+ A Parish of the +

Orthodox Church in America www.oca.org

Most Rev. Archbishop Benjamin, Diocese of San Francisco and the West

www.dowoca.org

Very Rev. Fr. Archpriest John Armstrong frjohnarm@hotmail.com

Rev. Fr. Deacon John Manutes john.manutes@gmail.com

+ Worship Services +

Saturdays, 6:00 pm Great Vespers & Confession

(3rd & 6th Hour Prayers, 9:10 am) Sundays, 9:30 am

Divine Liturgy

Feast Days (See Monthly Calendar)

+ Parish Prayer List +

Please pray for and ask the Lord to have mercy on:

Hieroschemamonk Ambrose (Young) Mother Theodelphia Fr. Lawrence & Matushka Sophia Matushka Lauren Higgins Matushka Priscilla Shipley Peter Anderson Andrew & Rachel Benjamin, Justus, Debra, Kalena, AJ, Anthony & Gage Kathryn Birmingham Jeanie (Mary) Cooper Agnes Craig; and, Kafa Dalal Michael & Dagmar Drakulich George Eckert Lee Anthony; and, Adam Goodman Maria Gorsevski; and, Lauren Hansen Gary “Paul” Jollie Ronald Maue & Rhonda Grace Joshua & Shannon Joyce Mikita Shaun & Cheryl Charles; and, Patrick Matthew; Oleg; and, James Barbara Murray John & Michael Palmer Clergy and Parishioners of our Mission parishes:

of St. Anthony, St. Elijah, St. Sophia, and St. Tikhon Jonathan Paul Natalia Perrin Jack & Glenda Pyle and family John & Sophia Martha Rapso Irina Reynolds; Nadezhda; and, Lynita John Russell; and, John Salmon Sona Sarkissian, Mardig, & Seta Esther Schafer Barbara Payne; and, Kathleen Smith Joel Snyder; and, Lyall Spargo Christopher Sprecher Mary Streech; and, Dana Such Muriel Weisman; and, Viivi Jack Whitaker Natalia Zolotoochin

Missionaries & Ministries: OCMC: Michael, Lisa, and Liam Colburn; Fr. David Rucker and family; James Hargrave and family; OCPM: Fr. Steven Powley; “Dipes & Wipes”

Catechumens: Troy (Vladimir) Nunley

Newly Departed: “newly-departed, newly-illumined” Raymond “John” Armstrong (1/10/18; 40th day is 2/18/18)

Memorial: Olivia Botha (1/31); Louise Sparks (2/1); Celestine, Preston, & Stephanie Hester (2/3)

Saint Herman

Orthodox Church

991 West Prentice Avenue Littleton Colorado 80120 303-798-7306 www.sthermanoca.org

+ Pastoral Ministries +

Please contact Fr. John anytime for the following: Confession; Hospital Visits / Holy Unction; Memorial Services; Slavas; Moliebens; or, just to talk... You can call me at: 720-971-5931, or email me at: frjohnarm@hotmail.com

Saint Herman Orthodox Church

January 28, 2018

33rd Sunday after Pentecost, Tone 1 Sunday of the Publican & the Pharisee [Beginning of Triodion]

New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia. St. Ephraim the Syrian & St. Isaac of Nineveh.

Holy Scriptures: 2 Timothy 3:10-15; St. Luke 18:10-14

Handmaidens Schedule for January

Today, Jan. 21, Sophie & Abigail Reynolds January 28, Nicole & Nina Hillburger

Greeters Schedule for January

Today, January 21, Dorothy Zang January 28, Kevin Donahue

+ Today + January 28, 2018

Welcome to St. Herman Orthodox Church! We’re glad you joined us for prayer & worship!

Patron Saints: St. Ignatius (1/29), St. John Chrysostom (1/30),

St. Brigid/Bridget of Ireland (2/01)

Birthdays: Daniel Maclellan & Brian Murphy (1/29)

“Preserve them, O Lord, for many years!”

Please join us for Coffee Hour after Liturgy

Church School

+ This Week +

Wednesday, Jan. 31, 10 am & 6:30 pm, Writings of St. Maximus: “Mystagogy,” his commentary on the Divine Liturgy, part 3 Thursday, February 1, 6:30 pm, Great Vespers w/Litiya (Feast of the Meeting of the Lord in the Temple; the 40th day of Christmas!) “Fast-free-Friday,” February 2:

• 9:30 am, Divine Liturgy for the Feast • 6:00 pm, BBQ / Square Dance

Saturday, February 3, 6:00 pm, Great Vespers followed by Confession

+ Looking Ahead +

Annual House Blessings ( will continue through Feb. 18, “Cheesefare Sunday”)

Sunday, February 11, “Meatfare Sunday”: “Carne Potluck” after Liturgy

Sunday, February 18, “Cheesefare Sunday”: Liturgy + Forgiveness Vespers + Ceremony of Mutual Forgiveness; “Fish, Wine, Oil, and Dairy Potluck Coffee Hour

Great Lent begins Monday, February 19th

Great & Holy Pascha, Sunday, April 8th

“What is a merciful Heart?”

“It is a heart on fire for the whole of creation: for humanity, for the birds, for the animals, [yes, even] for demons, and for all that exists.

By the recollection of them the eyes of a merciful person pour forth tears in abundance.

By the strong and vehement mercy that grips such a person’s heart, and by such great compassion, the heart is humbled and one cannot bear to hear or to see any injury or slight sorrow in any creation.

For this reason, such a person offers up tearful prayer continually even for irrational beasts, for the enemies of the truth, and for those who harm him, that they may be protected and receive mercy …

… because of the great compassion that burns without measure in a heart that is in the likeness of God.”

St. Isaac of Syria (Homily 81)

+ Synaxarion +

Sunday of the Publican [Tax Collector; “IRS agent”] & the Pharisee. The Pharisees were an ancient and outstanding sect among the Jews known for their diligent observance of the outward matters of the Law. Although, according to the word of our Lord, they “did all their works to be seen of men” (Mt. 23:5), and were hypocrites, because of the apparent ‘holiness’ of their lives they were thought by all to be righteous, and separate from others, which is what the name Pharisee means. On the other hand, the Publicans (collectors of the royal taxes), committed many injustices and extortions for filthy lucre’s sake, and all held them to be unrighteous sinners. It was therefore according to common opinion that the Lord Jesus in His parable signified a virtuous person by a Pharisee, and a sinner by a Publican, to teach His disciples [and us] the harm of self-righteous pride and the profit of humble-mindedness [in our prayers, and in our thoughts about other people].

Since the chief weapon for virtue is humility and the greatest hindrance to it is pride, the divine Fathers have set these three weeks before the Forty-day Fast as a preparation for the spiritual struggles for virtue. This present week they have called ‘Harbinger’, since it declares that the Fast is approaching; and they set humility as the foundation for all our spiritual labors by appointing that the Parable of the Publican and the Pharisee be read today, even before the Fast begins, to teach us, through the vaunting of the Pharisee that: 1) the foul smoke of self-esteem, the stench of boasting, and a harsh, critical spirit drives away the Grace of the Holy Spirit, strips man of all his virtue, and cast him into the pits of Hades; and, 2) through the repentance and contrite prayer of the Publican, that humility confers upon the sinner forgiveness of all his wicked deeds and raises him up to the greatest height. “Everyone who exalt themselves will be humbled, but he who humble themselves will be exalted,” says the Lord.

+ All foods allowed the week that follows this Sunday

New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia: http://www.synod.com/synod/engrocor/enser_arbpmarknewmartyrs.html [Hold down Ctrl & click link with mouse pointer]

Our Holy Father Ephraim the Syrian. Born in Syria of poor parents in the reign of the Emperor Constantine the Great, his early youth was spent somewhat tempestuously, but he suddenly underwent a spiritual crisis and began to burn with love for the Lord Jesus. He was a disciple of St. James of Nisibis (+Jan. 13). By the great Grace of God, wisdom flowed from his tongue like a stream of honey and from his eyes tears flowed unceasingly. Loving work like a bee, Ephraim was constantly either writing books or teaching the monks in the monastery or the people in the city of Edessa, or was giving himself to prayer and contemplation [hesychia & theoria]. His books are numerous; his prayers are beautiful. The best-known of the latter is the prayer in the Great Fast: “O Lord and Master of my life…” When they wished to take him by force and make him bishop, he feigned madness and began to run through the city of Edessa, trailing his garments along behind him. Seeing him mad, they left him in peace. He was a contemporary and friend of St. Basil the Great. St. Ephraim was especially ‘the apostle of repentance’. Even today his writings soften many hearts, strengthen them against sin, and turn them back to Christ. He entered into rest at a great age in 373. [I highly recommend, “A Spiritual Psalter: Excerpts by St. Theophan the Recluse,” St. John of Kronstadt Press: https://sjkp.org. Guaranteed to soften any heart!

Our Holy Father Isaac of Nineveh. Born in Nineveh, he began at an early age to live the ascetic life in the monastery of Mar-Matthew near Nineveh. When he became known for his holy life and miracles, he was chosen as bishop of Nineveh and forced to accept this state. But after only five months he left his episcopate and fled secretly to the desert monastery of Rabban-Shapur. He was the author of many works, of which about a hundred sermons on the spiritual life and asceticism, written mainly from his own experience, have come down to us. He was without equal as a writer and guide in the spiritual life. He entered into rest at a great age at the end of the 7th C. [His “Ascetical Homilies” (in 2 parts) are to be read only w/guidance, but an excerpt of 6 homilies, & a nice collection of his prayers may be obtained at: www.STSPress.com & http://stjohnsbookstore.com, respectively.]