Saints Cyril & Methodius

Bulgarian Orthodox Mission

February 12, 2012

SUNDAY OF THE PRODIGAL SON — Tone 2. St. Meletius, Archbishop of Antioch (381). St. Aleksy (Alexius), Metropolitan of Moscow and Wonderworker of All Russia (1378). St. Meletius, Archbishop of Kharkov (1840). Ven. Mary (who was called Marinus), and her father, Ven. Eugene, at Alexandria (6th c.). St. Anthony, Patriarch of Constantinople (895). St. Kristo the Gardener (Albania—1752). The “IVERON” (IBERIAN) Icon of the Most-holy Theotokos.

Sunday of the Prodigal Son

Gospel Reading: Luke 15:11-32

(Two weeks before Great Lent begins)

We are a Parish of the

Orthodox Church in America

Archdiocese of Washington

Our website is ® www.bocdc.org

The Mission’s services are being hosted through the gracious support of:

Fr. John Vitko and the parishioners of St. Luke Orthodox Church

6801 Georgetown Pike, McLean, VA 22101

† May Their Memory Be Eternal †

The Bishops Nestor, Gregory, and Job;

the Newly Departed Priest Joseph;

the Priests Peter, Ishmael, Michael, Leo, Homer, Thomas, Victor, and Milorad;

the Matushki Mary, Platonida, Sophronia, Artemis, and Barbara;

the Readers Philemon, John, and Robert Michael; and

the Servants of God, Linda, Bojanka, Magdalena, Julia, Rada, Radka, Anna, Olivera, Krustio, George, and Maria.

Those Who Are In Need of Prayer

The Priests Photius, Anthony, Vadim, Thomas, and Paul;

the Presbyteras, Marie, Miriam, Mica, Helen, Rose, Juliana, & Anne;

the Servants of God, Zell, Flora, Karen, Victor, Erin, Kyriaki, Helen, Paulina, Jane, Denny, Oliver, Marion, Ellen, Marios & Sophia, Alexandra & Joseph, Catherine & Wayne, John & Carmeta, John & Carol, Dimitri & Rachael, Charlie & Karen, Chariessa & Nicholas, and David & Patricia.

Schedule of Services

Feb. 12 – at SS Cyril & Methodius, 1:30

Feb. 19 – at St. Mark Church, 9:30

Feb. 26 – SS Cyril & Methodius, 1:30: Great Lent begins tomorrow.

Mar. 4 – at St. Mark Church, 9:30: 1^st Sunday of Lent, Sunday of Orthodoxy

Mar. 11 – ?SS Cyril & Methodius?, 1:30: 2^nd Sunday, St. Gregory Palamas

Mar. 18 – at St. Mark Church, 9:30: 3^rd Sunday, Veneration of the Cross

Mar. 25 – SS Cyril & Methodius, 1:30: 4^th Sunday, Metropolitan visit?

The Sunday of The Prodigal Son

The Sunday after the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee is the Sunday of the Prodigal Son. This parable of God's forgiveness calls us to come to ourselves" as did the prodigal son, to see ourselves as being "in a far country" far from the Father's house, and to make the journey of return to God. We are given every assurance by the Master that our heavenly Father will receive us with joy and gladness. We must only "arise and go," confessing our self-inflicted and sinful separation from that "home" where we truly belong (Luke 15:11-24).

After the Polyeleion at Matins, we first hear the lenten hymn "By the Waters of Babylon." It will be sung for the next two Sundays before Lent begins, and it serves to reinforce the theme of exile in today's Gospel.

Where Forgiveness May Be Needed Most

During the week that includes Forgiveness Sunday and the beginning of Great Lent, we remember a saint who confronted power in a most unusual way. He is Nicholas, the Fool for Christ, whose memory is celebrated on February 28th.

Nicholas lived in the town of Pskov in the 16th century, during the reign of Ivan the Terrible. This tsar, who began his reign as a reformer determined to improve Russia, had become an unbalanced, murderous tyrant. He would order mass killings, and then would seclude himself in a monastery and pray intensely.

The best-known story about the blessed Nicholas is set in a time when the feared Tsar Ivan visited Pskov. The inhabitants were terrified, and though they presented the customary welcome of bread and salt, they were not eager to encounter their ruler themselves.

But Nicholas, already known as a fool for Christ, was not afraid. He came dancing into the tsar's presence riding a stick like a toy horse and chanting, "Little Ivan, little Ivan, eat the bread and salt! Eat no more of the blood of your people!" He ran away and hid before the tsar's soldiers could grab him, but his words had made an impression on the tsar, who made an effort to find him and then visited him in his shabby hut.

Nicholas made special preparations for this visit, which the whole town was talking about. It was the first week of Great Lent, but he managed to find a piece of raw meat. When Tsar Ivan entered his hut, he bowed and offered the meat and said, "Eat, little Ivan!"

The tsar replied with indignation, "I am a Christian and I do not eat meat during the Great Fast." His statement gave Nicholas the chance he had been waiting for. Nicholas said, "You do much worse than that; you consume the flesh and blood of your people. You not only forget the fast but God too." Once again, Nicholas' words had a deep effect on the tsar, who abandoned his plans to devastate the town.

Nicholas had diverted the ruler from his destructive plans. But, like all Holy Fools, his primary goal was others' salvation. His "odd" behavior was meant to give Ivan a strong message. He risked the tsar's unpredictable violence, but took that chance because he cared for Ivan's soul, and knew that this powerful but deeply scarred man needed forgiveness more than most. We can imagine that he prayed with all his spiritual energy that God would grant that forgiveness.

On this day we read from Proverbs 1: 20-33: "Wisdom cries aloud in the street; in the markets she raises her voice, 'Give heed to my reproof.' "

Nicholas "cried aloud" very publicly, and called on Ivan to "heed his reproof." As we are called to forgive each other on this Sunday, we have Nicholas' example of personal risk for another person's salvation. He took that risk because of his certainty that even the greatest sinners can find forgiveness in God.

The Statute of the Orthodox Church in America

Article X

Section 4: Rector

At the head of the parish is its Rector. According to the teachings of the Church, he is the spiritual father and teacher of his flock and the celebrant of the liturgical worship established by the Church. He teaches and edifies the People of God entrusted to his spiritual care "with no partiality" (James 2:1) and sees to it that all activities within the parish serve the religious goals of the Church. He is appointed by the Diocesan Bishop and cannot leave his parish without the permission of the Bishop. No activities in the parish can be initiated without his knowledge, approval, and blessing; neither should he do anything pertaining to the parish without the knowledge of his parishioners and parish organs elected by them, so that always and everywhere there may be unity, mutual trust, cooperation, and love. In conformity with his teaching office, the Rector shall have final authority over the church school. To be free from material preoccupations and wholly committed to his sacred ministry, the priest must be compensated by the parish, the amount of his compensation being clearly agreed upon at the time of his appointment.

Section 4: Parishioners

a. Parishioners are those who, by virtue of their Baptism and Chrismation, are members of the Body of Christ and strive to live in accordance with their high calling (Eph. 4:1) as Orthodox Christians. No one can be a member of the parish if he openly betrays the teaching of the Orthodox Church, or if he leads a life or acts in a manner condemned by the Holy Canons as incompatible with the name of Orthodox Christian.

b. A "voting member" of the parish is a member [as defined in Article X, Section 5(a)] at least eighteen years of age, who receives the Sacrament of Confession at least once a year in his home parish or, with the permission of the parish priest, elsewhere; who receives Holy Communion at least once a year in his home parish; has belonged to the parish for a period as may be fixed by the parish; and regularly fulfills such financial obligations as may be established by the All-American Councils, Diocesan Assemblies, and parish.