February 24th, 2019

Sunday of the Prodigal Son

Saint Through the parable of today's Gospel, our Saviour has set forth
three things for us: the condition of the sinner, the rule of repentance,
Sophia and the greatness of God's compassion. The divine Fathers have put
this reading the week after the parable of the Publican and Pharisee so
Cathedral that, seeing in the person of the Prodigal Son our own wretched condi-
tion -- inasmuch as we are sunken in sin, far from God and His Myster-
Miami, ies -- we might at last come to our senses and make haste to return to
Florida Him by repentance during these holy days of the Fast. Furthermore,
those who have wrought many great iniquities, and have persisted in
Sunday, them for a long time, oftentimes fall into despair, thinking that there can
February no longer be any forgiveness for them; and so being without hope, they
24th 2019 fall every day into the same and even worse iniquities. Therefore, the
divine Fathers, that they
Telephone might root out the pas-
sion of despair from the
305- 854-2922 hearts of such people,
and rouse them to the
* Fax: deeds of virtue, have set
the present parable at
305-858-1854 the forecourts of the
Fast, to show them the
Website: surpassing goodness of
stsophiami- God's compassion, and
to teach them that there
ami.org is no sin -- no matter
how great it may be --
2401 S.W. that can overcome at
3rd Avenue any time His love for
man.
Mailing :
244

SW 24th
Road

Miami, Fl.

Liturgical Guide

Apolytikion for the Resurrection–Plagel 2
Ἀγγελικαὶ Δυνάμεις ἐπὶ τὸ μνῆμά σου

Angelic powers were above Thy tomb, and they that guarded Thee became as dead.
And Mary stood by the grave seeking Thine immaculate Body. Thou hast despoiled
Hades and wast not tried thereby. Thou didst meet the Virgin and didst grant us life.

O Thou Who didst arise from the dead, Lord, glory be to Thee.

Apolytikion for 1st and 2nd Finding of the Head of the Forerunner in the Fourth
Mode

The Forerunner's sacred head, having dawned forth from the earth, doth send incor-
ruption's rays unto the faithful, whereby they find healings of their ills. From on high he
gathereth the choirs of the Angels and on earth he summoneth the whole race of man-

kind, that they with one voice might send up glory to Christ our God.

Apolytikion for St. Sophia Tone 3
Χαίρει ἔχουσα ἡ Ἐκκλησία, σὲ καὶ τέκνα σου καύχημα θεῖον,

Having you and your three daughters as a sacred boast, the Church rejoices and with
gladness she praises you, You are to me my pride and joy, as are the most precious rel-
ics of your children; Oh Glorious Martyrs: Sophia, Faith, Hope and Love, intercede

to Christ our God to save our souls.

Kontakion



O Father, foolishly I ran away from Your glory, and in sin, squandered the riches You
gave me. Wherefore, I cry out to You with the voice of the Prodigal, "I have sinned be-

fore You Compassionate Father. Receive me in repentance and take me as one of
Your hired servants."

Scripture Readings

Epistle Reading:
The Reading is from 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 tem-
ple 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:
The Reading is from Luke 15:11-32
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 gath-
ered 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 an-
gry 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.'"

WISDOM OF THE FATHERS

What is it that I love when I love you? Not the beauty of a body or the comeliness of time.
Nor the luster of the light pleasing to the eyes, nor the sweet melodies of all manner of
songs, nor the fragrance of flowers, ointments and spices, not manna and honey, nor limbs
welcome to the embrace of the flesh - I do not love these when I love my God. And yet
there is a kind of light, a kind of voice, a kind of fragrance, a kind of foods, a kind of em-
brace, when I love my God, who is the light, voice, fragrance, food, embrace of the inner
man, where there shines into the soul that which no place can contain, and there sounds
forth that which time cannot end, where there is fragrance which no breeze disperses,
taste which eating does not make less, and a clinging together which fulfillment does not
terminate. It is this that I love when I love my God. St. Augustine

HOLY WEEK READERS

You are invited to participate in serving as a reader during the Great Lenten Season.
On Fridays, for the Salutations to the Virgin Mary, March 15, March 22, March 29,
April 5, and April 12, 2019. For Holy Week, the following days and times are available

for you to participate.

HOLY WEEK— Palm Sunday, Bridegroom Services—Sunday, 6:30 pm, April 21,
2019;

Holy Monday, April 22, 6pm;
Holy Tuesday, April 23, 7 pm.
Holy Wednesday evening, April 24 4 PM Holy Unction —Bridegroom Service , at 7

pm.;
Holy Thursday morning, April 25, 9 am; and Thursday evening, April 25, 6:30 pm;

Good Friday Morning, April 26;
Holy Saturday Morning, April 27; and/or
Agape Service—11:30 am, April 28, 2019.

AGAPE SERVICE—GREAT AND HOLY PASCHA—EASTER
SUNDAY, APRIL April 28, 2019.

The Holy Gospel, Verses—St. John 20:19-25—are read in as many languages that pa-
rishioners can participate. Can you read in Latin, French, German, Spanish, Albanian,

Italian, Hebrew, Portughese, Romanian, Farsi, Ukrainian, Russian, Bulgarian, Polish,
Turkish, Arabic, or Serbian?

Please call the church office or Elaine Lailas to indicate your interest in this spiritual ex-
perience.

Church Office—305-854-2922 or Elaine Lailas—305-858-3491, or [email protected] or
text at 305-281-5787.





UPCOMING EVENTS

Sunday, February 24th the Prodigal Son Matins 9:00 AM
Liturgy 10:00 AM

Your assistance and your joyful participation will make this year’s Festival
a great success. Join us as we work side by side for the Glory of God and

His Church.

What is Christian Stewardship?

Christian Stewardship is…
…learning how to be a responsible and concerned caretaker of Christ’s
Church; it is learning how to enjoy Church life and be happy in Church work.,
for in Her dwells the fullness of the Spirit of God.
…our active commitment to use all our time, talent and treasure for the bene-
fit of humankind in grateful acknowledgment of Christ’s redeeming love.
…caring for the needs of others.
…offering one’s self to God as He offered Himself to us.
…what a person does after saying “I believe…”, as proof of that belief.
…devotion and service to God and His Church as persons, as families, as dio-
cese/metropolis, as national Church and as Church universal.