Icon of Healing the Boy with a Demon

Fourth Sunday of the Great Fast Sunday of St. John Climacus

Great Vespers for Sunday for Fourth Sunday of Great LentSaturday, March 10, 2018 Service begins on page 1 of the Office of VespersPsalm 103 “Bless the Lord, O My Soul” Version A Pg 2 Version with melodyLamp-Lighting Psalms & Great Incensation Tone 7 Pg 92 HandoutHymns of Vespers (Resurrection)Hymns of (4th Sunday of Great Lent) Glory… Tone 5 Pg 2 HandoutDogmatikon (Resurrection) Now and ever… Tone 7 Pg 98 HandoutProkeimenon Tone 7 Pg 13 Vespers BookO.T. Reading – Genesis 41:14-31Hymn of Glorification Pg 14 Vespers BookApostica (Resurrection) Tone 7 Pp 99-100 HandoutApostica (4th Sunday of Great Lent) Tone 2 Pg 3 HandoutApostica Theotokion (Resurrection) Tone 8 Pg 67 HandoutTroparion (Resurrection) Tone 7 Pg 101 HandoutTroparion (4th Sunday of Great Lent) Glory… Tone 4 Pg 4 HandoutTheotokion (Resurrection) Tone 7 Pg 101 Handout

Divine Liturgy of St. Basil for Fourth Sunday of Great LentSaturday, March 10 & Sunday, March 11, 2018Service begins on page 11 of the Green Book (Beattitudes taken)First & Second Typical Psalm Version A Pp 16-17 Hymn of the Incarnation Version A Pg 18Beatitudes Pp 23-24 Entrance Hymn Version A Pg 25Troparion (Resurrection) Tone 7 Pg 156Troparion (4th Sunday of Great Lent) Tone 4 Pg 226Kontakion (4th Sunday of Great Lent) Tone 4 Pg 226Prokimenon (Resurrection) Tone 7 Pg 158Prokimenon (4th Sunday of Great Lent) Tone 8 Pg 226Alleluia (Resurrection) Tone 7 Pg 158Alleluia (4th Sunday of Great Lent) Tone 4 Pp 227Let us Who Mystically Version B Pg 33 Nicene Creed Version A Pg 51Holy, Holy, Holy & Amen (St. Basil Liturgy) Version A Pg 96-97We Praise You (Anamnesis) (St. Basil Liturgy)Version A Pg 98Magnification Pg 99-101Our Father Tone 1 Pg 66Communion Hymn (3rd Sunday of Great Lent)Version A Pg 225 We Have Seen the True Light Version A Pg 82May Our Mouth Be Filled Version A Pg 84Blessed Be the Name Version A Pg 88

ANNOUNCEMENTS

2018 BYZANTINE CATHOLIC EPARCHY BISHOP’S APPEAL GOAL $35,750- As of February 23 the Eparchy of Phoenix has received 45 pledges and payments out of 135 registered households. Every regis-tered member must participate. The assessed household goal is $275.00. If you have not made your pledge yet, we encourage you to do so. Your pledge is an expression of your solidarity with the Eparchy of Phoenix. The funds are used to support the spiritual and financial administrative needs of the Eparchy. As of today our remaining goal is only $11,372.00. Remember that you can use your credit card to make payments for your pledge. Please remember to make your check to the Eparchy of Phoenix. Thank you!

LENTEN RUMMAGE SALE THIS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY We need gently used clothes, accessories, fur-niture, electronics, and toys, dishes, and tools to help make this year’s rummage sale a success. Proceeds will go to painting the church exterior. Volunteers are needed. Please call the parish office before coming to drop off your items. Thank you for your support!

HOUSE BLESSINGS ARE STILL AVAILABLE In today’s chaotic society, we often forget the importance to have our homes cleansed of all negative energy and blessed with holy water to ward off all evil spirits and fill your home with the powerful blessing of Almighty God. See Fr. Diodoro to schedule your house blessing, don’t delay it’s never too late.

2018 ALL SOULS SATURDAYS are almost over. Please see if your family is on the All Souls list that is at-tached, if not, do let us know by calling or emailing us. Your loved ones need our prayers. Thank you.

TWO MORE MONDAY REFLECTIONS & SOUP DINNERS REMAINING March 12 & 19. Please join us for our Lenten reflections beginning at 6:30 PM for 45 minutes. We provide the soup and you provide the bread. The next talks left will be on Repentance and St. John Climacus. All are welcome!

THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO HELPED PREPARE, WORKED DURING & AFTER THE FISH FRY& PIROHI DINNER THIS PAST FRIDAY!!

PLEASE COME AND SUPPORT OUR EFFORTS OF THE FISH FRY & PIROHI DINNER BY COMING TO HAVE DINNER WITH YOUR FAMILY & FRIENDS. THANK YOU!!

NEW PAINT FOR THE CHURCH EXTERIOR As part of our Jubilee anniversary and a partial grant we are receiving, we need to paint the Cathedral. The existing paint is peeling and is too monochromatic. The blue metal siding will remain and a lighter color will be selected. It has been decided to have the Parish Advisory Council give feedback. Thank you.

ONLINE GIVING IS HERE! Please go to our website. http://www.stsbcc.org/giving and press the donate button. “As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” (1 Peter 4:10) Here are reasons to sign up for Electronic Giving: 1) No need to write checks or bring cash to church. 2) More secure than checks. 3) All contributions are recorded for you on your bank statement with date of settlement. 4) IT COSTS YOU NOTHING.

Online Giving is offered for Both St Stephens Byzantine Cathedral & the Eparchy of Phoenix(You can make your Bishop’s Appeal Payment online!) Thank you!

NEW LED LIGHTS are still being installed. Every building in the seven acre complex is getting these low energy and cost effecting light bulbs. Many of the fixtures are being replaced due to the age of the lighting system. In addition, new lighting fixtures are being installed where needed. APS is providing a $12,000 rebate, a grant is sponsoring $7,000 and the parish and Eparchy is covering the difference.

COVERAGE OF OUR LADY OF WISDOM ITALO-GREEK CHURCH IN LAS VEGAS- As most of you know by now, Bishop John and the clergy here at the Cathedral and the Eparchial Offices have been going up to Las Vegas to take care of Our Lady of Wisdom during the illness and subsequent death of +Archimandrite Francis Vivona. We ask you to keep the parishioners of Our Lady of Wisdom and the hierarchy and clergy who will continue to serve the parish until a perma-nent pastor or administrator is appointed by Bishop John in your prayer. Here is a revised sched-ule of the dates when our clergy will be serving at Our Lady of Wisdom:

March 2- March 11: Fr. JoeMarch 16- March 18: Msgr. Kevin March 23- April 3: Fr. Diodoro

Coming Events – Mark Your Calendars

Monday, March 12- “Repentance” at 6:30 PM followed by Soup Dinner in Parish Hall

Friday, March 16-GCU Matching Funds Rummage Sale for Painting of Church Exterior & Bell 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Saturday, March 17- GCU Rummage Sale for Painting of Church Exterior & Bell 8 AM – 1 PM

Sunday, March 18- Parish 50th Jubilee Committee Meeting after 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy

Monday, March 19- “St. John of Climacus” at 6:30 PM followed by Soup Dinner in Parish Hall

This Week’s Candle Intention

Eternal Lamp- + Fr. Wes Izer Resurrection: Mark D. Chapa

Our Weekly Gifts to the Lord—May the Lord bless your kindness and generosity!

Saturday: 4 PM: 19/ 9 AM: 124Weekdays: 44

Tithes: $4,165.51 Candles: $42.16 Gift Shop: $.50 Coffee Social: $15.00Holy days: $30.00 Easter Flowers: 155.00 Bishop’s Appeal: $2,820.00 Total: $1,814.09 (We have 134 registered families and 36 families donated tithes & other collections)

February INCOME:Sunday Offerings-$8,624.06Easter Offerings-$50.00Votive Candle Offerings-$222.69Total Ordinary Income-$8,896.75*Fish Fry, Gift Shop, and Baked goods are not reflected in these totals as they extra fundraising causes.

February EXPENSES:General Administrative Expense-$6,482.01Personnel Salary & Benefits-$3,400.00Church Building Operating Expense-$1,378.44Hall Operating Expense-$1,762.53Rectory Operating Expense-$2,015.31Convent Operating Expense-$240.11Total Ordinary Expense-$15,278.40

Total Net Ordinary Income-$-6,381.65

Sun.3/11

3:00 pm4:00 pm9:00 am

Fourth Sunday of Great Lent/St. John ClimacusO.T. Reading-Genesis 41:14-31 Epistle- Hebrews 6:13-20 Gospel- Mark 9:17-31Vespers of Great LentIntention of +Fr. Michael Mondik by Joseph Gal-lucciIntention of Parishioners of St. Stephen Cathedral

Tone 7

Fr. DiodoroFr. David

Msgr. Kevin

Mon 3/129:00 am6:30 pm

Theophane-Venerable-ConfessorMatins of Great LentLenten Reflection “Repentance” & Soup Supper

Fr. DiodoroDeacon John

Tues 3/139:00 am

Translation of the Relics of Nicephorus-PatriarchTerce-Sext

Fr. Joe

Wed 3/147:00 pm

Benedict-VenerableLiturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts

Fr. Diodoro

Thurs 3/15 Great Canon of the Saint Andrew of CreteNo Services (Clergy attending Religious Education Congress

Pray for us.

Fri 3/167:30pm

Sabinus & Papas MartyrsLiturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts

Fr. Joe

Sat 3/179:00 am

Akathistos SaturdayAkathist to the Most Holy Theotokos

Fr. Joe

Sun 3/18Sat 3:00pmSat 4:00pmSun 9:00am

Fifth Sunday of Great Lent / St. Mary of EgyptVespers of Great LentIntention of +Fr. Wes Izer by Joseph GallucciIntention of Parishioners of St. Stephen Cathedral

Tone 8Fr. JoeFr. DavidFr. Joe

Special Intentions: Erwin Armada, Barbara Dugan, Joanie Mahar, Helen Furka, Vincent Rice,McCarthy Family, Gemma Hillman, Marti Lopez, Kathleen Linkowsky, Betty Geletey, Richard Gable, Robert King, Ann Ryan, Chris Faix, Robyn Foy and Elaine Browne, Mark Chapa, Mike Chapa and Iliana Villegas.

May the Lord rest His healing hand on His servants and hear their requests:Mary Rabayda, Jane Walsh, Steve Durkit, Dorothy Dumnich, Richard Reese, Chris Balsz, Sr. Christopher OSBM, Dorothy Bezeredi, Carlene Eneroth, Fred Way, Sharon White, Nancy Sandrock, Marlene Rolling, Bob Dugan, Cathy Milko, Michael Dougherty, Widad Butty, Clementina Mendoza,Nicholas Stefaniak Sr., Mary Popovich, Dan Palaschak, Michael Sherwood, Christina Toth,Liz Kol, Evelyn Sopiak, Deacon Craig Anderson, Nicholas Toth, Michelle Montalvo, Nicholas Oprendek, Dennis Milko, Karen Kol, Gabriel Papke, Audry Bacha, Kathleen Wursta and Fr. Andriy Chirovsky

FOURTH SUNDAY OF GREAT LENT / ST. JOHN CLIMACUS

OLD TESTAMENT READING AT VESPERS

GENESIS 41:14-31 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon; and when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came in before Pharaoh. 15 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it; and I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” Joseph answered Pharaoh, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.” Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Behold, in my dream I was standing on the banks of the Nile; and seven cows, fat and sleek, came up out of the Nile and fed in the reed grass; and seven other cows came up after them, poor and very gaunt and thin, such as I had never seen in all the land of Egypt. And the thin and gaunt cows ate up the first seven fat cows, but when they had eaten them no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were still as gaunt as at the beginning. Then I awoke. I also saw in my dream seven ears growing on one stalk, full and good; and seven ears, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprouted after them, and the thin ears swallowed up the seven good ears. And I told it to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.”Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dream of Pharaoh is one; God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years; the dream is one. The seven lean and gaunt cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty ears blighted by the east wind are also seven years of famine. It is as I told Pharaoh, God has shown to Pha-raoh what he is about to do. There will come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt, but after them there will arise seven years of famine, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; the famine will consume the land, and the plenty will be unknown in the land by reason of that famine which will follow, for it will be very grievous.

FOURTH SUNDAY OF GREAT LENT / ST. JOHN CLIMACUS

EPISTLE: HEBREWS 6:13-20For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” 15 And thus Abraham, having patiently en-dured, obtained the promise. Men indeed swear by a greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he interposed with an oath, so that through two unchange-able things, in which it is impossible that God should prove false, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us. 19 We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

GOSPEL - MARK 9:17-31 And one of the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a dumb spirit; and wherever it seizes him, it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able. ”And he answered them, “O faithless genera-tion, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” And they brought the boy to him; and when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, “How long has he had this?” And he said, “From childhood. And it has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us.” And Jesus said to him, “If you can! All things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You dumb and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again.” And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse; so that most of them said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting.” They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he would not have any one know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he will rise

St. John Climacus and the Ladder of Divine AscentThe Scala Paradisi ("Ladder of Divine Ascent" or Klimax (from which the name "John Climacus" was derived)), John's textbook of practical spirituality, is addressed to anchorites and cenobites, and treats of the means by which the highest degree of religious perfection may be attained. Divided into thirty parts ("steps") in memory of the thirty years of the hidden life of Christ, it presents a picture of the virtuous life of an idealized ascetic, brought into sharp focus through the use of a great many parables and historical touches. Unlike many spiritual texts, whose meaning is often obfuscated through mystical language, the Scala is notable for its practical, incremental approach to theosis (the divinization of the mortal flesh). To this end, it is one of the first Christian texts to recommend the practice of Hesychasm—the quelling of internal conflicts and stimuli in the service of spiritual ends. As suggested in the Scala, "Hesychasm is the enclosing of the bodiless mind (nous) in the bodily house of the body."Further, the book discusses monastic virtues and vices and holds dispassionateness (apatheia) as the ulti-mate contemplative and mystical good for an observant Christian. This attitude is pithily presented in the second "step" of the ladder, "On Detachment":If you truly love God and long to reach the kingdom that is to come, if you are truly pained by your failings and are mindful of punishment and of the eternal judgment, if you are truly afraid to die, then it will not be possible to have an attachment, or anxiety, or concern for money, for possessions, for family relation-ships, for worldly glory, for love and brotherhood, indeed for anything of earth. All worry about one's con-dition, even for one's body, will be pushed aside as hateful. Stripped of all thought of these, caring nothing about them, one will turn freely to Christ. One will look to heaven and to the help coming from there, as in the scriptural sayings: "I will cling close to you" (Ps. 62:9) and "I have not grown tired of following you nor have I longed for the day or the rest that man gives" (Jer. 17:16).It would be a very great disgrace to leave everything after we have been called—and called by God, not man—and then to be worried about something that can do us no good in the hour of our need, that is, of our death. This is what the Lord meant when He told us not to turn back and not to be found useless for the kingdom of heaven. He knew how weak we could be at the start of our religious life, how easily we can turn back to the world when we associate with worldly people or happen to meet them. That is why it happened that when someone said to Him, "Let me go away to bury my father," He answered, "Let the dead bury the dead" (Matt. 8:22).

The teachings of the Scala were sufficiently prominent to justify their visual representation in iconic form (as seen below). These icons generally depict several people climbing a ladder; at the top is Jesus, prepared to receive the climbers into Heaven. Also shown are angels helping the climbers, and demons attempting to shoot with arrows or drag down the climbers, no matter how high up the ladder they may be.

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Fourth Sunday of Great Lent / St. John Climacus March 11, 2018 Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory to Him Forever! Welcome to Saint Stephen Byzantine Catholic Cathedral. We are delighted you have come to pray with us. Our Church follows the teachings of Jesus Christ as found in the Gospel and passed on to us through the teachings of the Holy Apostles and Holy Tradition.Saint Stephen Byzantine Catholic Cathedral8141 North 16th Street, Front Sunday Divine Liturgy Phoenix, Arizona 85020-3950 Saturday 4:00 PM Office: 602.943.5379 Fax 602.997.4093 Sunday 9:00 AM Website www.stsbcc.org Weekday Services See Bulletin

Served by: Most Rev. John S. Pazak, CSsR., BishopMost Reverend Gerald N. Dino, Bishop Emeritus

Very Rev. Diodoro Mendoza, Rector – rectorss@eparchyofphoenix.orgRev. Joseph Hutsko, Vice-Rector – huts1009@gmail.com

Very Rev. Archpriest David M. Petras, RetiredMsgr. Kevin McAuliffe, In Residence

Deacon John Montalvo - Deacon James Danovich - Deacon Adam LoweParish Advisory Council Served by: Parish Finance Council Served by:Mary Beth Foster Sean Grimes Peyton Becktold John Surmay Dolores Sugen

Jessica Kostyun Joanie Mahar Basil Rabayda Nicholas Stefaniak III Simon Marmol Ann Zlamal Jennifer Landis Msgr. Kevin McAuliffe