Petra News A publication supported by the Stewards of Sts. Peter & Paul Greek Orthodox Church Saint Kosmas the Aitolos Week of August 18th 2019 Sunday, August 18th 2019 Hymns of the Day Upcoming Services & Feastdays Hymn for the Dormition Feast Wednesday, August 21 __________6 pm “In giving birth you retained your virginity, Paraclesis and in dormition you did not Saturday, August 24 ____________5 pm forsake the world, O Theotokos. Great Vespers You were translated unto life, being the Mother of Life. And thus by virtue of your intercessions Memory Eternal you deliver our souls from death.” “With the Saints give rest, O Christ, to the soul of Resurrection Hymn Your servant where there is not pain, no sorrow, (Plagal 4th Tone, p. 89 Green Hymnal) no sighing, but life everlasting.” “From on high did You descend, Dear Parishioners, O merciful Lord, for us did You endure, With hope in the Resurrection, I share with you three days in the tomb that we may be, that Father Constantine ‘Dean’ Talagan fell asleep released from passions in this world, in the Lord on August 13th. A visitation will be You who are our resurrection and our life held at Sts Constantine and Helen in Cheyenne Glory unto You O Lord.” from 3-6pm on Sunday, August 18th, followed by the Trisagion at 7pm. The Divine Liturgy Hymn of Saints Peter Paul will be celebrated on Monday, August 19th at 8am and the Funeral Service held at 10am. “Oh leaders of the Apostles, and teachers of the world, Father Dean was a good friend to Sts Peter and Paul. Father Dean had a profound effect on the intercede with the Master of all lives of so many clergy and laity of the Church. that He may grant peace unto the world, He was a forerunner in the ministry of youth, and to our souls His great mercy.” young adults and Church Catechism in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. Please remember him in your Kontakion prayers. “The Theotokos, unsleeping in intercession May his memory be eternal. and the immovable hope of protection, could not be retained by any tomb or death. For being Life’s own Mother, Hosts & Volunteers she was transferred to life by Him Myrrhbearers who dwelt in the ever-virgin womb.” Cassie Tinsley & Demetra Gregory Epistle Reader Georgia Georgia Geerdes Sts. Peter & Paul Greek Orthodox Church Daily readings - The 9th Sunday of Matthew Ninth Orthos Gospel According to John 20:19-31 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will doors being shut where the disciples were for fear of the not believe.” Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them: Eight days later, his disciples were again in the house, and “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad came and stood among them, and said: “Peace be with you.” when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said not be faithless, but believing.” Thomas answered him, “My to them: “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not retained.” seen and yet believe.” Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disci- with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him: ples, which are not written in this book; but these are writ- “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them: “Unless I see ten that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in God, and that believing you may have life in his name. Epistle Reading: St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians 3:9-17 Brethren, we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s cause it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test field, God’s building. According to the grace of God giv- what sort of work each one has done. If the work which en to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, any man has built on the foundation survives, he will and another man is building upon it. Let each man take receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will care how he builds upon it. For no other foundation can suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. through fire. Do you not know that you are God’s temple Now if any one builds on the foundation with gold, sil- and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If any one destroys ver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw - each man’s work God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, be- holy, and that temple you are. The Gospel According to Matthew 14:22-34 At that time, Jesus made the disciples get into the boat And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, bid me come and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus; went up into the hills by himself to pray. When eve- but when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning ning came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately was many furlongs distant from the land, beaten by the reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “O waves; for the wind was against them. And in the fourth man of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. entered the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out And when they had crossed over, they came to land at for fear. But immediately he spoke to them, saying “Take Gennesaret. heart, it is I; have no fear.” Petra News, Week of August 18th, 2019 Saints & Feastdays Saint Kosmas the Aitolos as a Model for Our Lives By Protopresbyter Fr. George Papavarnavas ters the heart, then it burns with love for others. (St. Kosmas is Commemorated on August 24) Hieromonk Kosmas learned one single language, that of love, and he wanted others to also come to We know the Old Testament story of the Tower of know it, to be able to understand each other and Babel, as well as the confusion and misunderstand- not tear away from each other and kill one another ing that prevailed due to arrogance and haughti- with slander, injustice and lies. True ness. The opposite of this incident love, as a fruit of communion with happened in the New Testament, God, offers people inner fulfillment namely the day of Pentecost. There and thus becomes a means of attrac- with the partitioning of tongues of tion and source of unity. Conversely fire on each of the disciples there the passions, such as envy, arrogance disappeared confusion, fear and and so forth create problems and any- any dissent and there was exempla- one who possesses them becomes a ry unity and agreement. The sacred source of abnormalities. They disrupt hymnographer, juxtaposing the unity, tearing the seamless tunic of two incidents, tells us: “When the Christ, creating factions and a climate Most High came down and con- of polarization. No matter how many founded the tongues He divided languages one speaks, if one does not the nations. When He dispensed know the language of love, accord- the tongues of fire, He called all to ing to the Apostle Paul, they are as a unity, and with one voice we glorify “clanging symbol”, just making noise. The bright the Most Holy Spirit” (Kontakion of Pentecost). In and holy figure of Saint Kosmas the Aitolos dis- other words, when the Tower of Babel was being tributed peace and created a climate of unity. constructed, God brought confusion in the lan- guages and divided people into nations, and now We will highlight three points that characterize this with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit He calls all modest but also explosive and majestic personality, to unity. Arrogance divides and separates people, proving the truth of what we mentioned above. while humility attracts the Holy Spirit, and unites First, he had an ecclesiastical spirit. He did not all people and nations into a brotherhood.