Sixth Sunday of Pascha: Sunday of the Blind Man
& Third Discovery of the Forerunner’s Honorable Head
Martyr Celestine of Rome; Hieromartyr Therapon, bishop of Cyprus
Christ is Risen; Truly He is Risen!
Thought for Today: “Visit the temple of God more often, especially during tribulation: stand well in some dark corner, pray and cry heartily. And the Lord will certainly comfort you. And you say: Lord, I thought that there was no way out of my grave situation, but You, Lord, helped me! Narrow and sorrowful is the path that leads to eternal life.”
– St. Barsanuphis of Optina
The Epistle
The righteous shall rejoice in the Lord. O God, hear my voice.
The Reading from the Second Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians. (4:6-15)
Brethren, it is the God Who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” Who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. While we live we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So, death is at work in us, but life in you. Since we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we too believe, and so we speak, knowing that He Who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into His presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
The Gospel
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. John. (9:1-38)
At that time, when Jesus was passing, he saw a man blind from his birth. And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be made manifest in him. I must work the works of Him who sent Me, while it is day; night comes, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” As he said this, he spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and anointed the man’s eyes with the clay, saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam,” which means “Sent.” So he went and washed and came back seeing. The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar, said, “Is not this the man who used to sit and beg?” Some said, “It is he;” others said, “No, but he is like him.” He said, “I am the man.” They said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” He answered, “The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash’; so I went and washed and received my sight.” They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.” They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. The Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” There was a division among them. So they again said to the blind man, “What do you say about Him, since He has opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.” The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight, and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” His parents answered, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself.” His parents said this because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue. Therefore, his parents said, “He is of age, ask him.” So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him, “Give God the praise; we know that this man is a sinner.” He answered, “Whether he is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I know, that though I was blind, now I see.” They said to him, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?” He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you too want to become His disciples?” And they reviled him, saying, “You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where He comes from.” The man answered, “Why, this is a marvel! You do not know where He comes from, and yet He opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, God listens to him. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.” They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out. Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him He said, “Do you believe in the Son of God?” He answered, “And who is He, Sir, that I may believe in Him?” Jesus said to him, “You have seen Him, and it is He who speaks to you.” He said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped Him.
Receiving the Eucharist:We invite you to receive the Holy Eucharist if you are an Orthodox Christian who has prepared yourself through fasting, prayer, and recent confession. If you are not Orthodox, or are Orthodox but have not prepared, we invite you to receive a piece of the blessed bread in the wooden bowls held by the altar servers at the front of the church.
The Eisodikon (Entrance) of Pascha
In the gathering places bless ye God the Lord, from the springs of Israel. Save us, O Son of God, Who art risen from the dead, who sing to Thee: Alleluia.
Resurrectional Apolytikion – Tone 5
Let us believers praise and worship the Word; coeternal with the Father and the Spirit, born of the Virgin for our salvation. For, He took pleasure in ascending the Cross in the flesh to suffer death; and to raise the dead by His glorious Resurrection.
Apolytikion of the Forerunner’s Head Dioscovery – Tone 4
Christ God hath revealed to us thy truly ven’rable head * as a divine treasure that had been concealed in the earth, O Prophet and Forerunner. * Wherefore, as we gather on the feast of its finding, * with our hymns inspired of God, we praise Christ the Savior, * Who by thy mighty prayers saveth us from every kind of harm.
The Kontakion of Pascha – Tone 8
Though Thou didst descend into the grave, O Immortal One, yet didst Thou destroy the power of Hades, and didst arise as victor, O Christ God, calling to the myrrh-bearing women, Rejoice, and giving peace unto Thine Apostles, O Thou Who dost grant resurrection to the fallen.
Alaska Mission Support: Fr. Peter Jon, Christian, Nina and Gregory Gillquist plan to participate in a mission trip to Kodiak Island, Alaska, where they will be assisting with repairs to St. Herman’s Monastery. They leave July 26 and return August 5. The total cost for the trip is $8,000, of which they have raised $3,000. If you would like to be part of this blessed mission by contributing to the cost of their travels, please donate online (https://www.allsaintsbloomington.org/make-a-donation/) and deginate your donation “Alaska Mission.” You may also donate in-person at All Saints. Thank you for your support!
This Week
Monday, May 26: 3rd Hour Prayers at 9:00 am.
Tuesday, May 27: Divine Liturgy at 9:00am.
Wednesday, May 28: Vesperal Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Ascension at 6:00 pm; teaching, fellowship meal to follow.
Thursday, May 29: NO service.
Friday, May 30: Divine Liturgy at 9:00 am; OC life Akathist the Protection of the Theotokos at 6:00 pm.
Saturday, May 31: Bible Study, 10:00 am; Great Vespers at 5:00 pm, ask Abouna to follow; Jr. and Teen SOYO at 6:30 pm.
Sunday, June 1: Matins at 9:00 am, Divine Liturgy at 10:00 am.
Family News
Name Day Celebration: John Labban, John the forerunner (25th); Tristan Rigsby, Alexander of Alexandria (29th); McKenzie Hall, Dymphna (30th).
Birthday Celebration: Daniel Schuck (25th); Aurora Skinner (26th); Audrey Hall (26th); Thomas Stucker (27th); Basil Konnersman (28th); Maeghan Lanaghan (29th);
Prayer List: Cathy; Heather; Kh. Parasheva; Hal (rehab); Scott and Jackie; Jim and Lisa; Taylor;Fr. Athanasius; Fr. Jerome; Fr. Basil; Fr. Matthew; Marvin; Nectaria;Shu-Mei,Charlie;Shirley; Jim;Jan; Don and Dee; those suffering the war in Ukraine, and the Middle East; Peace talks; our nation and all schools: children, youth and personnel across the nation; Mary Ann; Emma; Bob & Bonnie Thelen; Josiah; Jack; Christopher; Wadia; Jayci; Patricia; Kitsa; Apthrodite; Kim; Kristy; Vicki;Kenzie; Dusty; Cari; Betsy; Josh; Allison; Dn. Lawrence, Marcia; Missy; Andrew; Isaac; Leanne; Heather; Nancy; Sharon Catherine; Neumann Seraphim; Michael, Olga, Eileen, Soren, Kathy; Lexi, Ross, Vivian; Theo; Jeremy; Elias; Waded; Seraphima; Lilly’s family; Jennifer; Christy; John; Stanley; Macrina and infant Ivana; Allen; Linda; Allison and children; Kip; Hermione with child, Evan; Catherine with child; Victoria with child; Evan; Hannah and children.
Memory Eternal: Armondo, Archimandrite Panteleimon, Carole.
All Saints’ Sunday Meal:
Today, Sunday: 4th Sunday Host Robertson- Yeager, with Rhonda Webb as lead hostess.
Next week:. 1st Sunday Host A-Coats, with Martha Barbarick as lead hostess
Giving Opportunities:
Food Pantry: Thank you for the generous support.Our in-houseFood Pantry is available to parish members as well as families and individuals in the community of Bloomington. Donations of nonperishable items of pasta, marinara sauce, peanut butter, canned chicken and Tuna, canned vegetables, canned fruit and soups are always a great blessing.
Mission Donations: We send monthly support to two missionary units in Albania, the Hoppe family and Hannah Valentine. We welcome and encourage you to contribute to their ongoing support.
Benevolence Fund: Donations may be made to this fund throughout the year and are mainly used to support families in need of help with rent and utilities payments.
Donations to the church are being made online at www.allsaintsbloomington.org and by U.S mail. Many thanks to all who continue supporting All Saints.