JUNE 2009

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of New Zealand
Holy Church of the Dormition of Virgin Mary, Christchurch




ΙΟΥΛΙΟΣ / JULY 2009

5 ΚΥΡΙΑΚΗ SUNDAY +Δ’ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΥ. Αθανασίου Ο. εν τω Άθω.
+4th SUNDAY OF MATTHEW. Athanasios of Mount Athos.
Θ. Λειτουργία D. Liturgy 9:00 – 11:45 π.μ. / a.m.

12 ΚΥΡΙΑΚΗ SUNDAY +E’ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΥ. Πρόκλου και Ιλαρίου Ιρμ.
+5th SUNDAY OF MATTHEW. Proklos and Hilario the Martyrs.
Θ. Λειτουργία D. Liturgy 9:00 – 11:45 π.μ. / a.m.

17 ΠΑΡΑΣΚΕΥΗ FRIDAY +Αγ. Μαρίνας Μεγαλομάρτυρος / St. Marina the Great Martyr.
Θ. Λειτουργία D. Liturgy 9:00 – 11:45 π.μ. / a.m.

19 ΚΥΡΙΑΚΗ SUNDAY +ΑΓΙΩΝ ΠΑΤΕΡΩΝ ΤΗΣ Δ’ ΟΙΚΟΥΜΕΝΙΚΗΣ ΣΥΝΟΔΟΥ.
+HOLY FATHERS OF THE 4th ECUMENICAL SYNOD. Θ. Λειτουργία D. Liturgy 9:00 – 11:45 π.μ. / a.m.

20 ΔΕΥΤΕΡΑ MONDAY +Προφήτου Ηλιού. +Prophet Elias. Θ. Λειτουργία D. Liturgy 9:00 – 11:45 π.μ. / a.m.

26 ΚΥΡΙΑΚΗ SUNDAY +Z’ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΥ.Ερμολάου ιερομ. +7th SUNDAY OF MATTHEW. Hermolaou . Θ. Λειτουργία D. Liturgy 9:00 – 11:45 π.μ. / a.m.

27 ΔΕΥΤΕΡΑ MONDAY +Αγίου Παντελεήμονος / Panteleimon the Great Martyr. Παράκλησις
Supplication 10:30 – 11:30 π.μ. /a.m.

MALICE

A priest named Sapricius had a very close friend named Nicephorus, who was a layman. There was so much love between them that each thought that he lived within the soul of the other. However, the devil’s malice caused a situation which brought about all this friendship and made them enemies, so that neither wanted to set eyes on the other. Nicephorus quickly overcame the passion and with perseverance sought to restore the beauty of their friendship. At first he sent mutual friends to reconcile them, saying that he was to blame for all the causes of the disagreement and begging for forgiveness. Sapricius however remained adamant and hard and did nothing to dissolve the enmity, albeit that he was a priest. At some point Nicephorus approached Sapricius, felt at his feet and with tears begged for his forgiveness and asking that they become friends again. However Sapricius, with no feelings at all, walked past him quickly, without even speaking to him, without even looking at him.
That is how things were between them, when the Epmperor Julian began a new persecution against the Christians in his efforts to restore the old idolatrous religion. So when the order for the persecution arrived in the city in which both Nicephorus and the priest Sapricius lived, Sapricius was arrested first because he was a priest. The ruler of the city, after torturing him, asked him to deny Christ, putting him through many torments, but Sapricius would not deny his faith. Finally, the ruler sentenced him to death by the sword. Knowing all this, Nicephorus believed that now the time was right for their reconciliation. He appeared before Sapricius, knelt in front of him, embraced his feet and begged him before he dies to forgive him. However he continued his inhuman feeling and did not soften his heart at all at the emotion and lamentation of Nicephorus. With the wax of malice he had blocked his ears and quickly bypassed his friend. Again Nicephorus did not despair, but went to him again and with more fervent please begged his mercy, shedding many tears. Sapricius remained deaf and seemed to be made of stone when he arrived at the place of the execution.
As the hands of the executioners lifted the sword and Sapricius bent his neck to receive the torment, and the crowns which he was to inherit from Christ, were already above his head, something astonishing happened: Darkened by malice he seemed to not be aware of whose presence he was standing in and seemed also to forget why he had been arrested, and in total confusion having lost his mind, asked why he was to be executed. The executioners replied that he had ignored the royal commands and was not convinced to offer sacrifices to the gods. And then came the worst fall of resentment together with his denial of Christ and the true faith and his declaration that he would sacrifice to the gods.
As soon as Nicephorus saw this, his heart broke and with fervent words said to Sapricius:
“My brother and father, do not wish to betray the God who created you and to whom you will return after your death! Do not assail the laws of piety, or the confession which you made before God and the angels. Respect the previous torments which you underwent for Christ. Honour the great office of the Priesthood. I beg you, my friend, on bended knee, do not deny your confession of the Holy Trinity, now that you have in your hands the awards and almost upon your head the crowns of the athlete. But Sapricius became all the more harder and unfeeling, because his heart had been filled with malice and therefore could no longer contain piety. Then Nicephorus, bursting with zeal because of his own piety and that of his friend, and because he could no longer do anything for him, threw himself into the torment, confessed Christ and placed his neck under the swords of the executioners. So, in this way, Nicephorus the forbearing and forgiving, endured the martyred death by the sword and in a short time and with little effort earned the Kingdom of Heaven and was proved to be genuinely victorious. This example shows us that no physical struggles and labours can reconcile us with God as much as compassion and concern and love for our neighbour can, for this is the beginning and the end of all virtues…((Evergetinos Volume 2, Issue 42)

I said to the 80-year old Elder Ascetic…

“Tell me, my fathers, why on this earth, night and day are inseparable?

Why do the thorn and flower, laughter and tears grow together as twins?

Why do scorpions, vipers and cold poisons nest in the most beautiful greenery of the forest?

Why, before the delicate bud can emerge and open its beauty to the light, does a black worm come and stab it an leave it as a lifeless rag in its crib?

Finally, why does confusion and disorder push its way into the harmony of the world?...”

Lifting his right hand to heaven and with his deep voice, the ascetic replied:

“Behind those golden clouds, the Most Blessed One is busy creating a priceless piece of embroidery.

And as we walk down here on earth, we see the rear view of it, my child.

And it is obvious then that we will see errors at a time when we should be giving thanks and praise.

As a Christian, wait for the day when your winged soul will fly through the sky

And you will see God’s masterpiece from its proper view and then…you will see that all is methodical and ordered”.

Η ΓΙΟΡΤΗ ΤΗΣ ΜΗΤΕΡΑΣ

Σήμερα ο φεμινισμός κάνει ακαταλόγιστη τη γυναίκα, υποτιμά και καταργεί τη μητρότητά της. Στην καθιερωμένη λοιπόν γιορτή της μητέρας αξίζει να υπενθυμίσουμε στη γυναίκα τι λένε οι σοφοί για την άξια μητέρα.
α) Η ΓΥΝΑΙΚΑ ΤΟΥ ΧΩΡΙΟΥ
Εσύ, είσαι ο στύλος του σπιτιού και του χωρίου καμάρι,
Γυναίκα εσύ , μάνα αδερφή,
σου πρέπει εσέ προσκυνητάρι.

Εσύ, γυναίκα, τον τραβάς της γης τον πιο σκληρό αγώνα
για τ' όργωμα, για την σπορά, το θέρο,
τ 'άντρα σου κολόνα.

Εσύ θα ψήσεις το ψωμί, εσύ θα στρώσεις το κλινάρι,
κι εσύ θα κάτσεις τη νυχτιά νυχτέρι δίπλα στο λυχνάρι...
Για το λιομάζωμα θα πας και για τα ζα συ θα φροντίσεις

Εσύ στη βρύση για νερό και το παιδί συ θα κοίμησης
Όλη δικιά σου ειν' η δουλειά , γυναίκα του χωρίου.

Μπροστά σου ας σκύψουν όλοι ταπεινά
κι ας προσκυνήσουν την ποδιά σου.
Γ . ΑΝΝΙΝΟΣ

β) Ο ΠΑΤΕΡΑΣ ΣΤΟ ΠΑΙΔΙ ΤΟΥ
Χθες, παιδί μου, έδειξες έλλειψη σεβασμού στη μητέρα σου.
Τα ανευλαβή σου λόγια μπήκαν στην καρδιά μου σαν μαχαιριά...
Συ, να προσβάλεις τη μητέρα σου!
Τη μητέρα σου , που θα έδινε ένα χρόνο από την ευτυχία της , για να σου αφαιρέσει μιας ώρας πόνο, που θα γινόταν ζητιάνα για σένα, που θα σκοτωνόταν ακόμα, για να σου δώσει τη ζωή.
Άκουσε, παιδί μου. Βάλ’ το καλά στο μυαλό σου αυτό που θα σου πω.
Υπόθεσε ότι έχεις να περάσεις πολλές άσχημες στιγμές στη ζωή σου. Αλλά η πιο τρομερή στιγμή θα είναι εκείνη που θα χάσεις τη μητέρα σου...
Τότε θα θυμηθείς κάθε πίκρα που την πότισες και θα αισθανθείς τύψεις να σε τυραννούν, δυστυχισμένε!
Μην περιμένεις γαλήνη στη ζωή σου, αν έχεις λυπήσει τη μητέρα σου...
Πρόσεχε , παιδί μου: η αγάπη της μητέρας είναι ένα από τα πιο μεγάλα αισθήματα του ανθρώπου...
Ο κακούργος που σέβεται τη μητέρα του έχει ακόμα μέσα του κάτι το τίμιο και το ευγενικό. Ο πιο ένδοξος των ανθρώπων που προσβάλλει και στενοχωρεί τη μητέρα του, δεν είναι παρά ένα σιχαμερό πλάσμα.
Να μη βγει πια από το στόμα σου, παιδί μου, μια σκληρή λέξη για κείνη που σου έδωκε τη ζωή.
Κι αν σου ξεφύγει ποτέ μια τέτοια λέξη, γονάτισε μπροστά της και παρακάλεσέ την μ' ένα φίλημά της να σβήσει από το μέτωπό σου το στίγμα της αγνωμοσύνης.

γ) Ο ΟΥΓΚΩ ΓΙΑ ΤΗ ΜΗΤΕΡΑ ΤΟΥ
Κατάκοπος από τη μεγάλη ένταση ο Ουγκώ αποσύρθηκε να κοιμηθεί. Προτού κλειδώσει το υπνοδωμάτιο , είπε στον υπηρέτη.
- Μη με ξυπνήσει κανείς. Αν έλθει ο συμβολαιογράφος και σου πει ότι κληρονόμησα κάποια τεράστια περιουσία, πες του δεν είμαι εδώ. Αν πιάσει φωτιά το σπίτι, μη με ξυπνήσεις- προτιμώ να καώ. Αν έλθει η μητέρα μου από τον άλλο κόσμο, να της πεις να με περιμένει. Και διόρθωσε: Μάλλον μην της πεις τίποτα. Αυτή δε θα θελήσει ποτέ να με ξυπνήσει, θα περιμένει...
Έτσι ύμνησαν τη μητέρα από τα παλιά τα χρόνια…

Saint Monica

A mother who saved her prodigal son through her tears…

Monica was born in Tagaste in Numidia (North Africa), in 332 BC. Her parents were pious Christians and despite the fact that they were wealthy, they referred to give her a Christian education rather than the falsely-affected education which transfers people into conceited characters.
Therefore, they entrusted her upbringing to an elderly tried and virtuous servant, who tried as much as possible to make her worthy of her future role. However, despite her advice and her precautions, Monica was beaten by a bad habit. She began to drink and as time passed she drank many glasses of wine, something which was probably due to youthful recklessness rather than a love of liquor. God in His goodness, though, brought her to her senses, when, during a dispute with one of her servants, the servant said to her: “Are you, who become drunk, going to teach me?” This was enough to make Monica stop her bad habit; not only that, she also systematically began to read Holy Scripture and to devote herself to the word of God.
Her parents married her off to Patricius who was from an aristocratic family, an idolater but an accommodating person. In order to draw him to the Christian faith, Monica obeyed him implicitly, as the Apostle says. He did have two great faults, however. He had extra-marital affairs and was also very volatile. Monica was saddened both because he did not respect marital honour and because he sinned in the eyes of God. However, Monica never caused scenes or arguments at home. She continued to surround him with her love and with Christian tenderness.
Monica was also an example to her mother-in-law, who was eccentric and also did not like her. Monica persisted and took care of her with love; her mother-in-law changed so much that she punished any servants she heard slandering her daughter-in-law. That which gave her the most joy, however, was Patricius’ return to the ways of God. At some point her husband became gravely ill and shortly before his death he was baptized and became a Christian.
Monica bore a son by Patricius, named Augustine. As a youth Augustine was prone to a wasteful life. Monica struggled throughout her life to make him a Christian, from the time he was a young boy, but his father’s example and Augustine’s own restless life brought him to the way of sin. At the age of 19 he went to Carthage to further his studies. There, where debauchery was rampant, he was totally captivated by illegal pastimes and became a member of the then well-known heresy of the Manicheans. Monica heard this, but she knew how to be patient, to cry and to pray. She waited for him at night with tears in her eyes, to return from the houses of sin. She shed so many tears – as he himself later wrote in his “Confessions” – many more than those which mothers shed over the bodies of their dead children. Monica saw Augustine daily, not physically, but spiritually dead. However, God, who noticed her tears, also took care of her son’s return. Once, the Bishop of Carthage had comforted her, saying: “A child who causes his mother so many tears can never possibly be lost; your son will be saved”.
Augustine left Carthage and went to Milan as a teacher of rhetoric. There he joined the devout Bishop Ambrose of Milan, and his acquaintance with him brought about his departure from the delusion of the Manicheans. Augustine continued to experience a struggle between good and evil. A naturally restless and unsatisfied soul, he searched constantly for the Truth. One day he heard a voice telling him: “Take and read”.
He opened the Bible at an excerpt: “Not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness…”.
He began to see sin as a torturous punishment. He abandoned his sinful life and in a continual path of repentance began to approach God more and more. He received catechism from the Holy Ambrose and on 24th April 387 AD he was baptized and became a Christian.
The angels in heaven rejoice for every soul that repents. Together with them on earth, his mother Monica, St Monica, also rejoiced and this time she shed tears of joy and praised and thanked God. The return of the creature to the creator became a fact.
Mother and son returned to Rome. There Monica was struck by a fatal disease, which quickly worsened daily…The day of her departure from earthly life approached, opening the way to the next life, eternal life, unending life with God…Sadness overcame Augustine’s heart. Monica begged him not to worry because this separation is not worthy of sorrow as it is temporary; we will all meet up again in the heavenly Jerusalem. She asked only that she be commemorated in the Holy Prothesis in the Divine Liturgies… She breathed her last at the age of 56, when Augustine was 33.
The tears f a mother, like Monica’s, are shed at every step of her life. She prays and hopes. She never buckles in prayer. She is never angered, she never complains to God. Together with her prayers, she lives a holy life, doing good deeds. Monica saved her son, her husband and her mother-in-law. She is probably the best example for mothers, wives, daughters-in-law.
Our Church commemorated her memory on 15th June.