Sunday, May 25, 2025

Third finding of the Baptist’s Head & Sunday of the Blindman

Today is the Sunday of the Blind Man. Though the Gospel account of the healing of the blind man touches many subjects, there is but one theme: Christ is the divine Light which illuminates the hearts of those who behold Him in faith. Despite the intimidation of the authorities, despite the confusion of the people who know him, despite the fear of his parents, the blind man given sight refuses to deny what he knows is the truth: Jesus has given him sight, has healed the affliction he has born from birth, and one who does such good is from God. To deny his healer is to deny the truth, and he prefers persecution and rejection to that denial. More than his eyes have been opened; his heart has been opened to true and eternal Light. As were the Israelites cast into the dark despair of his fear, as are we all blinded by the frustration of sin and of our weakness, so this man was trapped by his closed eyes; and, as may all be, he was freed by the coming of the Messiah. In faith we open our eyes to the radiant glory of our Lord and King

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II Corinthians 4:6-15: Brethren, it is the God Who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” Who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. While we live we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So, death is at work in us, but life in you. Since we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we too believe, and so we speak, knowing that He Who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into His presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

John 9:1-38: At that time, when Jesus was passing, he saw a man blind from his birth. And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be made manifest in him. I must work the works of Him who sent Me, while it is day; night comes, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” As he said this, he spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and anointed the man’s eyes with the clay, saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam,” which means “Sent.” So he went and washed and came back seeing. The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar, said, “Is not this the man who used to sit and beg?” Some said, “It is he;” others said, “No, but he is like him.” He said, “I am the man.” They said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” He answered, “The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash’; so I went and washed and received my sight.” They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.” They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. The Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” There was a division among them. So they again said to the blind man, “What do you say about Him, since He has opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.” The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight, and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” His parents answered, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself.” His parents said this because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue. Therefore, his parents said, “He is of age, ask him.” So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him, “Give God the praise; we know that this man is a sinner.” He answered, “Whether he is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I know, that though I was blind, now I see.” They said to him, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?” He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you too want to become His disciples?” And they reviled him, saying, “You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where He comes from.” The man answered, “Why, this is a marvel! You do not know where He comes from, and yet He opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, God listens to him. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.” They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out. Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him He said, “Do you believe in the Son of God?” He answered, “And who is He, Sir, that I may believe in Him?” Jesus said to him, “You have seen Him, and it is He who speaks to you.” He said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped Him.

Resurrectional Troparion Let us believers praise and worship the Word; coeternal with the Father and the Spirit, born of the Virgin for our salvation. For, He took pleasure in ascending the Cross in the flesh to suffer death; and to raise the dead by His glorious Resurrection.

Troparion of the Forerunner’s Head Discovery: Christ God hath revealed to us thy truly ven’rable head * as a divine treasure that had been concealed in the earth, O Prophet and Forerunner. * Wherefore, as we gather on the feast of its finding, * with our hymns inspired of God, we praise Christ the Savior, * Who by thy mighty prayers saveth us from every kind of harm.

Troparion of the Chains of St. Peter: O Holy Apostle, Peter, thou dost preside over the Apostles by the precious chains which thou didst bear. We venerate them with faith and beseech thee that by thine intercessions we be granted the great mercy.

Kontakion of Pascha: When Thou didst descend into the grave, O Immortal, Thou didst destroy the power of Hades. In victory didst Thou arise, O Christ God, proclaiming Rejoice! to the myrrh-bearing women, granting peace to Thine apostles and bestowing resurrection on the fallen.

Calendar

Sunday, May 25

8:50 AM -Orthros

10:00 AM – Divine Liturgy

Monday, May 26

Father Herman off

Tuesday, May 27

6:30 pm – Paschal Vespers for the Leave-taking of Pacha

Wednesday, May 28

6:00 pm – Ascension: Orthros and Divine Liturgy

Thursday, May 29

No Services

Friday, May 30

No Services

Saturday, May 31

6:00 pm – Great Vespers

Sunday, June 1

8:50 AM -Orthros

10:00 AM – Divine Liturgy

Special Announcements

The Eucharist Bread…was provided by the R. Root for the Divine Liturgy this morning.

Eucharist Bread Schedule:

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

May 28 (Wed PM) Pacurari Algood/Schever

(Feast of the Ascension)

June 1 Lasseter Baker/Jimmy Jones/Rodriguez

June 7 (Sat AM)

(Saturday of the Souls) Milnor Ken Jones/Stewart

June 8 Baker PICNIC POT LUCK

Pigott/Ian Jones/Meadows/Brock

June 15 Henderson Dansereau/Alaeetawi

June 22 Algood Ellis/Zouboukos/Waites

June 29 Schelver D. Root/Miller/Weatherly

Schedule for Epistle Readers – Page numbers refer to the Apostolos (book of Epistles) located on the chanters’ stand at the front of the nave. Please be sure to use book when you read.

Reader Reading Page#

May 28 (Wed PM) Reader Chad Miller Acts 1:1-12 63

June 1 Katie Miller Act 20:16-18;28-36 66

June 7 (Sat AM) Mary Martha Ellis 1 Thess 4:13-17 412

June 8 Ian Jones Acts 2:1-11 77

June 15 Grady Fisher Heb 11:33;12:2 84

June 22 Walt Wood Rom. 2:10-16 90

June 29 Kh Sharon Meadows II Cor 11:21;12:9 389

Also Please remember that we still need your tithes and offerings which may be placed in the tray that is passed during Divine Liturgy, in the tithe box at the back of the nave or be mailed to: St. Peter Orthodox Church, P.O. Box 2084, Madison, MS 39130-2084.

Food for Hungry People: Thank you to all who donated toward this ministry. The total collected as $1,500.00. Food for hungry People have sent a very nice letter to the parish that is posted on the bulletin board in the Fellowship Hall.

Please remember the following in your prayers: Aidan Milnor, the Milnor family; Lamia Dabit and her family; Mary Greene (Lee and Kh. Sharon’s sister); Jay and Joanna Davis; Fr. Leo and Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver and their family; Marilyn (Kyriake) Snell; Jack and Jill Weatherly; Dn.Terry Algood and their family; Fr. Joseph Bittle; Rick Carlton; Very Rev. Fr. Nicholas and Kh. Jan Speier; Lee Greene; Fr. John and Kh. Janet Henderson and their family; Galina Singletary; Emily and Cole Parker.

Prayers for Fr. Paul Yerger from Holy Resurrection: Please continue to keep in your God-pleasing prayers Fr. Paul. He is slowly recovering from the injuries he suffered several weeks ago due to a fall. He is currently attending physical therapy at Methodist Rehabilitation and continues to improve each day. Glory to God for all things!

Prayers for His Grace Bp. Nicholas: Please keep in your God-pleasing prayers Bp. Nicholas who underwent a “preventive measure” procedure on his heart last week. He will be recovering over the next several weeks and hopes, by your prayers, to make a speedy recovery. May God grant him many years!

Registration for the 2025 DOMSE Parish Life Conference has opened and was emailed out to the parish. If you did not receive this email and would like to attend, please see Father Herman for registration information. This year’s conference will be hosted by St. George Parish in Jacksonville, FL. June 11-14th.

Registration for the Archdiocese National Convention has also opened. It is being hosted by St George Parish in Cicero, IL (just outside of Chicago) July 20-27th. If you are interested in attending, please see Father Herman and he will get you the registration information and link.

Calendar Items

* The men of the parish meet for lunch at 11:00 a.m. on the first Thursday of the month.

* The Ladies meet at the church at 10:00 a.m. on the second Saturday of the month to pray the Akathist to the Mother of God, Nurturer of Children on behalf of our children.

* The Ladies meet for lunch at 1:00 p.m. on the last Tuesday of the month.

* The remaining date for serving at Stewpot Ministries is Saturday, September 27th.

* We will celebrate the leave-taking of Pascha with Paschal Vespers on Tuesday, May 27th, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

* The Feast of the Ascension of the Lord will be celebrated with Orthros followed by

* Divine Liturgy on Wednesday, May 28th beginning at 6:00 p.m. We will have a Pot Luck meal following the liturgy.

* We will celebrate Saturday of the souls on Saturday morning, June 7 beginning at 9:00 am.

*The Feast of Pentecost will be celebrated on Sunday, June 8 with a PICNIC POT LUCK following the Liturgy.

Fasting Discipline for June

The Holy Synod of Antioch has given instructions that there will be no fasting during the entirety of the Paschal Season. June 16-28, the Fast of the Apostles is observed. The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) will be observed for the remainder of the month on all Wednesdays and Fridays.

Major Commemorations for June

May 29 Feast of the Ascension

June 1 Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council /

Justin Martyr

June 4 Metrophanes of Constantinople

June 7 Saturday of the Souls

June 8 Pentecost /

Theodore the General (transfer of relics)

June 11 Apostles Bartholomew & Barnabas

June 15 Sunday of All Saints

June 24 Nativity of the Forerunner

June 29 Chief Apostles Peter and Paul

June 30 Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles

Dates Fr. Herman will be out:

May 26-June 6-vacation

June 10-13-PLC in Jacksonville, FL

July 21-26-National Convention in Chicago, IL

Quotable: “Do not grow despondent and enfeebled in spirit, seeing the constant struggle within you of evil against good, but like a good and valiant soldier of Jesus Christ, our great Founder, struggle courageously against evil, looking at the crown, prepared by the Lord for all who conquer evil in this world and in their flesh. ‘To him that overcometh, will I grant to sit with Me in My Throne’ (Rev. 3:21).”

St. John of Kronstadt

Worship: Sunday, June 1, 2025 (Sunday of the Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council)

Scripture: Acts 20:16-18, 28-36

Epistle Reader: Katie Miller

Prosphora: Lasseter

Coffee Hour: Baker/Jimmy Jones