Parish News and Events (continued)
St. Basil Greek Orthodox Church
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Save the Date for Girls Ministry Koliva Making. On February 17 at 6pm, the girls will learn how to
put together the koliva (wheat) for memorial services and will learn the importance and significance of
the koliva. February 18 will be the Saturday of The Souls liturgy and the koliva will be used in the liturgy.
733 S. Ashland Ave Chicago, IL 60607 ph: 312.243.3738
Orthros 8:15 a.m. Divine Liturgy 9:45 a.m.
Rev. Fr. Panteleimon Dalianis, Proistamenos
Web Site: www.stbasilchicago.org
Follow us on Facebook: St. Basil Greek Orthodox Church
2017 Mission Team Opportunities - Albania (Youth) and Guatemala (Healthcare)
The Orthodox Christian Mission Center has just released 2017 short-term mission team opportunities!
For more information visit www.ocmc.org.
A variety of college scholarships are available for Orthodox youth
For more information contact Fr. Panteleimon.
Inmate correspondence 5 inmates in the Angel Tree program have asked to correspond with St. Basil
parishioners. We are looking for people who are willing to exchange on average one letter a month with
an inmate. Letters are signed with a first name only, and we give St. Basil Church as the return address. If
you can help in this effort, please talk to Pat or Steve Cole at coffee hour or contact them by email at
[email protected]. The time commitment is minimal, but the personal rewards are great.
Mission Team Chicago Dinner
Is scheduled for Thursday, February 23rd, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at St. John the Baptist Church (Des
Plaines). The keynote speaker will be Rev. Dr. Michael Oleksa (priest, professor, and expert on Alaskan
native cultures and history) Fr. Michael will address the subject of “The Missionary Importance of the
Alaskan Saints Today.” For more information see Fr. Panteleimon.
Sunday, February 12, 2017
Today’s Readings:
Epistle: St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 6:12-20
Gospel: Luke 15:11-32 Sunday of the Prodigal Son
Calendar for the Week Ahead
- Saturday, February 18, 8:30am – Orthros and Divine Liturgy for first Saturday of the Souls
- Saturday, February 18, 10:45am - Yiayia's Kouzina baking
- Sunday, February 19, 8:15am - Orthros and Divine Liturgy
- Sunday, February 19, 11:15am - Apokreatiko Glendi - After Liturgy in the Church Hall
Welcome and Good Morning
Parish News and Events
Sunday school begins today immediately after Holy Communion
Classes are for our youth grades K and up.
The Sacraments of the Orthodox Church, including the reception of Holy Communion, are reserved for those of
the Orthodox Faith. If you are a visitor from another Denomination or Faith, we welcome you as an observer and
guest. Join us for coffee fellowship hour in the Philoptochos Hall following Divine Liturgy.
We need 5 groups to sponsor 5 lenten meals we are having on the first 5 Friday's of Great Lent
New or Visiting Our Parish Today?
As many of you know, on the first five Fridays of Great Lent, the Akathist Hymn is chanted in the evening
and we have a practice of having a lenten meal and something educational after the service. If you can
help sponsor one of these meals we would much appreciate it. Please let Fr. Panteleimon know.
Mark your calendar to be with us for Forgiveness Vespers (the first service of Great Lent)
which will be held at St. Basil on Sunday, February 26 at 6 p.m.
Plan to join us for some of the services of the first week of Great Lent
Thank you for visiting our parish today. We pray that your visit here will be uplifting. Welcome Cards can be
found in the pockets of the pews. Please fill the cards out and return them to one of our Parish Council
members after today’s Divine Liturgy.
Join us for our Apokreatiko Glendi next Sunday (February 19)
See the insert for more information.
Three-Year Memorial Today
There are many services on the first week of Great Lent - Great Compline with the Canon of St. Andrew
of Crete on Monday and Tuesday evenings (February 27 and 28), Pre-sanctified Liturgy on Wednesday
evening, and the first Akathist Hymn service on Friday.
for Spyros Kelamis. May God grant rest to his soul.
Now Pay with iPad – Powered by PayPal
20-Year Memorial Today
Exciting News! Forgot your cash$$? We now have an IPAD for your use with PayPal conveniently located
at the Pangari (candle) stands. You may use your own personal credit/debit card to purchase candles,
contribute to passed baskets, on-going annual stewardship and other vital parish fundraisers, such as the
upcoming Apokreatiko luncheon, Golf Outing, Dinner Dances and more. Questions? Ask a parish council
member and we will be happy to assist you!
Two-Year Memorial Today
for Niketas Sahlas. May God grant rest to her soul.
for Nikoletta Sahlas. May God grant rest to her soul.
50-Year Memorial Today
for Nicholas Sahlas. May God grant rest to his soul.
Epistle St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 6:12-20
Brethren, "all things are lawful for me," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful for me,"
but I will not be enslaved by anything. "Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food" -and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for immorality, but for the Lord,
and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. Do you not
know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I therefore take the members of Christ and
make them members of a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who joins himself to a
prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, "The two shall become one flesh." But
he who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Shun immorality. Every other sin which a
man commits is outside the body; but the immoral man sins against his own body. Do you not know
that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your
own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body and in your spirit which belong to
God.
Gospel Reading Luke 15:11-32
Sunday of the Prodigal Son
The Lord said this parable: "There was a man who had two sons; and the younger of them said to his
father, 'Father, give me the share of the property that falls to me.' And he divided his living between
them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far
country, and there he squandered his property in loose living. And when he had spent everything, a
great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want. So he went and joined himself to
one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly
have fed on the pods that the swine ate; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to
himself he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I
perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, 'Father, I have sinned
against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your
hired servants.' And he arose and came to his father. But while he was yet at a distance, his father
saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him,
'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'
But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on
his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry;
for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to make
merry. Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard
music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what this meant. And he said to
him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him
safe and sound.' But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but
he answered his father, 'Lo, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your
command; yet you never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends. But when this son
of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf!' And he
said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to make merry
and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'"
The Life of THE PRIESTLY-MARTYR BLAISE
Blaise was born in the Province of Cappadocia. From his early childhood, he was God-fearing
and meek. Because of his great virtues, he was chosen as bishop of the city Sebastea [in
Armenia]. Blaise was a great spiritual and moral beacon in this pagan city. At the time of a
grave persecution of Christians, St. Blaise encouraged his flock and visited the martyrs of Christ
in prison, especially among them was the eminent and glorious Eustratius. When the city of
Sebastea completely depleted of Christians, some were slain, and others fled, the Elder Blaise
withdrew to Mt. Argeos and settled there in a cave. Wild beasts recognized the holy man,
gathered around him and he tenderly caressed them. But the persecutors found the saint in
this remote place and brought him to trial. Along the way, Blaise cured a young boy who had a
bone caught in his throat. To the plea of the poor widow whose pie had been snatched by a
wolf; the saint by the power of his prayer commanded the wolf to return it. The sinister judges
tortured Blaise severely: flogging him and scrapping him with an iron comb. By his
steadfastness in the Faith of Christ, Blaise converted many pagans to the Faith. Seven women
and two children languished in prison with him. The women were beheaded first and after that,
the wonderful Blaise, with these two children was beheaded. He suffered and was glorified in
the year 316 A.D. People pray to St. Blaise for the well being of their domestic livestock and for
protection against wild beasts. However, in the west, he is also involved for diseases for the
throat.
Reflection
Mother is not evil of itself as certain Christian heretics, such as the Manicheans and other
philosophers taught. Not only is matter not evil, but matter is not the sole conduit of evil, but
in as much as matter is a conduit, so also is the spirit a conduit of evil. Every material thing is
melancholic and even fearful because of man's sins, but matter is not evil. Matter is
corruptible, weak and nothingness in comparison to the immortal spirit, but it is not evil of
itself. And, if it were evil, would our Lord Christ have instituted Holy Communion of Bread and
Wine and would He call the Bread and Wine His Body and His Blood? If matter, by itself, is evil,
how then, would men be baptized with water? How would the Apostle James have
commanded that the sick be anointed with oil? How would Blessed Water [Holy Water] remain
beyond spoiling and have miracle-working properties? How would the Cross of Christ have
power? How would the garment of Christ transmit the healing power of the Savior by which
the woman with the issue of blood was healed? How would the relics of the saints and icons
have performed so many miracles and conveyed so much good to people from the kingdom of
Grace? Therefore, how, then could good come to man through evil? No, no; matter is never
evil of itself alone.