St. George

Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church

2587 W. 14th Street, Cleveland OH 44113

Serving the Orthodox Christian Communityof Greater Cleveland

Righteous Father Moses of Ethiopia

St. George

Antiochian

Orthodox Church

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The mission of St. George

Antiochian Orthodox Church

Is to serve God and the community

by commitment to the Gospel’s

command to grow in the knowledge

of Jesus Christ through faith,

hope, and love. It is a parish of the

Self –Ruled Antiochian Orthodox

Christian Archdiocese of North

America.

The Orthodox Church follows the

faith and practice of the apostles

and disciples of Christ handed

down by the ancient Christian

fathers and twenty centuries of

Church tradition. Genuine Christian

life nurtures and stimulates our

spiritual and moral development.

The liturgical life of the Orthodox

Church has been developing over

the last 2000 years. By taking part

in the mysteries of Christ’s life,

death and resurrection at the

liturgical services, the community

members are drawn to repentance

and the gradual change of their

inner selves.

To join the community of St.

George or to find out more

information, please fill out the

Guest Book in the Narthex. We

hope this day will be spiritually

rewarding for you. Fr John will be

happy to answer any questions.

Join us in the hall after Liturgy for

our Coffee Hour and Fellowship.

V. Rev Father John Ojaimi, Pastor

Office: (216) 781-9020 Fax: (216) 781-9545

Cellular: (440) 665-6724

Archdeacon Yarid Sahley

Subdeacon Sam Elias

www.stgeorgecleveland.com

Pastor’s E-Mail: frjojaimi@msn.com

Parish E-Mail: office@stgeorgecleveland.com

Sunday August 28, 2016

Tone 1/ Eothinon 10

Tenth Sunday after Pentecost &Tenth Sunday of Matthew

Righteous Father Moses of Ethiopia

Martyrs Diomedes, Damon and Laurence;Martyr Susanna of Georgia;

Uncovering of the relics of Venerable Job ofPochaev

WELCOME TO OUR GUESTS

We are glad you are worshiping with us

today. There are Service Books in the pews.

Orthodox Christians must be prepared for

Holy Communion through Confession,

Fasting, Prayer and by being at peace with

others. Please seek and give forgiveness

before receiving Holy Communion. At the

conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, please join

us for coffee hour in the Parish Hall.

Bread of Oblation, Trisagion Prayers, Wheat and Coffee Hour are sponsored in memory of KarimDanial by his daughter Suzi & her husband Shadi Wahbeh, and her Mother Mimi Danial.

Candles are offered for the Health, Safety & Spiritual Welfare of:Hiba Ojaimi and Nick BetkaOur unborn child, Family & Friends by Tiffany & Joe LobodaOur Family by Samir & Clara NaderChristina Kirsch by Anise El-Khoury & FamilyRonnie & Dina by Barb AboidFamily & Friends by George & Joie HaddadCandles are offered in Beloved Memory of:Georges & Elias Shikhany by Samir & Clara NaderLutfi Salman by Marcelle SalmanMy beloved ones of the Karsheh & Kahoush Family by Nuha KarshehAntoine Baroudy by Lina Al-KhouryMarvin Harb by Maurice & Samia Harb & FamilyMichel Hayek by the Hayek FamilyMy Beloved, Mother Mary, Father Abraham, Brothers Emile and James, Sitteh Zaineh & Uncle Kaiser byEmilie L. EasaWadia Ameen by his wife Mary & FamilyEdward Haddad by his wifeEdward Fadel by his wife & family

UPCOMING DIVINE SERVICES

Sunday September 04, 2016 Matins Service @ 9:30 am, Divine Liturgy @ 10.30 amConfessions will be heard on Sundays Morning before Liturgy starts or by appointment.

“Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying, Howcan this man give us His flesh to eat? So Jesus said to them,Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son ofMan and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. He whoeats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I willraise him up on the last day”. John 6:52-54

“With fear of God, faith And love draw near”.Come to Church, Jesus loves you, we love you

Sign up and take your turn in offering a Coffee Hour.

Pick a birthday, memorial, anniversary etc..

or just a day that no one has sponsored.

Prayers are requested for the sick, sufferings, shut-insneedy, homeless, victims of disasters, war and violence

in the whole universe.

Divine Liturgy Variables on Sunday, August 28, 2016Tone 1/ Eothinon 10; Tenth Sunday after Pentecost & Tenth Sunday of Matthew

Righteous Father Moses of EthiopiaMartyrs Diomedes, Damon and Laurence; Martyr Susanna of Georgia;

Uncovering of the relics of Venerable Job of Pochaev

St. Moses the Ethiopian"Saint Moses Murin the Black lived during the fourth century in Egypt. He was an Ethiopian, and he wasblack of skin and therefore called "Murin" (meaning "like an Ethiopian"). In his youth he was the slave ofan important man, but after he committed a murder, his master banished him, and he joined a band ofrobbers.

Because of his bad character and great physical strength they chose him as their leader. Moses and hisband of brigands did many evil deeds, both murders and robberies. People were afraid at the meremention of his name.

Moses the brigand spent several years leading a sinful life, but through the great mercy of God he repent-ed, left his band of robbers and went to one of the desert monasteries. Here he wept for a long time, beg-ging to be admitted as one of the brethren. The monks were not convinced of the sincerity of his repent-ance, but the former robber would not be driven away nor silenced. He continued to ask that they accepthim.

St Moses was completely obedient to the igumen and the brethren, and he poured forth many tears of sor-row for his sinful life. After a certain while St Moses withdrew to a solitary cell, where he spent the timein prayer and the strictest fasting in a very austere lifestyle.

Once, four of the robbers of his former band descended upon the cell of St Moses. He had lost none of hisgreat physical strength, so he tied them all up. Throwing them over his shoulder, he brought them to themonastery, where he asked the Elders what to do with them. The Elders ordered that they be set free. Therobbers, learning that they had chanced upon their former ringleader, and that he had dealt kindly withthem, followed his example: they repented and became monks. Later, when the rest of the band ofrobbers heard about the repentance of St Moses, then they also gave up their thievery and became ferventmonks.

St Moses was not quickly freed from the passions. He went often to the igumen, Abba Isidore, seekingadvice on how to be delivered from the passions of profligacy. Being experienced in the spiritualstruggle, the Elder taught him never to eat too much food, to remain partly hungry while observing thestrictest moderation. But the passions did not cease to trouble St Moses in his dreams.

Then Abba Isidore taught him the all-night vigil. The monk stood thewhole night at prayer, so he would not fall asleep. From his prolongedstruggles St Moses fell into despondency, and when there arose thoughtsabout leaving his solitary cell, Abba Isidore instead strengthened theresolve of his disciple.

In a vision he showed him many demons in the west, prepared for battle,and in the east a still greater quantity of holy angels, also ready forfighting. Abba Isidore explained to St Moses that the power of the angelswould prevail over the power of the demons, and in the long struggle withthe passions it was necessary for him to become completely cleansed ofhis former sins.

St Moses undertook a new effort. Making the rounds by night of thewilderness cells, he carried water from the well to each brother. He didthis especially for the Elders, who lived far from the well and who werenot easily able to carry their own water. Once, kneeling over the well, StMoses felt a powerful blow upon his back and he fell down at the welllike one dead, laying there in that position until dawn. Thus did the devils take revenge upon the monk forhis victory over them. In the morning the brethren carried him to his cell, and he lay there a whole yearcrippled. Having recovered, the monk with firm resolve confessed to the igumen, that he would continue tolive in asceticism. But the Lord Himself put limits to this struggle of many years: Abba Isidore blessed hisdisciple and said to him that the passions had already gone from him. The Elder commanded him to receivethe Holy Mysteries, and to go to his own cell in peace. From that time, St Moses received from the Lordpower over demons.Accounts about his exploits spread among the monks and even beyond the bounds of the wilderness. Thegovernor of the land wanted to see the saint. When he heard of this, St Moses decided to hide from anyvisitors, and he departed his own cell. Along the way he met servants of the governor, who asked him howto get to the cell of the desert-dweller Moses. The monk answered them: "Go no farther to see this falseand unworthy monk." The servants returned to the monastery where the governor was waiting, and theytold him the words of the Elder they had chanced to meet. The brethren, hearing a description of the Elder'sappearance, told them that they had encountered St Moses himself.

After many years of monastic exploits, St Moses was ordained deacon. The bishop clothed him in whitevestments and said, "Now Abba Moses is entirely white!" The saint replied, "Only outwardly, for Godknows that I am still dark within." [I believe they are speaking in a spiritual sense about the purification ofthe soul]

Through humility, the saint believed himself unworthy of the office of deacon. Once, the bishop decided totest him and he bade the clergy to drive him out of the altar, reviling him as an unworthy Ethiopian. In allhumility, the monk accepted the abuse. Having put him to the test, the bishop then ordained St Moses to bepresbyter. St Moses labored for fifteen years in this rank, and gathered around himself 75 disciples.

When the saint reached age 75, he warned his monks that soon brigands would descend upon the skete andmurder all that were there. The saint blessed his monks to leave, in order to avoid violent death. His disci-ples began to beseech the monk to leave with them, but he replied: "For many years already I have awaitedthe time when there the words which my Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, should be fulfilled: "All who takeup the sword, shall perish by the sword" (Mt. 26: 52). After this, seven of the brethren remained with themonk, and one of them hid nearby during the attack of the robbers. The robbers killed St Moses and the sixmonks who remained with him. Their death occurred in about the year 400."

Wisdom Lessons from St. Moses the Ethiopian (Feast Day - August 28)

1. A devout prince, upon hearing of the mortification of St. Moses, went with his retinue

into the desert to see him. Informing Moses that the prince was coming to his monastery,

Moses quickly ran out and began to flee and to hide somewhere, but he unexpectedly

encountered the high-ranking visitors. "Where is the cell of Abba Moses?" the servants of

the prince asked not suspecting that this was Moses himself. Moses opened his mouth

and said: "What do you want him for? He is an ignorant old man, very untruthful and

completely impure in life." Hearing this, the visitors were astonished and continued on.

When they arrived at the cell of Moses, they inquired about the elder and the monks said

that he was not there. Then they began to relate what a monk on the road had said about

Moses. The monks were saddened and asked them: "How did he look, this old man, who

spoke to you mocking words about this holy man?" And when they said that he was very

dark in the face, tall and in a miserable garment, the monks cried out loudly: "But that

was indeed the Abba Moses!" By this incident, the prince benefited greatly spiritually and joyfully

returned to his home

2. Abba Moses said to Abba Poemen, and the first word which was spoken by the old man was: “It is

better for a man to put himself to death rather than his neighbor, and he should not condemn him in

anything.”

3. “It is good for a man to die unto every work which is evil, and he should not vex a man before his

departure from the body.”

4. “If a man doth not put himself in the attitude of a sinner, his prayer will not be heard before God.” A

brother said unto him, “What is a sinful soul?” And the old man said, “Every one who beareth his own

sins, and considereth not [those] of his companion.”

5. Abba Moses used to say, “Secret withdrawal [from work] maketh dark the mind, but for a man to

endure and to persevere in his works maketh light the mind in our Lord, and it strengtheneth and fortifieth

the soul.”

6. And he used to say also, “Bear disgrace and affliction in the Name of Jesus with humility and a

troubled heart; and shew before Him thy feebleness, and He will become unto thee might.”

7. St. Moses knew how fasting helped in his early spiritual combats. He used to say, “These four lead to

fornication: eating and drinking, oversleeping, negligence and decoration of clothes.”

8. “If you want to repent to God, beware of living in luxury, for this stimulates all passions and dispels the

fear of God from the heart.”

9. “Control of the body diminishes the effects of other desires. Desire of food awakens the passions and

emotions; they are controlled by fasting.”

10. A brother went to Abba Moses and asked him for a word of advice. The old man said to him, “Go,

and sit in your cell and your cell will teach you everything.”

11. Of his other sayings, “Discourse with men of the world and mixing with them darken the soul and

make her forget contemplation.”

12. The Elder (St. Moses) also said: “If the deeds do not match the prayer, the prayer is of no use!” The

brother asked him: “How can the deeds be suitable for the prayers?” The Elder said:”One who prays for

Antiochian Women’sNext Meeting

When: September 12, 2016

@ 1:00 PM

Where: Yarid Hall

St. George Church

Whose invited:

Every woman in the ParishCome have fun with us.

St. George Orthodox

Young Professionals FellowshipNext Meeting

Thursday September 08, 2016

7- 8:30 pm

St. George Antiochian Orthodox

Church 2587 W.14th St. Cleveland.

the forgiveness of his sins should thereon be alert because when one surrenders his will, God accepts him

indeed!”

13. "So, our way my dear friend is to put forth the maximum effort, in the short time we have on earth, to

correct and purify our deeds from all evil hoping to gain salvation by the grace of God from the hands of

the devils who are anxious to meet us, especially if any of their works are in us, because they are evil and

show no mercy. So, blessed is the soul that is free from them, it will be pleased and her pleasure is great."

14. "For this reason, my dear friend, we have to strive with tears so that the Lord may in his kindness have

mercy on us. Because those who sow with tears reap with gladness.

Let us possess the desire to be with God, because those who desire God protect themselves from the

desire to commit adultery. And those who desire meekness protect themselves from the love of silver

(money).

Let us desire peace to protect ourselves from hatred.

Let us posses patience and long suffering because it will protect us from pettiness of the soul.

Let us posses pure love for everyone to protect us from envy and jealousy.

Let us be humble in every act and every deed.

Let us tolerate being cursed and teased to rid ourselves of pride.

Let us be kind to all our neighbors to avoid condemnation.

Let us reject the glories of the world and its honors to avoid false pride.

Let us use the tongue to glorify God and to protect ourselves from lying.

Let us love the purity of the heart to be saved from corruption, because all of these things surround the

soul and follow it when it leaves the flesh.

What is Orthodoxy?

First of all, Orthodoxy is right faith in God; it is that mighty power which makes

each truly believing Orthodox Christian unwavering on the righteous and pious path

of his life. To be Orthodox means to know correctly with the mind, to believe

correctly with the heart, and to confess correctly with the lips all that God Himself

has revealed to us about Himself, about the world and man, and about the tasks

and aims of our life in the teaching on the attaining of our spiritual union with Him

and our eternal salvation. Without such right faith, according to the word of the

Apostle Paul, it is impossible to please God (Heb 11:6).

Orthodoxy is not only right faith and a right confession of the fundamental truths

and dogmas of the Church of Christ, but also a right and virtuous life, founded on an

unshakable law: the fulfilling of God’s commandments, the permeating of the heart

with humility, meekness and love for one’s neighbor, the rendering of help to the

needy and unfortunate, and the serving of one’s church. The Apostle James teaches:

“Faith without works is dead” (James 2:26). The Lord Jesus Christ Himself, the

future Judge of the whole world, promises to “reward every man according to his

works” (Matt. 16:27). The Apostle Paul testifies that “every man shall receive his

own reward according to his own labor” (1Cor. 3:8). Here is the Orthodox point of

view. Right faith must be expressed in deeds, and deeds must serve as a manifesta-

tion of faith. One must be closely united with the other indissolubly, like soul and

body. This only, then, is the Orthodox, the correct way leading us to God.

Orthodoxy is not only right faith and a life according to faith, but also correct

service to God. Our Lord Jesus Christ expressed the essence of the right worship of

God in these brief but profound words: “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him

must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). Only the inspired divine service of

the Holy Orthodox Church, which is permeated by prayer, has realized this sacred

worship of God in truth. Moreover, Orthodoxy is strict proportionality and

correctness in the manifestations of all the powers of soul and body. In Orthodoxy,

a proper place is allotted to everything: to the intellect, to the wants and needs of

the heart, to the manifestations of man’s free will, to labor and prayer, to abstinence

and watchfulness, in a word, to everything of which man’s life consists.