Saturday, Feb. 10 – All Holy Ascetical Fathers and Mothers
5:00 PM Santa Paula Outreach Divine Liturgy
Sunday, Feb. 11 – Cheese-fare Sunday
8:30 AM Matins
9:30 AM Divine Liturgy
12:00 PM Forgiveness Vespers
Monday, Feb. 12 – First Day of the Great Fast
8:30 AM Morning Prayer
Tuesday, Feb. 13 – Martinian, Venerable
5:30 PM Akathist* for those suffering Addictions & Mental Illness
Wednesday, Feb. 14 – Auxentius, Venerable
8:30 AM Morning Prayer
6:30 PM Presanctified Divine Liturgy
7:30 PM Firepit Social
Friday, Feb. 16 – Pamphilius & Others, Martyrs
6:00 PM Santa Paula Outreach Presanctified Divine Liturgy
Saturday, Feb. 17 – Commemoration of the Miracle of the Great-Martyr Theodore
5:00 PM Santa Paula Outreach Divine Liturgy
5:30 PM Reader Vespers
Sunday, Feb. 18 – 1st Sunday of the Great Fast
8:30 AM Matins
9:30 AM Divine Liturgy
*Add first names to this prayer service by emailing niemirick@gmail.com
St. Mary’s: Sundays 8:45 AM or by appointment
Santa Paula: Saturdays 4:15 PM or by appointment
(Please resubmit or submit names to admin@ByzantineLA.com)
The Carlin Family, Michael Hefferon, Shirley Kunze, Michael Mina, Peter Mina, Fr. John Mina, Mila Mina, Lana Zimmerman, Patrick Zimmerman, Shannon O’Neill, Fern Bonowicz, Carolina Chirdon, All the sick and suffering of St. Mary’s
Collection: $3,355.00; Santa Paula: $676.00; Online: $455.00; Candles: $51.75; Gift Shop: $10.00; SPO Improvements: $20.00; Church Improvements: $425.00
Total: $4,992.75 / Attendance – PSM: 62 SPO: 82
Lord and Master of my life,
Spare me from the spirit of indifference, despair,
lust for power and idle chatter. (Prostration)
Instead, bestow on me Your servant,
The spirit of integrity, humility, patience and love. (Prostration)
Yes, O Lord and King, let me see my own sins
And not judge my brothers and sisters,
For You are Blessed, forever and ever. Amen. (Prostration)
By fasting we actually mean abstaining. In some traditions, Christians actually fast (eat nothing) until prayer at sundown (Vespers or Presanctified Divine Liturgy), but this is only recommended for those who are living at least a semi-monastic life and have the guidance of a spiritual father.
Eastern Christians traditionally abstain from meat, dairy, wine, and oil for the 40 days of the Great Fast. This will be lightened on major feasts like the Annunciation and Palm and Flowery Sunday, and some lighten it on weekends. One of the reasons for abstaining from animal products is that only plants were given as food in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 1:29). One thought is that wine and oil were carried in animal skins so they were renounced as well. Another reason is that all of these are luxuries and rarely consumed by the poor in any season. Another tradition allows shellfish b/c some ancient cultures considered these bugs and not animals.
Our Eparchy’s guidance, reflecting the minimal requirement:
“STRICT ABSTINENCE: observed on the FIRST DAY OF LENT and on GOOD FRIDAY. The law of strict abstinence forbids the use of meat, eggs, and dairy products. The law of strict abstinence binds those who are between 21-59 years old
ABSTINENCE: No use of meat, permitting the use of eggs and dairy products. Abstinence is to be observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays during the Great Fast.”
The app I mentioned in my homily last weekend (identifies restaurants that sell unused food for a small fee) is called “Too Good To Go”. I have found it helpful to find affordable protein-rich food to share with the needy.
“Where your treasure is, your heart will be also”. It is easy to mistake what our true treasure is, and we need wisdom and insight to see clearly. In today’s kontakion we sing that God is the “guide to wisdom and giver of insight”. Is he guiding you to a vocation to the religious or ordained life? As you pray and seek wisdom, consider contacting the Vocations Office at 206-329-9219 or email: vocations@ephx.org
Saturday, February 10 –
