Sunday of the Prodigal Son
Martyr Pamphilos, priest of Caesarea in Palestine and his companions.Venerable Flavian the hermit
Thought for Today: “Christ helps those who are fighting the good fight, that all Saints embrace in order to subdue the flesh to the spirit. Even when wounded, we must never lose our composure but should instead ask for God’s help in continuing with the struggle courageously. The Good Shepherd will hear us and rush to our aid, just as a shepherd responds to the bleating of a lamb that is lost or wounded or threatened by a wolf.”
–St. Paisios the Athonite
EPISTLE and GOSPEL READINGS
The Epistle
Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us. Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous.
The Reading from the First Epistle of St. Paul 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 temple 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 are God’s.
The Gospel
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke. (15:11-32)
The Lord spoke 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 property that falls to me.’ And he divided his living between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered 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 angry 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.’”
Resurrectional Apolytikion – Tone 1
While the stone was sealed by the Jews, and the soldiers were guarding Thy most pure body, Thou didst arise on the third day, O Savior, granting life to the world. For which cause the heavenly powers cried aloud unto Thee, O giver of life. Glory to Thy Resurrection, O Christ, glory to Thy kingdom, glory to Thy providence, O Thou Who alone art the lover of mankind.
Kontakion for the Prodigal son- Tone 3
Foolishly I sprang away * from Thy great fatherly glory, * and dispersed in wicked deeds * the riches that Thou didst give me. * With the Prodigal I therefore * cry unto Thee now: * I have sinned against Thee, O compassionate Father. * But receive me in repentance; * make me as one of * Thy hired servants, O Lord.
Receiving the Eucharist:We invite you to receive the Holy Eucharist if you are an Orthodox Christian who has prepared yourself through fasting, prayer, and recent confession. If you are not Orthodox, or are Orthodox but have not prepared, we invite you to receive a piece of the blessed bread in the wooden bowls held by the altar servers at the front of the church.
House Blessings: Father Peter Jon is blessing homes and will continue reaching out to families for the next month or so. He is grouping house blessings based on geography, in order to reach as many homes as possible within a given day. Feel free to reach out to him to request a specific time or date.
Saturday of Souls Lists: Please get a list of your beloved departed to Father Peter Jon by noon on Friday (2/22) in order to have them commemorated at the Saturday of Souls Liturgy. It is helpful if your list is divided into columns of Orthodox and non-orthodox. The Liturgy begins at 9:00 am on Saturday.
Special Events Calendar: To schedule a special event at the Church (bridal shower, baby shower, birthday party, etc.), please email Nina Rogers at alsntssec@bluemarble.net with your request.
Great Lent special service lists are available along with a fasting calendar, and monthly church event guidelines in the Narthex and at the library sign-out.
This Week
Today, Sunday: The Parish council will meet following Divine Liturgy.
Monday, February 17: 3rd Hour Prayers at 9:00 am.
Tuesday, February18: Divine Liturgy at 9:00 am,
Wednesday, February 19: Daily Vespers at 6:00 pm; teaching to follow, with an entrée of “Hearty Soup” for the meal.
Thursday, February 20: Divine Liturgy at 9:00 am.
Friday, February 21: Divine Liturgy at 9:00 am. Saints Barbara and John Orthodox Homeschool Co-op meets from 1:00 am-2:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall.
Saturday, February 22: Saturday of Souls Liturgy at 9:00 am; Baby Shower honoring Penny Vandevender, 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm; Great Vespers at 5:00 pm. Ask Abouna to follow; Junior and Teen SOYO at 6:30 pm.
Sunday, February 23: Matins at 9:00 am, Divine Liturgy at 10:00 am; Sunday of Last Judgement/ Meatfare.
Family News
Birthday Celebration: Alicia Barrett (16th); Marcia Baldwin (21st); Aaron Hostetler (22nd).
Looking Ahead
Sunday, March 2: Lent begins after Forgiveness Vespers at 5:00 pm.
Prayer List: Scott (terminal heart condition) and his wife Jackie; Jim and Lisa; Tammera; Taylor;Durlin family; Fr. Athanasius; Fr. Jerome; Fr. Basil; Fr. Matthew; Marvin; Nectaria;Shu-Mei,Charlie;Shirley; Jim;Jan; Don and Dee; those suffering the effect of Hurricanes; those suffering the war in Ukraine, and the Middle East; Peace talks; our nation and all nations’ leaders; those suffering the effect of wild fires in California; schools: children, youth and personnel across the nation; Mary Ann; Emma; Bob & Bonnie Thelen; Josiah; Jack; Christopher; Wadia; Jayci; Patricia; Kitsa; Apthrodite; Kim; Kristy; Vicki;Kenzie; Dusty; Cari; Betsy; Josh; Allison; Dn. Lawrence, Marcia; Missy; Andrew; Isaac; Leanne; Heather; Nancy; Sharon Catherine; Neumann Seraphim; Michael, Olga, Eileen, Soren, Kathy; Lexi, Ross, Vivian; Theo; Jeremy; Elias; Waded; Seraphima; Lilly’s family; Jennifer; Christy; John; Stanley; Macrina with child; Anna and child born to her; Allen; Linda; Allison and children; Kip; Hermione with child, Erica with child; Taylor with child; Penny with child; Dixxe with child; Megan with child; Evan; Catherine with child; Victoria with child; Whitney and children; Domnica; Mary.
Memory Eternal: Archbishop Anastasios; Archimandrite Ambrose; Theodore; Mike; Donald; child Houston; Debbie.
All Saints’ Sunday Meal: We have a change in Sunday meal rotation.
1st Sunday – A thru Coats; 2nd Sunday – Coffman thru Holland
3rd Sunday– Hostetler thru Rogers; 4th Sunday – Robertson thru Yeager
We are asking EVERYONE to take part in providing food for our Sunday Meal; whether you are a member, catechumen or inquirer, if you attend regularly, please plan to bring something substantial to share on your designated week. We also need your help cleaning up…many hands make light work! Questions? see Rhonda Webb, Wendy Carter, Nina Rogers, or Melissa Barbarick.
Sunday February 16: 3rd Sunday Host; Hostetler – Rogers.
Next week: 4th Sunday Host Robertson- Yeager.
Giving Opportunities:
Food Pantry: Thank you for the generous support.Our in-houseFood Pantry is available to parish members as well as families and individuals in the community of Bloomington. Donations of nonperishable items of pasta, marinara sauce, peanut butter, canned chicken and Tuna, canned vegetables, canned fruit and soups are always a great blessing.
Mission Donations: We send monthly support to two missionary units in Albania, the Hoppe family and Hannah Valentine. We welcome and encourage you to contribute to their ongoing support.
Benevolence Fund: Donations may be made to this fund throughout the year and are mainly used to support families in need of help with rent and utilities payments.
Donations to the church are being made online at www.allsaintsbloomington.org and by U.S mail. Many thanks to all who continue supporting All Saints.