Holy Trinity Orthodox Church Sun, June 28, 2020 ​ - ​Seek First the Kingdom of Heaven All of Great Britain and Ireland. Holy Unmercenaries Cyrus and John.

Congratulations to our High School Graduates Eva King & Vladimir Holoviak!

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would

even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love Hymns for Today toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died

for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His When Thou didst descend to death, O Life immortal, blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if Thou didst slay hell with the splendor of Thy Godhead. when we were enemies we were reconciled to God And when from the depths Thou didst raise the dead, all through the death of His Son, much more, having been the powers of heaven cried out: // “O Giver of life, Christ reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. our God, glory to Thee!”

Gospel Reading -Matthew 6:22-33 Thou hast given us the miracles of Thy , Cyrus and John, as an invincible rampart, O Christ God; through The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is their prayers, frustrate the plans of the heathens, and good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye strengthen the faith of the Orthodox Christians, // for is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If Thou alone art good and the lover of man. therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is

that darkness! No one can serve two masters; for either Hell became afraid, O almighty Savior, seeing the miracle he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be of Thy Resurrection from the tomb! The dead arose! loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve Creation, with Adam, beheld this and rejoiced with Thee, God and mammon. Therefore I say to you, do not worry // and the world, my Savior, praises Thee forever. about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink;

nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life Having received the gift of miracles through divine grace, more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at O saints, ye work wonders in the world unceasingly. Ye the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor remove all of our passions through your invisible gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. surgery, divinely-wise Cyrus and glorious John, // for ye Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by are truly divine physicians. worrying can add one cubit to his stature? So why do you

worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how

they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you Epistle Reading - Romans 5:1-10 that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like

DEAR GUESTS AND FRIENDS: ​ A most sincere and heartfelt welcome to you from Holy Trinity Orthodox Church. According to the ancient traditions of the Orthodox Church, the Sacrament of Holy Communion is to be administered only to Orthodox Christians who have prepared to receive the Holy Sacrament through prayer and fasting.

Web: ​www.wbholytrinity.org ​ • Phone: 570-825-6540 • Priest: Fr. Innocent Neal

Holy Trinity Orthodox Church Weekly Bulletin - June 28, 2020 one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, Holy Trinity Orthodox Church which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Congratulates Our 2020 Graduates! Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after It is a joy to recognize our 2020 high school graduates all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Eva Claire King and Vladimir Holoviak. Congratulations Father knows that you need all these things. But seek to you for your academic accomplishments throughout first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all your high school years and for your valued contributions these things shall be added to you. to Holy Trinity parish as active participants in our Church School, Divine Services, and many activities and many projects and programs over the years. God bless

you both and may God grant you Many Blessed Years! THIS WEEK’S SERVICE SCHEDULE (Sat Vespers & Sun Liturgy livestreamed on Facebook) Eva Claire King is a 2020 graduate of James M. Coughlin High School. TODAY: ​ 8:40 AM Hours, @ 9:00 AM, While attending Coughlin, Eva was Great Vespers for the Feast of Apostles Peter & Paul a member of the Key Club and the following Divine Liturgy. National Honor Society. She has +++ attended the Upward Bound The Feast of the Holy Apostles Peter & Paul program at Wilkes University for SUN, June 28: ​ Great Vespers the past 3 years. Eva has been a Girl Immediately following Divine Liturgy Scout for 10 years, earning the MON, June 29 @ 9 AM​: Divine Liturgy for the Feast highest honor in Girl Scouting, the +++ Gold Award. She also has been working at Penn Lee WED, July 1: ​ 10 AM Bible Study Footwear for 2 1/2 years. In the Fall, Eva plans on starting SAT, July 4: ​ 5:00 PM Great Vespers her college education at LCCC. SUN, July 5: ​ 8:40 AM Hours, 9 AM Divine Liturgy Vladimir Holoviak, is a graduate of Marian Catholic High School Class of 2020. He will attend Kutztown PARISH COUNCIL MEETING: T​ uesday, June 30 @ 7 PM University majoring in Commercial on ZOOM. We will send the link via email. All welcome! Music. While at Marian Catholic, Vladimir participated in marching band (President 2020), concert PARISH PRAYER LIST band, chorus, Rock Music Ministry (violin and drums) and served as a Living: ​Cynthia Dulsky, Theodore & Elenor Sovryda, Library Aide. He participated in Valletta Family, Nadine Breisch, Luke Austin, Rosalie County Band and Diocesan Band. He has been an altar Bagenski, Denise Meck, Sonja & Leanne Kay, Stephen & server since age 8 at Holy Trinity. He is a member of the Mary Krill, Anna Hutz Lahr, Madaline, Brian Cawley, Kazka Ukrainian Folk Ensemble (Dancer and violinist) Josie Bissett, Lisa Harvey, & Shannon Bissett, and the Hazleton Liberty Band (trumpet). Johnny Soucek, Rebecca King, Ray Zavada, Barbara Clark,

Connie Padrezas, Delores Karas, Antonette Terry, Archpriest Daniel & Matushka Myra Kovalak, Mary Altar Server Schedule through July 12 DeBenedetto, ​Violet Filipi, Karl Pfeiffenberger, Lisa Sunday, June 28th Vallone, Christopher Polk, Emma St. Romain & Infant, Andrew Conklin, Christopher Dutko, Symeon Clark Catherine, ​Diane Welgus, Danny Gobish, Lorraine Pace, Sunday, July 5th Gregory Gobish ​Departed: Chad, Frank Emil Timko Vladimir Holoviak, Alex Holoviak, Ephraim Neal Maddox, Janice George, Mitred Archpriest Nicholas Sunday, July 12 Timpko, Thomas Podalak, Martin Taylor, Dimitrios L. Caleb Dutko, Tommy Donlick, Andrew Neal

Holy Trinity Orthodox Church Weekly Bulletin - June 28, 2020

The Holy Glorious and All-Praised (John 20: 22-23); or: “whatsoever ye bind upon the earth, shall be bound in Heaven: and whatsoever ye shall Leaders of the Apostles, Peter and Paul loose on earth, shall be loosened in heaven” (Mt.18:18). Sermon of Augustine, of Hippo Thus, it is the Church that binds, the Church that loosens; the Church, built upon the foundational Today the Holy Church piously remembers the sufferings cornerstone, Jesus Christ Himself (Eph 2:20), doth bind of the Holy Glorious and All-Praised Apostles Peter and and loosen. Let both the binding and the loosening be Paul. feared: the loosening, in order not to fall under this again; the binding, in order not to remain forever in this St. Peter, the fervent follower of Jesus Christ, for the condition. Therefore “Iniquities ensnare a man, and profound confession of His Divinity: “Thou art the everyone is bound in the chains of his own sins,” says Christ, the Son of the Living God,” was deemed worthy Wisdom (Prov 5:22); and except for Holy Church by the Savior to hear in answer, “Blessed art thou, Simon nowhere is it possible to receive the loosening. ... I tell thee, that thou art Peter [Petrus], and on this stone [petra] I build My Church” (Mt.16:16-18). On “this After His Resurrection the Lord entrusted the Apostle stone” [petra], is on that which thou sayest: “Thou art Peter to shepherd His spiritual flock not because, that the Christ, the Son of the Living God” it is on this thy among the disciples only Peter alone was pre-deserved confession I build My Church. Wherefore the “thou art to shepherd the flock of Christ, but Christ addresses Peter”: it is from the “stone” [petra] that Peter [Petrus] Himself chiefly to Peter because, that Peter was first is, and not from Peter [Petrus] that the “stone” [petra] among the Apostles and as such the representative of the is, just as the Christian is from Christ, and not Christ Church; besides which, having turned in this instance to from the Christian. Do you want to know, from what sort Peter alone, as to the top Apostle, Christ by this confirms of “rock” [petra] the Apostle Peter [Petrus] was named? the unity of the Church. “Simon of John” -- says the Hear the Apostle Paul: “Brethren, I do not want ye to be Lord to Peter -- “lovest thou Me?” -- and the Apostle ignorant,” says the Apostle of Christ, “how all our answered: “Yea, Lord, Thou knowest that I love Thee”; fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through and a second time it was thus asked, and a second time the sea; and all were baptized unto in the cloud he thus answered; being asked a third time, seeing that and in the sea; and did all drink the same spiritual drink: as it were not believed, he was saddened. But how is it for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: possible for him not to believe That One, Who knew his and that Rock was Christ” (1 Cor.10: 1-4).... heart? And wherefore then Peter answered: “Lord, Thou knowest all; Thou knowest that I love Thee.” “And Our Lord Jesus Christ, in the final days of His earthly life, sayeth Jesus to him” all three times “Feed My sheep” in the days of His mission to the race of man, chose from (John 20:15-17). among the disciples His twelve Apostles to preach the Word of God. Among them, the Apostle Peter for his fiery Besides this, the triple appealing of the Savior to Peter ardor was vouchsafed to occupy the first place (Mt.10:2) and the triple confession of Peter before the Lord had a and to be as it were the representative person for all the particular beneficial purpose for the Apostle. That one, to Church. Therefore it is said to him, preferentially, after whom was given “the keys of the kingdom” and the right the confession: “I will give unto thee the keys of the “to bind and to loose,” bound himself thrice by fear and Kingdom of Heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on cowardice (Mt.26:69-75), and the Lord thrice loosens earth, shall be bound in the heaven: and whatsoever thou him by His appeal and in turn by his confession of strong shalt loose on earth: shall be loosed in heaven” (Mt.16: love. And to shepherd literally the flock of Christ was 19). Therefore it was not one man, but rather the One acquired by all the Apostles and their successors. “Take Universal Church, that received these “keys” and the heed, therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock,” the right “to bind and loosen.” And that it was actually the Apostle Paul urges church presbyters, “over which the Church that received this right, and not exclusively a Holy Spirit hath made you overseers, to feed the Church single person, turn your attention to another place of the of the God, which He hath purchased with His own Scriptures, where the same Lord says to all His Apostles, blood” (Acts 20:28); and the Apostle Peter to the elders: “Receive ye the Holy Spirit” and further after this, “Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the “Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto oversight thereof not by constraint, but willingly: not for them: and whose soever sins ye retain, are retained”

Holy Trinity Orthodox Church Weekly Bulletin - June 28, 2020

filthy lucre, but of a ready mind: neither as being lords one is a chosen vessel unto Me, to bear My name before over God’s heritage, but being examples to the flock. And the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel” (Acts when is appeared the Prince of pastors, ye will receive 9: 11, 15, 18). This vessel must be filled with My Grace. unfading crowns of glory” (1 Pet. 5:2-4). “Ananias, however, answered: Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he hath done to Thy It is remarkable that Christ, having said to Peter: “Feed saints in : and here he hath authority from the My sheep,” did not say: “Feed thy sheep,” but rather to chief priests to bind all who call on Thy Name” (Acts feed, good servant, the sheep of the Lord. “Is Christ 9:13-14). But the Lord urgently commands Ananias: divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized “Search for and fetch him, for this vessel is chosen by in the name of Paul?” (1 Cor.1:13). “Feed My sheep”. Me: for I shall show him what great things he must suffer Wherefore “wolfish robbers, wolfish oppressors, for My name’s sake” (Acts 9:11, 15-16). deceitful teachers and mercenaries, not being concerned about the flock” (Mt.7:15; Acts 20:29; 2 Pet 2:1; John And actually the Lord did show the Apostle Paul what 10:12), having plundered a strange flock and making of things he had to suffer for His Name. He instructed him the spoils as though it be of their own particular gain, the deeds; He did not stop at the chains, the fetters, the they think that they feed their flock. Such are not good prisons and shipwrecks; He Himself felt for him in his pastors, as pastors of the Lord. “The good shepherd sufferings, He Himself guided him towards this day. On a giveth his life for the sheep” (John 10:11), entrusted to single day the memory of the sufferings of both these Him by the chief Shepherd Himself (1 Pet 5:4). And the Apostles is celebrated, though they suffered on separate Apostle Peter, true to his calling, gave his soul for the days, but by the spirit and the closeness of their suffering very flock of Christ, having sealed his apostleship by a they constitute one. Peter went first, and Paul followed ’s death, is now glorified throughout all the world. soon after him. Formerly called Saul, and then Paul, The Apostle Paul, formerly Saul, was changed from a having transformed his pride into humility. His very robbing wolf into a meek lamb. Formerly he was an name (Paulus), meaning “small, little, less,” enemy of the Church, then is manifest as an Apostle. demonstrates this. What is the Apostle Paul after this? Formerly he stalked it, then preached it. Having received Ask him, and he himself gives answer to this: “I am,” from the high priests the authority at large to throw all says he, “the least of the Apostles... but I have labored Christians in chains for execution, he was already on the more abundantly than all of them: yet not I, but the grace way, he breathed out “threatenings and slaughter of God, which was with me” (1 Cor.15:9-10). against the disciples of the Lord” (Acts 9:1), he thirsted for blood, but “He that dwells in the Heavens shall laugh And so, brethren, celebrating now the memory of the him to scorn” (Ps 2:4). When he, “having persecuted and holy Apostles Peter and Paul, remembering their vexed” in such manner “the Church of God” (1Cor.15:9; venerable sufferings, we esteem their true faith and holy Acts 8:5), he came near Damascus, and the Lord from life, we esteem the innocence of their sufferings and pure Heaven called to him: “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou confession. Loving in them the sublime quality and Me?” and I am here, and I am there, I am everywhere: imitating them by great exploits, “in which to be likened here is My head; there is My body. There becomes to them” (2 Thess 3: 5-9), and we shall attain to that nothing of a surprise in this; we ourselves are members eternal bliss which is prepared for all the saints. The path of the Body of Christ. “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou of our life before was more grievous, thornier, harder, Me; it is hard for thee to kick against the goad” (Acts but “we also are compassed about with so great a cloud 9:4-5). Saul, however, “trembling and frightened”, cried of witnesses” (Heb 12: 1), having passed by along it, out: “Who art Thou, Lord?” The Lord answered him, “I made now for us easier, and lighter, and more readily am Jesus Whom thou persecutest.” passable. First there passed along it “the author and finisher of our faith,” our Lord Jesus Christ Himself (Heb And Saul suddenly undergoes a change: “What wantest 12: 2); His daring Apostles followed after Him; then the Thou me to do?” -- he cries out. And suddenly for him martyrs, children, women, virgins and a great multitude there is the Voice: “Arise, and go to the city, and it shall of witnesses. Who acted in them and helped them on this be told thee what thou must do” (Acts 9:6). Here the path? He Who said, “Without Me ye can do nothing” Lord sends Ananias: “Arise and go into the street” to a (John 15: 5). man, “by the name of Saul,” and baptize him, “for this