March 27, 2016

SECOND SUNDAY OF GREAT LENT AND THESECOND SUNDAY OF GREAT LENT AND THESECOND SUNDAY OF GREAT LENT AND THESECOND SUNDAY OF GREAT LENT AND THE

COMMEMORATION OF GREGORY PALAMAS, COMMEMORATION OF GREGORY PALAMAS, COMMEMORATION OF GREGORY PALAMAS, COMMEMORATION OF GREGORY PALAMAS,

ARCHBISHOP OF THESSALONICA ARCHBISHOP OF THESSALONICA ARCHBISHOP OF THESSALONICA ARCHBISHOP OF THESSALONICA

أحد الثاني من الصوم المبارك

TTTT his divine Father, who was from Asia Minor, was from childhood reared in the royal court of Constantinople, where he was instructed in both religious and secular wisdom. Later, while

still a youth, he left the imperial court and struggled in asceticism on Mount Athos, and in the Skete at Beroea. He spent some time in Thessalonica being treated for an illness that came from his harsh manner of life. He was present in Constantinople at the Council that was convened in 1341 against Barlaam of Calabria, and at the Council of 1347 against Acindynus, who was of like mind with Barlaam; Barlaam and Acindynus claimed that the grace of God is created. At both these Councils, the Saint contended courageously for the true dogmas of the church of Christ, teaching in particular that divine grace is not created, but is the uncreated energies of God which are poured forth through-out creation: otherwise it would be impossible, if grace were created, for man to have genuine communion with the uncreated God. In 1347 he was appointed Metropolitan of Thessalonica. He tended his flock in an apostolic manner for some twelve years, and wrote many books and treaties on the most exalted doctrines of our Faith; and having lived for a total of sixty-three years, he reposed in the Lord in 1359. His holy relics are kept in the Cathedral of Thessalonica. A full service was composed for his feast day by the Patriarch Philotheus in 1368, when it was established that this feast be celebrated on this day. Since works without right faith avail nothing, we set Orthodoxy of faith as the foundation of all that we accomplish during the Fast, by celebrating the Triumph of Orthodoxy the Sunday before, and the great defender of the teachings of the holy Fathers today. From The Great Horologion, Holy Transfiguration Monastery, 1997.

March 27, 2016

Issue 514

�18100 Merriman Road � Livonia, Michigan 48152 � www.saintmarylivonia.com � Office: (734)-422-0010 �

Sunday Services

Confession: 8:30AM

Matins: 9:00AM

Divine Liturgy: 10:00AM

St. Mary’s Cultural

and Banquet Center

(734) 421-9220

Daily Confession by Appointment - Call the Church Office

“And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.” Acts 11:26

The Antiochian Orthodox

Basilica of St. Mary

Fr. George Shalhoub - Pastor Fr. Jim King - Director of Youth & Pastoral Outreach Programs

Archdeacon Issa Rizkallah

313-690-2030

Deacon Dr. Dennis Bojrab Deacon Samer Hanna

Nidal Fakhoury - Parish Council Chairman

Linda Lawson - Choir Director Stacey Badeen - Church Administrator Christina Stavros - Parish Ministries

Coordinator Haitham Fakhouri - Communications

Richard Shebib/Sami Azzouz - Ushers

Dr. Tom Saba - Young Adults-

St. John Divine

Nancy Ghannam- Ladies Society President Gloria Sultani - Teen Soyo President Lina Nunu - Arabic School Keith Rowe - Cultural Center General Manager 734-421-9220

The Light of Christ

AL-NOUR

PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY:

THE ANTIOCHIAN ORTHODOX BASILICA OF ST. MARY

Page 2 The Antiochian Orthodox Basilica of St. Mary

THE EPISTLE

Thou, O lord, shalt keep us and shalt preserve us. Save me, O Lord, for the godly man is no more?

The Reading is from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Hebrews

Chapter 1:10, 2:1-3

TTTT hou, “O Lord, in the beginning didst lay the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of Thy hands; they will perish; but Thou remainest; and they will all grow old like a garment, and like a mantle Thou wilt roll them up, and they shall be changed; but Thou art the same, and Thy years will not fail.” But of which of the angels did He say at any time, “Sit on my right hand, till I make thine enemies a footstool for thy feet?” Are they not all spirits for liturgical ministry, sent forth to minister for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? Therefore, we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things that were heard, lest at any time we drift away from them. For if the word spoken through angels was confirmed, and every transgression and disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation, which having at first been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard?

THE GOSPEL

The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Mark

Chapter 2:1-12

AAAA t that time, when Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that He was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, not even about the door; and He was preaching the Word to them. And they came, bringing to Jesus a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and when they had made an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now, some of the scribes were sitting there, reasoning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak thus? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” And immediately Jesus, perceiving in His spirit that they thus reasoned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you reason thus in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your pallet and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” – He said to the paralytic – “I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home.” And he rose, and immediately took up the pallet and went out before them all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THE LENTEN PRAYER OF ST. EPHRAIM THE SYRIAN

O Lord and master of my life

Take from me the spirit of sloth, faint-heartedness, lust of power and idle talk. But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love to thy servant.

Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own sins and not to judge my brother, for Thou art blessed unto the ages of ages. Amen.

صHة التوبة للقديس افرام السرياني

أيھا الرب وسيد حياتي .أعتقني من روح البطالة والفضول وحب الرئاسة والكHم البطال .

وأنعم علي أنا عبدك بروح العفة واتضاع الفكر والصبر والمحبة .

نعم ياملكي والھي ھب لي أن أعرف زaتي , ,a أدين أخوتي فانك مبارك الى دھر الداھرين آمين .

The Antiochian Orthodox Basilica of St. Mary Page 3

PRAYER CORNER memorials

IIII am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me shall never die.” (John 11:25)

March 27th - 15 year memorial in loving memory of Georgina Mitias offered by her mother Josephine Mitias

and family, April 17th - 40 day memorial in loving memory of Chelsea Rene Mashni, daughter of the late Sami Mousa Mashni, offered by her grandmother Bahieh Mashni and family, April 17th - 6 month memorial in loving

memory of Helen Fuad Kandah offered

by the family,

Thank You

“A Vigil Light is Burning” In Loving Devotion

FFFF or The Health and Well Being Of:

IIII n Memory Of: Joseph Michael Mouaikel, George Abodeely, Nawal Fakhouri,

HOLY BREAD OF OBLATION

HHHH oly Bread of Oblation is offered by the families, for the month of March, in loving memory of:

Richard Ajlouny

Hanna Ajluni Leila Zahweh Ghannam

Isa Hasan

Easa Khoury

Shawky Mousa

Victoria Snage

HHHH oly Bread of Oblation is offered by the families, for the month of March for the health and well being of:

Tina, Raed, Shawqi, Faris and Noura Musallam

Alex, Mera and Jad Harb

Stacey, Bill, Abbey and Chloe Tyree

Snage Family

Shaheen Family

Maroun Family

Nader Family

LLLL ord, You are the physician of our souls and body. We pray You grant the following parishioners good health and blessings: Metropolitan PAUL Yazigi, Archbishop Youhanna Ibrahim, Samar, Rosie, David, Lorice Khoury, Farida, Samir, Louis, Eric,

TTTT he following parishioners and friends of the Basilica of St.

Mary have given special donations to the Church in the past few weeks: $100-For the health and well being of Malak Abukhader, on the occasion of her birthday, offered by her husband, Jeries Abukhader,

Thought for the Day

“We need to continue in the spirit and the

theology of the Fast. It’s not just about food, but about self-control,

about healing myself from selfishness,

about enduring every hardship in life without losing faith or hope.”

His Eminence

Metropolitan JOSEPH

Ladies Society

The Ladies Society’s next meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 5th at 7pm in the library.

March is Ladies Month

March 27th: Ushers - Dalia AlKar ra, Ikhlas Dababneh, May Kort, Dolly Matta, Lina Nunu, Rania Nunu, Marlyne Musleh, Hala Sultani English Epistle Reader: Christina Stavros

Arabic Epistle Reader: Dolly Matta

Senior Heritage

Please join us on Thursday, March 31st for service at 10:00am followed by lunch in the Activity Center at 11:15am. Menu: Fish and Chips, Coleslaw, Fruit Donation: $5.00 per person

Schedule of Prayers for

Great Lent

أوقات الصHة أيام الصوم اyربعيني المقدس

Great Compline Service, Monday night at 7:00 pm

ى صTة النوم الكبر -يارب القوات مساًء. 7:00الساعة اZثنينيوم

Pre-Sanctified Liturgy, Wednesday night at 7:00 pm

القدسات السابق -البروجيازميني 7:00الساعة اZربعاءتقديسھا يوم

مساًء.

Salutation/Akathist service (Madayeh), Friday night at

7:00pm

صTة مديح السيدة العذراء -المدائح

.مساءً 7:00مريم كل يوم جمعة الساعة

Lenten Vespers

Sunday, March 27th - 6:00pm

St. Mary the Protectress Ukrainian Cathedral - 21931 Evergreen, Southfield

Guest Speaker: Fr. Joseph Gingrich

Page 4 The Antiochian Orthodox Basilica of St. Mary

Please visit www.saintmarylivonia.com for details about events and ac�vi�es happening

at the Basilica of Saint Mary. If you have any ques�ons regarding Youth and Outreach Events,

please contact Fr. Jim or Ms. Chris�na Stavros at (734) 422-0010.

@ the Basilica of Saint Mary

Did you know that the Church has a favorite color? The Church’s favorite color changes throughout the

year...and it is about to become purple! Last week as we an�cipated the Sunday of Forgiveness which marks

our transi�on into Great and Holy Lent, our Mother-Toddler Ministry learned that the Church gets dressed

up in its favorite color—the priest’s vestments, the holy altar table, and the altar boys’ robes are all that

same color. They learned that it is “Purple Time” because Lent is upon us. Pictured here LEFT to RIGHT are

Chris Ghannam (3), Danielle Maroun (3), and Clare Saba (3).

It’s PURPLE

TIME !!! By Chris,na T. Stavros, MDiv, Parish Ministries Coordinator, Cantor

The Antiochian Orthodox Basilica of St. Mary Page 5

18100 MERRIMAN ROAD � LIVONIA, MICHIGAN 48152

Return service requested

Dated Material

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

LIVONIA, MI PERMIT NO. 413

visit our website: www.saintmarylivonia.com

The Antiochian Orthodox Basilica of St. Mary

EASTER FLOWERS

IIII F YOU ARE INTERESTED IN CONTRIBUTING FOR FLOWERS, PALMS, OIL, CHARCOAL AND INCENSE FOR USE DURING HOLY WEEK AND EASTER

SUNDAY, PLEASE FILL OUT THE FORM BELOW AND GIVE IT TO ONE OF THE USHERS OR PLACE IN THE COLLECTION TRAY.

NAME:_____________________________________________________ AMT. $__________

FFFF OR THE HEALTH AND WELL BEING OF: ______________________________________________________________________________________

IIII N MEMORY OF: __________________________________________________________________

على كل من يرغب بالتبرع من أجل الورود, البخور, النخيل, والزيت, والفحم,

والنبيذ, خHل عيد الشعانين وجناز المسيح وعيد الكبير يرجى

كتب اyسماء من أجل صحة_______________

من اجلي راحت نفوس__________________