descend into the grave, thou didst destroy the power of hell and, as Victor, thou didst rise again, O Christ our God. Thou didst greet the ointment-bearing women, saying, Rejoice! Thou didst bestow peace upon thy Disciples, and resurrection upon those that are fallen. ولئن كنت نزلت الى قبر يا من ال يموت اال أنك درست قوة الجحيم وقمت غالبا ايها المسيح االله. وللنسوة الحامالت الطيب قلت افرحن ووهبت رسلك السالم يا مانح الواقعين القيام.

(The spake to her that is full of grace, saying, “O pure virgin, rejoice; and I say also, Rejoice; for thy Son is risen from the tomb on the third day.” Shine, shine, O new Jerusalem; for the glory of the Lord hath risen upon thee. Rejoice and exult now, O Zion, and thou, O pure one, Theotokos, rejoice at the Resurrection of thy Son.) (ان الىالك تفوه نحو المنعم عليها ايتها العذراء النقية افرحي وايضا اقول افرحي ألن ابنك قد قام من القبر في اليوم الثالث. استنيري استنيري يا اورشليم الجديدة ألن مجد الرب قد اشرق عليك. يافرح االن وتهللي يا صهيون وأنت يا نقية يا والدة االله اطربي بقيامة ولدك)

Acts 16:16-34 In those days, as we apostles were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by soothsaying. She followed Paul and us, crying, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation." And this she did for many days. But Paul was annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, "I charge you in the name of Christ to come out of her." And it came out that very hour. But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and and dragged them into the market place before the rulers; and when they had brought them to the magistrates they said, "These men are Jews and they are disturbing our city. They advocate customs which it is not lawful for us Romans to accept or practice." The crowd joined in attacking them; and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely. Having received this charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and every one's fetters were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here." And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out and said, "Men, what must I do to be saved?" And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their wounds, and he was baptized at once, with all his family. Then he brought them up into his house, and set food before them; and he rejoiced with all his household that he had believed in God.

الرسالة: أمعىال الرسل 61:61-43 في تلك األيام، فيما نحن الرسل منطلقون الى الصالة، استقبلتنا جارية بها روح عرافة، وكانت ت ك ِسب مواليها كسبا جزيال بعرافتها. فطفقت تمشي في إثر بولس وإثرنا وتصيح قائلة: هؤالء الرجال هم عبيد هللا العل ّي وهم يبشرونكم بطريق الخالص. وصنعت ذلك أياما كثيرة، فتض ّجر بولس والتفت الى الروح وقال: إني آمر ك باسم يسوع المسيح ان تخرج منها، فخرج في تلك الساعة. فلما رأى مواليها انه قد خرج رجاء مكسبهم قبضوا على بولس وسيال وج ّروهما الى السوق عند ال ح ّكام، وق ّدموهما الى الوالة قائلين: إن هذين الرجلين يبلبالن مدينتنا وهما يهوديّان، ويناديان بعادات ال يجوز لنا قبولها وال العمل بها إذ نحن رومانيون. فقام عليهما الجمع معا وم ّزق الوالة ثيابهما وأمروا أن ي ضربا بالعـص ّي . ولـما أثخنوهما بالجراح ألـقوهما في السجن وأوصوا الس ّجان بأن يحرسهما بـضبط. وهو إذ أ وصي بـمثل تلك الوصية ألقاهما في السجن الداخلي وضبط أرجلهما في المقطرة. وعند نصف الليل كان بولس وسيال يصلّيان ويسبّحان هللا والمحبوسون يسمعونهما، فحدث بغتة زلزلة عظـيمة حتى تزعزعت أسس السجن، فانفتحت في الحال األبواب كـلها وانف َّكـت قيود الجميع. فلما استيقظ الس ّجان ورأى أبواب السجن انـها مفتوحة است ّل السيف وه َّم أن يقتل نفسه لظنّه ان الـمحبوسيـن قـد هربوا. فناداه بولس بصوت عال قائال: ال تعمل بنفسك سوءا فإنّا جميعنا ههنا. فطلب مصباحا ووثب الى داخل وخ َّر لبولس وسيال وهو مرتعد. ثم خرج بهما وقال: يا سيد ّي، ماذا ينبغي لي أن أصنع لكي أ ْخل ص؟ فقاال: آم ْن بالرب يسوع الـمسيح فتخلص انت وأهل بيتك. وكـ ّلماه هو وجميع من في بيته بكـلمة الرب. فـأخذهـما في تلك الساعة من الليل وغسل جراحهما واعتمد مـن وقته هـو وذووه أجـمعون. ثــم أصعـدهـما الى بيته وق ّدم لهما مائدة وابتهج مع جميع أهل بيتـه إذ كان قد آمن باهلل.

John 9:1-38 At that time: When Jesus passed by, he saw a man blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be made manifest in him. We must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day; night comes, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." As he said this, he spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and anointed the man's eyes with the clay, saying to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing. The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar, said, "Is not this the man who used to sit and beg?" Some said, "It is he"; others said, "No, but he is like him." He said, "I am the man." They said to him, "Then how were your eyes opened?" He answered, "The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, 'Go to Siloam and wash'; so I went and washed and received my sight." They said to him, "Where is he?" He said, "I do not know."

They brought to the the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. The Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see." Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the sabbath." But others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?" There was a division among them. So they again said to the blind man, "What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?" He said, "He is a prophet." The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight, and asked them, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?" His parents answered, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself." His parents said this because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if any one should confess him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, "He is of age, ask him." So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him, "Give God the praise; we know that this man is a sinner." He answered, "Whether he is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I know, that though I was blind, now I see." They said to him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?' He answered them, "I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you too want to become his disciples?" And they reviled him, saying, "You are his , but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from." The man answered, "Why, this is a marvel! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if any one is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. Never since the world began has it been heard that any one opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." They answered him, "You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?" And they cast him out. Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, "Do you believe in the Son of God." He answered, "And who is he, sir, that I maybelieve in him?" Jesus said to him, "You have seen him, and it is he who speaks to you." He said, "Lord, I believe"; and he worshiped him. اإلنجيل: يوحنا 6:1-43 في ذلك الزمان فيما يسوع مجتاز رأى إنسانا أعمى منذ مولده. فسأله تالميذه قائلين: يا رب، مـن أخطأ أهذا ام أبواه حتى ولد أعـمى؟ أجاب يسوع: ال هذا أخطأ وال أبواه، لكن لتظهر أعمـال هللا فيـه. يـنـبغـي لي أن أعمـل أعمال الـذي أرسلني ما دام نهارٌ، يأتي ليل حين ال يستطيع أحد ان يعـمل. ما دم ت في العالم فأنا نور الـعالم. قال هذا وتفل على األرض وصنع مـن تفـلته طيـنا وطلى بالطين عيني األعمى وقال له: اذهب واغتسل في بركة سلوام )الـذي تفسيره المر سل(. فمضى واغتسل وعاد بصيرا. فالجيران والذين كانوا يرونه مـن قبل انه كان أعمى قالوا: أليس هـذا هو الذي كان يجلس ويستعطي؟ فقال بعضهم: هـذا هو، وآخرون قالوا: انه يشبهه. واما هو فكان يـقول: اني انا هو. فقالوا له: كيف انفتحت عيناك؟ أجاب ذاك وقال: انسان ي قـال له يسوع صنع طينا وطلى عين ّي، وقال لي اذهب الى بركة سلوام واغتسل، فمضيت واغتسلت فأبصرت. فقالوا له: أين ذاك؟ فقال لهم: ال أعلم. فأتوا به، اي بالذي كان قبال أعمى، الى الفـريسـييـن. وكان حـين صنـع يسوع الطيـن وفتـح عينيه يوم سبـت. فسأله الفريسيـون ايضا كيـف أبصر، فقـال لهم: جعـل على عين ّي طينا ثم اغتسلت فأنا اآلن أبصر. فقال قوم مـن الفريسيين: هذا االنسان ليسمن هللا ألنه ال يحفظ السبت. آخرون قالوا: كيف يقدر انسان خاطئ ان يعمل مثـل هذه اآليات؟ فوقع بينهم شقـاق. فقالوا أيضا لألعمى: ماذا تقول انت عنه مـن حيث انه فتح عينيـك؟ فقال: انه نبي. ولم يص ّدق اليهود عنه انه كان أعمى فأبصر حتى دعوا أبـوي الذي أبصر وسألـوهما قائليـن: أهذا هو ابنكما الـذي تـقوالن انه ولد أعمى، فكيف أبصر اآلن؟ أجابهم أبواه وقاال: نحن نعـلم ان هذا ولدنا وانـه ولد أعمى، وامـا كيف أبصر اآلن فال نعـلـم، او من فتح عينيه فنحن ال نعـلم، هو كامل السن فاسألوه فهـو يتكلّم عن نفسه. قال أبواه هذا ألنهما كانا يخافـان مـن الـيهود ألن الـيهود كانوا قد تعاهدوا انه إن اعترف أحد بأنه الـمسيح ي خ رج من الـمجمع. فلذلك قال أبواه هـو كامل السـن فاسألوه. فدعوا ثانية االنسان الـذي كان أعمى وقالوا له: اع ِط مجدا هلل، فـإنا نعـلم ان هــذا االنـسان خـاطئ. فـأجـاب ذاك وقــال: أخاطئ هو ال أعلم، انما أعلم شيئا واحدا اني كنت أعمى واآلن انا أبصر. فـقالـوا له ايضا: ماذا صنع بك؟ كيف فتح عينيـك؟ أجابهم قد أخبرتكم فلم تسمعـوا، فماذا تريدون أن تسمعوا ايضا؟ ألعـلّكـم انتم ايضا تريدون ان تصيروا له تالميذ؟ فشتموه وقـالوا له: انت تلميذ ذاك. واما نحن فإنّا تالميـذ مـوسى ونحن نعـلم ان هللا قد كلّم موسى. فأما هذا فال نعلم من أين هو. أجاب الرجـل وقال لهـم: ان فـي هذا عـجبا انـكم ما تـعـلمـون من أين هـو وقد فـتـح عين ّي، ونحـن نعـلـم ان هللا ال يسمع للخطأة، ولكن اذا أحد اتقى هللا وعمل مشيئته فله يستجيب. منذ الدهر لم ي سمع ان أحدا فتـح عيني مـولو ٍد أعمى. فلو لم يكن هذا من هللا لم يـقدر ان يفعـل شيئا. أجابوه وقالوا له: انك في الخطايا قد ولدت بجملتك. أفأنت تعلّـمنا؟ فأخرجوه خارجا. وسمـع يسوع انهم أخرجوه خارجا، فوجده وقال له: أتؤمن انت بابن هللا؟ فأجاب ذاك وقال: فمن هو يا سيد ألؤمن به؟ فقال لـه يسـوع: قـد رأيت ه والذي يتكلّم معـك هو هو. فقال له: قد آمن ت يا رب، وسجد له.

The Blind Man (Fr. Ihor Kutash) "Do you also want to become His disciples?” The Sixth Sunday after Pascha is dedicated to the remarkable account of our Lord’s healing of the Blind Man (John 9:1-38). Again the Church reminds us about the meaning of Christ’s Resurrection for humanity. On the Fourth Sunday we realized that the Resurrection brought us wholeness. On the Fifth Sunday we recalled that the Risen Christ energizes us with the Holy Spirit. Today we recall that it is by His Resurrection that we are able to see. The sight which God gives us is the sort which penetrates the darkness of confusion and forgetfulness brought on by living in a fallen world. It opens before us the panorama of the eternal Kingdom, our true Home given us by our Lord. In the light of this Kingdom, which is renewed again and again by our experience of the Divine Liturgy, we go through our daily lives with joy, hope, peace, faith and love, seeking to do the Lord’s work, humbly acknowledging our failures, and pressing on to realize the fullness of our glorious vocation as His friends, His children and His amabassadors. As was the case with Lazarus and the Samaritan woman, the Church tells us that this recipient of the Lord’s miraculous care went on to become a Saint who is commemorated in the Calendar. St. Demetrius (Tuptalo), the Metropolitan of Rostov, whose life’s labour was to compile the Lives of the Saints for the Menaion, gives the name of the man who had been born blind as Celidonius. He recounts that when persecution of the Christians broke out in Jerusalem, St. Lazarus who had been raised from the dead, fled on a sailboat together with the Lord’s disciple, St. Maximin, and St. Celidonius, who had been given sight by our Lord. Lazarus stayed in Cyprus, completing the rest of his earthly days there as a Bishop, while Maximin and Celidonius went on to Gaul (France) where they laboured for the to the end of their earthly sojourn. St. Demetrius gives this account in writing on the Feast of the Synaxis of the Seventy Apostles on January 17 on the Gregorian Calendar. St. Basil the Great and other fathers draw attention to the uniqueness of this miracle of our Lord’s. They say that this was not just a case of a man whose eyes were not working. They say that Celidonius was actually born without eyes. In other words Jesus placed the clay upon empty sockets, the place where the eyes ought to have been, and lo, eyes appeared– eyes which saw perfectly! Our Lord showed Himself to be the Creator Who had made man out of the dust of the earth. Along with these eyes also came spiritual sight as Celidonius gave courageous testimony to his healing in response to the hostile questions about the miracle by those who felt threatened by the emerging Messiah. Finally he posed the question to them: “Do you also want to become His disciples?” This brought an angry and haughty response from the interrogators and he was cast out of the community. But our Lord instated him in the eternal Community of the Faithful,revealing to him that He Himself was indeed the Messiah sent by God the Father to save the world. Celidonius’ question resounds in our ears as well, challenging us to see clearly and labour as Jesus Disciples in the night of this world, for the eternal Day has already dawned with the Resurrection of Christ and its Light will soon fill the whole world.

انتصار الح ق "إ ّنما أعل ُم أ ّنني كن ُت أعمى، وها إ ّني أبصر اآلن" )أنظر: إنجيل اليوم(. هذه العبارة، التي نطقها إنسان كان أعمى ر ّ دا على َم ْن ش ّكوا في قدرة يسوع على الشفاء، تب ّين لنا، بوضوح ظاهر، أ ّن الشهادة للر ّب إ ّنما هي أن نبوح بما أجراه هو لنا، أي أن نكتب، أو، بما ال يخالف التواضع الح ّق، أن أكتب أنا نفسي على صفحات الكون ق ّص َة ح ّبه التي كتبها لي بدمه. إ ّنها، إ ذا، ق ّصة هللا معي أنا شخص ّ يا. ما من شكّ في أنّ الر ّب قد مات عن العالم كلّه. ولكنّ كلّ إنسان، في العالم، شأنه أن يرى، في موت ابن هللا، حد ثا ت ّم من أجله هو. و"ت ّم من أجله" عبارة تعني، في عمقها ومداها، أنّ هذا الحدث، الذي ال يحصره زمن، هو ما يحيا عليه المؤمن من دون أن ينتظر من هللا، برها نا على ح ّبه له، أ ّي أمر آخر. فهل بعد موت ابن هللا من حاجة إلى برهان آخر؟ هذا ال يعني أنّ الربّ ال يعطيني كلّ ما أطلبه، إن رأى فيه خالصي. إ ّنه يعطيني دائ ما. و"يعطيني دائ ما" تعني أ ّنه يعطيني مباشر ة، أو بما يغدقه من خير نافع على أيٍّ من إخوتي. فاألعمى، الذي أتحفنا بشهادته، شفاه الربّ من عماه. وهذا، كما ينبغي لنا أن نفهم، ال يخ ّصه وحده، بل يخ ّصنا جمي عا أي ض ا. فنحن كلّنا يجب أن نرى أنفسنا في هذا الشفاء المحيي. هذه قراءة يشرّعها تعليمنا الذي يشجّعنا على أن نرى، في األحداث اإلنجيل ّية، أحدا ثا تعنينا كلّنا. كلّ ما فعله الر ّب فعله من أجلي، أو فعله معي أي ضا.

أنا األعمى. وأنا كلّ شخصيّة كتابيّة استقبلت فعل هللا الخالصيّ . أنا، أنا. ومن دون أن أنكر أح دا غيري، أنا فحسب. أن أؤمن بأ ّن هللا يح ّبني ح ّ با شخص ّ يا، أم ٌر يش ّكل عصب حياتي في المسيح. فكلّ الحياة المسيح ّية، كلّها، أن أؤمن بأ ّنني محبوب، أي أن أرى في ح ّب هللا لي ك ّل ما أحتاج إليه في حياتي. أن أراه حياتي وغناي، حاضري ومستقبلي. وعلى هذه المحبّة المثبتة لي تقوم شهادتي. فالشهادة ال يش ّكلها بالغة ما أقوله لف ظا، بل ما اختبرته فع ال، وأقنعني، وأحيا عمري عليه. لقد قال األعمى: "إ ّنما أعلم". ليس هذا عل ما مج ّر دا، بل علم دخل أعماقه، وتأ ّصل فيه. أنا، أنا أعلم. أنا أعلم أنّ الربّ بيّن حبّه لي. إ ّنه شفاني من عماي، وأنا اآلن أبصر. وهذا قاله لك ّل َم ْن اجتمعوا عليه، خو فا أو فضول ّي ة أو ش ّ كا، أي ألهله وجيرانه والمسؤولين الدين ّيين في زمنه. والمؤسف أ ّن أح دا منهم لم يص ّدقه. كانت عالمات مح ّبة هللا له بادي ة جل ّ يا على وجهه. قال لهم أشياء أ ّخاذة. حاورهم. ر ّد على أسئلتهم. جادلهم. وكلّ ما جرى على لسانه نبع من ذلك اللقاء الذي خطفه الر ّب فيه من ما ٍض متعب إلى حاضر جديد. وعلى ذلك، لم ُيص ّدقوه. أ ّما هو، فكان واث قا بما اختبره. وما اختبره، كان يكفيه. وإذا د ّققنا في ما جرى بعد شفائه ت ّ وا، فال يفوتنا أ ّنه لم يكن قد رأى يسوع بعد. فعندما اعترض الربّ سبيله، وأمره بأن "يغتسل في بركة سلوام" )اآلية الـ7(، لمّا يكن يرى. وقع ظلّ الربّ عليه، بلى. أح ّس بي َد ْي المعلّم تداعب وجهه، بلى. سمع صوته، أي ضا بلى. ولك ّنه لم يره وج ها بوجه. كان يدافع َع َّم ْن اختبره في أعماقه، أو، بكالم يناسب سياقنا، َع َّم ْن رآه في قلبه. لقد دفعته رؤية، ليست كأيّ رؤية أخرى، إلى أن يواجه ك ّل َم ْن قاربه، بقوله: "كن ُت أعمى". رمى ماضيه خلفه. قال: كنت. ما لكم ولما كن ُت عليه. انظروا: ها إ ّني أبصر اآلن. ذاك المعلّم، الذي ل ّما أره، أهداني ج ّد ة لم يهبني إ ّياها أمّي وأبي. ما لكم وألمّي وأبي. إ ّنه أ ّمي وأبي. إ ّنه خالقي. أنا، اليوم، ولد ُت . أنا ابن. أنا ابنه. ال يحتاج أ ّي قارئ را ٍض إلى كثير من العناء، ليدرك أ ّن َم ْن كان أعمى سكنه أ ّنه مسؤول عن أن يعي بنو جلدته خالصهم. هذه من مقتضيات الشهادة، أو مقتضاها األعلى. كان يريد كلّ َم ْن اجتمعوا عليه أن يؤمنوا، أن يشفوا. كان يريدهم أن يولدوا اآلن. فالشهادة، التي خرجت من فمه، كانت تبحث عن أهلها. ال يشعرنا هذا الشاهد المبصر بأ ّنه يتباهى بشفاء ت ّم من أجله حص را، بل من أجله وأجلهم وأجلنا في آن. أخبرهم بما يخصّه ويخصّهم ويخصّنا، أو بما آمن بأ ّنه يعنيه وهم ونحن أي ضا. كالمه يبيّن أنّ منطلق الشهادة قناعة تسكن ناقلها، ومداها قناعة تطلب أن تسكن َم ْن تصل إليه. وما بين المنطلق والمدى رباط يحكمه ثبات يزيّن الناقل، أو يجب أن يز ّينه أب دا. وهذا عينه معنى اإلخالص. فالشهادة ليست حماس ة تتعلّق بآ ٍن حاضر، بل بكلّ آن، بل بآن مستمرّ . ك ُّل أمري مخل صا أن أتعاطى اللحظة، التي أنا فيها، على ضوء اللحظة التي وعيت فيها أنّ الربّ أنقذني من عتاقتي. ومن اإلخالص أن أُبعد نفسي عن نتائج تفرحني أو ر ّبما ال تفرحني، أن أكون ح ّ را من أن أتأ ّث ر إن بقبول َم ْن أشهد له أو برفضه. بلى، يجب أن يفرحني َم ْن يقبل الشهادة هلل، يفرحني كثي را، ويحزنني َم ْن يرفضها، يحزنني كثي را. ولكنّ فرحي وحزني يجب أن يكونا على قاعدة وعيي أنّ ما أنا أفعله يعود إلى الربّ فع ال ومج دا. فأنا للربّ . سواء نجحت أو فشلت، أنا له وحده. لست أنا موضوع النجاح، ولست أنا موضوع الرفض. ثمّة واحد هاجمني على دروب حياة عتيقة، وبيّن لي حبّه المج ّدد. وما لي من شأن سوى أن أروي ق ّصة ح ّبه لي إلى ك ّل َم ْن أراه على دروبي، ق ّصة حبّ المسيح "الذي أحبّنا )جمي عا(، فحلّنا من خطايانا بدمه" )رؤيا يوح ّنا 1: 5(. هذه البالغة، التي خرجت من فم مولود أعمى، هي بالغة الح ّب المقبول الذي و ّزعه هللا الح ّي على العالم بسخاء، ليسحق ك ّل شكوك التاريخ، وينتصر الح ّق إلى النهاية. )رعيتي(

upcoming Feasts:  June 13 Holy Ascension  June 23 Holy Pentecost Our dear beloved ones in Christ: You can help in spreading the word of God by providing us the email’s addresses of the members of your family and your friends who do not receive our bulletin via email. Please send their emails to: [email protected] or [email protected]

Food for Hungry People Boxes Please return your boxes for the “Food for Hungry People” soon. You may give them to any of our ushers. Thank you!

Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen! Al Maseeh Qam! Haqan Qam! Kristos Anesti! Alithos Anesti!

المسيح قام! حقا قام كل عام وأنتم بخير

Maher Aljada Hair Stylist (415) 424-5353

Allure Salon Park Plaza 1590 El Camino Real San Bruno, CA 94066 Diamond Jubilee

Ladies Auxiliary

Meeting

th Sunday, June 9 @ 12.30 PM

@ The Church

Everybody is welcomed!

Sunday School th Sunday, June 9

ST. NICHOLAS HONORS 2013 Sunday School Graduation!

Followed by a luncheon for the graduates…

th Thursday, June 13 2013

قُ َّداس َخىي ْس ال ُّصعود

Divine Liturgy @ 11:00 AM

Commemorating the Holy Ascension of our LORD

St. Nicholas Parish Father’s Day Picnic

Sunday, June 16th

At: Heather Farm Park in Walnut Creek. Admission is $10 per person and food is included.

Parents of High school and college graduates! الى أهالي المتخرجين والمتخرجات!!! We would like to recognize our graduates by placing their photos and biographies in a special edition of our Weekly Bulletin. PARENTS, we need you to send us their photos and a summary of their biographies.

Come to Anaheim, CA in 2013!

أهلنا األحباء: أخبروا أوالدكم Parents: please make your reservation now 2013 Parish Life Conference Diocese of Los Angeles & The West July 3 – 7, 2013 organizations are encouraged to participate. For more info please visit http://plc2013.org/

St. Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Church 5200 Diamond Heights Boulevard, San Francisco, California 94131

Celebrating 75 years – 1938 – 2013

Honoring our past, embracing our present and looking forward to our future

September 30, 1962 – The ground breaking ceremony for the new church building is held, Archbishop Bashir shoveling the first cut of earth. Joseph Ayoub and Ernest Nackord were Co-Chairmen of the Building Committee

Save the Date October 25 – 27, 2013 75th Anniversary Celebration

Your Church needs you!!!! Your pictures Your memorabilia Your favorite stories Your help on a committee

5200 Diamond Heights Blvd. San Francisco, CA 94131

Come visit us for Weddings, Baptisms, Birthdays, Anniversaries and All Other Occasions

We are located in the heart of San Francisco Please call us to make an appointment at (415) 648-5200. Make memories for a lifetime!