February 5, 2017

Sunday of the Pharisee and PublicanSunday of the Pharisee and PublicanSunday of the Pharisee and PublicanSunday of the Pharisee and Publican

احد الفريسى والعشار

TTTT he 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” (Matt. 23:5), and were hypocrites (ibid.23:13, 14, 15, etc), 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, Publicans, collectors of the royal taxes, committed many injustices and extortions for filthy lucre’s sake, and all held them to be sinners and unjust. 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 the harm of pride and the profit of humble mindedness. 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 of 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 labours by appointing that the parable of the Publican and the Pharisee be read today, even before the Fast begins, to teach, through the vaunting of the Pharisee, that the foul smoke of self-esteem and the stench of boasting drives away the grace of the Spirit, strips man of all his virtue, and casts him into the pits of Hades; and, 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.

Taken from: The Great Horologion

February 5, 2017 Issue 559

�18100 Merriman Road � Livonia, Michigan 48152 � www.saintmarylivonia.com � Office: (734)-422-0010 �

Sunday Services

Confession: 8:30AM

Matins: 9:00AM

Divine Liturgy: 10:00AM

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Daily Confession by Appointment - Call the Church Office

“And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.” Acts 11:26

The Antiochian Orthodox

Basilica of St. Mary

Fr. George Shalhoub - Pastor Fr. Jim King - Director of Youth & Pastoral Outreach Programs

Archdeacon Issa Rizkallah

313-690-2030

Deacon Dr. Dennis Bojrab Deacon Samer Hanna

Nidal Fakhoury - Parish Council Chairman

Linda Lawson - Choir Director Stacey Badeen - Church Administrator Sonya Kassis - Parish Ministries

Coordinator Haitham Fakhouri - Communications

Richard Shebib/Sami Azzouz - Ushers

Dr. Tom Saba - Young Adults-

St. John Divine

Nancy Ghannam- Ladies Society President Nicole Rumman & Natalie Samaan

Teen Soyo Co-Presidents

Lina Nunu - Arabic School Keith Rowe - Cultural Center General Manager 734-421-9220

The Light of Christ

AL-NOUR

PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY:

THE ANTIOCHIAN ORTHODOX BASILICA OF ST. MARY

Page 2 The Antiochian Orthodox Basilica of St. Mary

THE EPISTLE

Make vows and pay them to the Lord our God. God is known in Judaea, His Name is great in Israel!

The Reading is from the Second Epistle of St. Paul to St. Timothy

Chapter 3:10-15

MMMM y child Timothy, you have followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, patience, persecutions, sufferings, what things befell me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra. What persecutions I endured! And out of them all the Lord delivered me. Indeed all who would live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. But people who are wicked and deceivers will proceed from worse to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and how from infancy you have known the sacred temple writings which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

THE GOSPEL

The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke

Chapter 18:10-14

TTTT he Lord spoke this parable: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank Thee that I am not like other men, extortionists, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to Heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

The Antiochian Orthodox Basilica of St. Mary Page 3

Please visit www.saintmarylivonia.com for details about events and ac�vi�es happening

at the Basilica of Saint Mary. If you have any ques�ons regarding Youth and Outreach Events,

please contact Fr. Jim or Sonya Kassis at (734) 422-0010.

Parish Ministries Updates

The Basilica of Saint Mary

Godparent Sunday Today, our church celebrates a special tradi�on we

began several years ago to honor those people chosen

to be our Godparents. Just as we have days to honor our father and our

mother, so too is it important to honor those people tasked with helping our

parents with the awesome responsibility of bringing Godliness and Holiness to

the child. Godparents make a faithful commitment of love and join the parents

in the struggle to bring the child carefully and prayerfully along the difficult

road to heaven. The faith of the Godparent is significant during bap�sm as they

confess that Jesus Christ is their Lord and Savior. The Godparent is the child’s

representa�ve as they enter the Church of Christ. The Godparent speaks for the

child and vows that they will do all they can do assure that the child will be a true soldier of Christ and devoted

member of His Church. The Godparent renounces Satan on behalf of the child at Bap�sm and makes a public

profession of the Nicene Creed. In some tradi�ons, the Godparents also choose a bap�smal name for their Godchild,

as first recommended by St. John Chrysostom, “Let us afford our children from the first an incen�ve to goodness

from the name that we give them. Let none of us hasten to call his children a4er his forebears, his father and mother

and grandfather and grandmother but rather a4er the righteous martyrs, bishops and apostles. Let one be called

Peter, another John, another bear the name of one of the saints. Let the names of the saints enter our homes

through the naming of our children.” It is St. John Chrysostom’s idea that the child be given a great name and that

they are repeatedly told the story of the great bearer of the name. This is so that they might make themselves like

the great owner of the name they bear. Godparents help the child live up to those ideals, and guide their spiritual

growth. God Bless all of our Godparents and those children newly bap�zed in our Basilica!

(Adapted from “Guidelines for Godparents,”

St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, Elmhurst, IL )

Page 4 The Antiochian Orthodox Basilica of St. Mary

PRAYER CORNER memorials

IIII am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me shall never die.” (John 11:25)

Feb. 26th - 40 day memorial in loving memory of Adil Easa Ghannam offered by his wife Laurice Ghannam and family, March 5th - 40 day memorial in loving memory of Tawfik Ansara offered by the family,

Thank You

“A Vigil Light is Burning”

FFFF or The Health and Well Being Of:

Major Timothy Lawson, Jeffrey Wolenter, Phiebe Musallam,

IIII n Memory Of: Joseph Michael Mouaikel, George Abodeely,

HOLY BREAD OF OBLATION

HHHH oly Bread of Oblation is offered by the families, for the month of February, in loving memory of:

Azeezeh and Julia Harb

Isa Hasan

William Nader Amjad George Saba

Boulos Jiries and Helen Boulos Saba

Salman and Fada Sweis Naim and Jaleeleh Warra

HHHH oly Bread of Oblation is offered by the families, for the month of February, for the health and well being of:

Jeries and Malak Abukhader, their children and grandchildren

Norman, Johnny and Ronny Warra and families

LLLL ord, You are the physician of our souls and body. We pray You grant the following parishioners good health and blessings: Metropolitan PAUL Yazigi, Archbishop Youhanna Ibrahim, baby Mary Bardakjian, Marie Abouassaly, Linda, Nancy Rizqalla, Haifa Zayed, Hope Sabbagh, Samir Faris, Sahar Abdallah, Nazih,

TTTT he following parishioners and friends of the Basilica of St.

Mary have given special donations to the Church in the past few weeks: $100-For the health and well being of their children and grandchildren offered by Jeries and Malak Abukhader $100-In loving memory of Naim and Jaleeleh Warra and Azeezeh and Julia Harb offered by Basim and Ferial Warra, $100-In loving memory of Amjad George Saba offered by parents George and Itidal Saba, $100-In loving memory of father Easa B. Khoury offered by Peter and Wisam Khoury, $100-In loving memory of brother Nadim Nader offered by Jacqueline (Jorge) Nicolas and Rana (George) Saad, $100-In loving memory of mother Hind Kakish offered by Najwa Kakish, $100-In loving memory of Leila Salah offered by Laila Abdelnour and family, $200-In loving memory of sister Leila Salah offered by Salah and Siham Salah, $300-In loving memory of Leila Salah offered by Fred and Jannette Salah, $500-In loving memory of James Victor Safadi offered by Victor and Raida Safadi $1000-In loving memory of mother Fahida Leon offered by Walid, Samir, Moufid Leon and their families,

Condolences

TTTT he clergy and parishioners at the Basilica of St. Mary extend their deepest sympathy to husband Kamal Saad Kakish, daughter Najwa Kakish, brother Jamal and Raghdeh Kakish and the entire Kakish family on the passing of Hind Kakish in Amman , Jordan.

TTTT he clergy and parishioners at the Basilica of St. Mary extend their deepest sympathy to his wife Georgette, children Mike, Henriette, Janette, Violette, Suhail and the late Henry and their families, the 16 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren, siblings Albert, Fouad, Suad Jameel, Margo Rizkallah, the late Ibrahim, the late Alfred, the late Elias and the late Suraya Osta and their families and the entire Ansara family on the passing of Tawfik Ansara

May their memories be eternal.

Special Announcement

At our annual Gala that was held last November, 2 parking spots in our lot were auctioned off. Congratulations to Jason Amash and Drs. Samer and Leena Bahu. The reserved spots have been posted in front of the church. We kindly ask that you be respectful and do not park in those spots.

TTTT he clergy and parishioners at the Basilica of St. Mary extend their deepest sympathy to children Walid (Iktimal) and family, Samir (Maryann) and family, Moufid (Deborah) and family, Daad (Elias) Mikha and family, Fadia (Ghassan) Rafka and family, and the late Hinid Leon and family on the passing of their beloved mother Fahida Leon in Syria.

May her memory be eternal.

Condolences

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