O Holy Apostle Philip,
Intercede with the merciful God
That he may grant our souls forgiveness of sins.
*************
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory to Him forever! + Slava Isusu Christu! Slava i vo viki!
From the Fathers of the Church …
St. John Chrysostom
Note how prepared the young man is to obey the commandments. For he says, “What must I do to have eternal life?” He seems ready to do what he would be told. If his purpose had been to put Jesus to a test, the Evangelist would have given some indication of this as he does in other cases, for instance, in the case of the lawyer.10 If the young man had remained silent or been deceptive, Jesus would have easily exposed that and brought it into the open. If the young man had come to test him, he would not have retreated downcast at what he heard. This never happened to any of the Pharisees. When refuted they were all the more angry. This man was not angry. He went away in sorrow, which is no little signal that he did not come to him with evil intent. But he did come with too weak a will. Truly he did desire life but was held in the grip of a serious moral infirmity. When therefore Christ said, “If you would enter life, keep the commandments,” he said “Which?” not putting him to the test—far from it—but because he thought that there were some other ones beside those in the law which could bring him life. So he seems to be quite earnest.
St. Cyril of Alexandria
When Christ says to him, “If you would enter life, keep the commandments,” the man expects him to add immediately, “my commandments.” “Which ones?” he asks. He was quite deceived in his expectation. For Christ did not answer him as he expected but simply pointed him to the law. This is not because the law is perfection, for “no one is justified by the law,” as it is written, but because the life lived according to law is a kind of introduction to the eternal life, briefly acquainting trainees to the things above. “For the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ.” The law is the starting point for social justice. Christ is the perfection. For the beginning of good is to act justly, he says. Just action then is shown by the law, but goodness is shown by Christ. The law taught us to repay those who wish to harm us, as in “eye for eye, tooth for tooth.” But Christ taught us to let go such balanced vengeance with a view to the greater good, teaching that “if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also; and if anyone would sue you and take your coat, let him have your cloak as well.”
Announcements
Last Sunday, 56 souls came to pray at St. Philip’s, our tithes to the Lord were $, donations $, candles $, gift shop $. Thank you for supporting our church, may God bless you abundantly for your generosity. Please consider making St. Philip’s parish a part of your estate planning.
Prayer requests. Fr. Marcus, Fr. Chris, Fr. Jozef, Fr. Randall, Fr. Brendan, Fr. Ted & Barbara, Sr. Patricia, Gary and Ingrid, Margaret and Don, Walter, Adam, Margaret, Oceana, Becky, Alexis, Marion, Curtis, Ronald, Taylor, Lorrie, Rosa, Frances, Maros, Alex, Ted, Juraj, Joan, Stefan.
Hospitality signup sheet: Aug 19 – open? Aug 26 – Molly and Amy, Sep 2 – Baker family. Please sign up for hospitality for the upcoming Sundays; the signup sheet is in the parish hall. Thank you to Ruby and Del Castillo families for providing hospitality for us past two Sundays.
Dormition Fast lasts until Aug 14th, which is the Eve of the Feast of Dormition of Theotokos. The minimum fasting requirement is abstinence from meat foods on Wednesdays and Fridays.
The 84th Annual Pilgrimage in honor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help will be held September 1 & 2 at Mount St. Macrina, Uniontown, PA. “During this 84th Annual Pilgrimage, we honor our most holy Mother under the title of ‘Hope of All Generations.’ Young or old we can always come to Mary and know that she is there to help us and intercede for us before her beloved Son, Jesus. There is never a time when she is not ready to listen (Sr. Ruth Plante, OSBM).” Brochures are available at the entrance to the church.
Liturgical schedule
Mon
Aug 13th
7 AM Divine Liturgy.
Wed
Aug 15th
5:30 PM Divine Liturgy.
Blessing of flowers and herbs.
Dormition of the Theotokos. Holy Day of Obligation.
Sun
Aug 19th
8:30 AM Confessions.
9:30 AM Divine Liturgy.
13th Sunday after Pentecost. Tone 4. Cantor: Amy Seyfried, Tim Del Castillo. Reader: Gene Ford
For Confession, please come half an hour before the scheduled services, or schedule an appointment. We are in the season of Dormition Fast (until August 14), the minimum fasting observance is meatless Wednesdays and Fridays. Let us remember one another as we offer our prayers and sacrifices to the Lord.
At that point, two blind men follow the Lord as he was passing by. But if they could not see, how could the blind men know of the Lord’s departure as well as his name? Moreover, they called him “Son of David” and asked to be made well. In the two blind men, the entire earlier prefiguration is complete. The ruler’s daughter seems to be from these people, namely, the Pharisees and John’s disciples, who already made common cause in testing the Lord. To these unknowing persons the law gave evidence as to the one from whom they sought a cure. It indicated to them that their Savior in the flesh was of the line of David. It also introduced light to the minds of those who were blind from past sins. They could not see Christ but were told about him. The Lord showed them that faith should not be expected as a result of health but health should be expected because of faith. The blind men saw because they believed; they did not believe because they saw. From this we understand that what is requested must be predicated on faith and that faith must not be exercised because of what has been obtained. If they should believe, he offers them sight. And he charges the believers to be silent, for it was exclusively the task of the apostles to preach.
St. John Chrysostom
