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Weekly Newsletter: March 10 – 16

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Weekly Newsletter: March 10 – 16

Posted on March 20, 2022 Posted By: St. Verena Categories: Weekly Newsletter

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“We do not give pleasure to the Devil so much when we sin as when we despair. None should despair about his salvation… Are you a tax-collector? You can become an Evangelist. Are you a blasphemer? You can become an Apostle. Are you a thief? You can plunder Paradise…There is no sin that cannot be expunged by repentance…You have a Physician who is superior to the illness,…you have a Doctor who is able and wants to cure you.” – St. John Chrysostom

Abba Sarmatias said, “I prefer a sinful person who nonetheless recognizes that he has sinned, and who repents, to a person who has not sinned and fancies that he is perhaps virtuous.”

“Paradise is not for those who are sinless. It is for sinners. Paradise is full of sinful people who repented and confessed. Paradise is open as long as we take the first step of repentance.” – Elder Ephraim

“In your prayers say, ‘O Lord, if I am given all the virtue, but they are without You, then I do not want them O Lord. In my repentance, I want You. Virtue is an expression of my connection with You. Repentance is not about attaining virtue, but about reaching You.’” – Pope Shenouda III

Sermon:

St. Sarah the Nun (Saint of the Week):

  • St. Sarah the nun was a native of Upper Egypt. Her parents, who were exceedingly rich, were Christians and had no other children. Growing up she was always reading the books of the church and especially the biography and sayings of the fathers the monks. She was influenced by their lives and desired the ascetic life. She went to one of the convents of Upper Egypt and dwelt there for many years serving the virgins.

    Then she put on the monastic garb, persisting on fighting the lust of Satan for thirteen years until Satan was weary of her. When Satan was exasperated from her steadfastness and purity, he wished to overthrow her by the sin of pride. He appeared to her while she was standing praying on the roof of her cell and said to her: “Rejoice for you have overcome Satan.” She replied: “I am a feeble woman, and I can not conquer you except by the power of the Lord Christ” and then Satan vanished.

    This Saint had many useful sayings that she used to say to the nuns. One of her sayings: “I never set my foot upon the step of the ladder, and I never go up to the next step without thinking I may die before I raise my leg so that the enemy might not entice me with the hope of a long life.” And she also said: “It is better for a man to show mercy even to satisfy men for the time will come that it will be to satisfy God.” She also had many other sayings written in the Paradise of the Fathers. She stayed on the banks of the river in a cave for sixty years fighting a great fight and no one saw her until she departed to the eternal bless and she was eighty years old.

Church Announcements: 

  • Thanks to all those who donated hygiene supplies

Saints of the Week:

  • Archangel Michael – Monday, March 21
  • The 40 Saints of Sebastia – Tuesday, March 22
  • St. Shenouda El Bahnasawy – Wednesday, March 23
  • St. Sarah the Nun – Thursday, March 24
  • St. Mikhail – Friday, March Feb. 25
  • Lazarus the Beloved of Christ – Saturday, Mar. 26

This Week’s Schedule:

  • Monday:
    • Midnight Praises: 8:00-9:30pm
  • Tuesday:
    • Bible Study: 7:00-8:30pm (in-person and Facebook)
  • Wednesday:
    • Liturgy: 9:00-12:00pm
  • Thursday:
    • Liturgy: 9:00-12:00pm
  • Friday:
    • Liturgy: 3:00-6:00pm
  • Saturday:
    • Hymns Class: 5:00-6:00pm
    • Sunday School: 6:00-7:00pm
    • Vespers: 7:00-7:30pm.
    • Midnight Praises: 7:30-9:30am
  • Sunday:
    • Liturgy: 7:30-11:00am
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