Church Bulletin - August 25, 2002 - Ninth Sunday of Matthew

Ninth Sunday of Matthew - August 25, 2002
[ Click here for the Bible readings: Titus 1:1-5; Titus 2:15-3:2; Titus 12-15;
Mt 14:22-34]
[ Click here for the Bible readings in Greek ]

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"THERE WAS A MAN SENT FROM GOD, WHOSE NAME WAS JOHN"

Among all of the countless men and women who are venerated as saints in the Holy Orthodox Church, there is one who towers over all of the rest: ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST. He is remembered on our Church Calendar no less than seven times, as we commemorate his Conception, Nativity and Beheading, as well as the first, second and third finding of his head. The day after the Feast of Theophany is designated as the "Synaxis of St. John the Baptist."

St. John the Baptist is viewed by the Church as the "bridge" between the Old and New Testaments. In a real sense, he is considered the last of the prophets. He was the "voice crying in the wilderness" of whom Isaiah foretold: the one who would prepare the world for the coming of the Messiah. Even before John was born, the Archangel Gabriel revealed to his father Zacharias just exactly what role his son would play in God's plan for salvation: "He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." (Luke 1:16-17)

The life of John the Baptist was one of sacrifice and penance. He preached a baptism of repentance, proclaiming the presence of the Savior to a people who had long awaited His coming. It can also be said that his blessed life was crowned by his noble death -- his beheading was a direct result of his fearless condemnation of Herod's sinful, scandalous behavior.

It is no wonder that our Lord had this to say about St. John the Baptist: "AMEN, I SAY TO YOU, AMONG THOSE BORN OF WOMEN, THERE HAS NOT RISEN ONE GREATER THAN JOHN THE BAPTIST." (Matthew 11:11)

KURIAKH Q J MATQAIOU
Barqolomaivou kaiv Tivtou tw`n jApostovlwn

JAnastavsimon jApolutivkion

JEx u{you~ kath`lqe~ oJ eu[splagcno~, tafhvn katedevxw trihvmeron, i{na hJma` ejleuqerwvsh/~ tw`n paqw`n. JH zwhv kaiv hJ ajnavstasi~ hJmw`n, Kuvrie dovxa soi.

NINTH SUNDAY OF MATTHEW
The Apostles Titus and Bartholomew

Resurrection Dismissal Hymn

O Merciful One, You came from on high, and condescended to Your three-day burial to save us from passions. You are our life and our Resurrection. Glory to You.

jApolutivkion tw`n jApostovlwn

jApovstoloi a{gioi, presbeuvsate tw`/ ejlehvmoni Qew`/, i{na ptaismavtwn a[fesin, paravsch/ tai`~ yucai`~ hJmw`n.

Dismissal Hymn of the Apostles

O holy Apostles, intercede to merciful God that he may grant our souls forgiveness of sins.

Qeotokivon

Sev thvn mesiteuvsasan thvn swthrivan tou` gevnou~ hJmw`n, ajnumnou`men Qeotovke Parqevne: ejn th`/ sarkiv gavr th`/ ejk sou` proslhfqeivsh, oJ UiJov~ sou kaiv Qeov~ hJmw`n, tov diav Staurou` katadexavmeno~ pavqo~, ejlutrwvsato hJma`~ ejk fqora`~, wJ~ filavnqrwpo~./

Theotokion

We praise you, Virgin Theotokos, intercessor of our race. In the flesh He received from you, your Son, our loving God, freed us from corruption by condescending to the Passion of the Cross.

jApolutikion tou` JAgivou Nikolavou

Kanovna pivstew~ , kaiv eijkovna praovthto~, ejgkrateiva~ Didavskalon, ajnevdeixev se th`/ poivmnh/ sou, hJ tw`n pragmavtwn ajlhvqeia: diav tou`to ejkthvsw th`/ tapeinwvsei tav uJyhlav, th`/ ptwceiva/ tav plouvsia, Pavter iJeravrca Nikovlae: prevsbeue Cristw`/ tw`/ Qew`/, swqh`nai tav~ yucav~ hJmw`n.

Dismissal Hymn of St. Nicholas

An example of the Faith and a life of humility, as a teacher of abstinence you did inspire and lead your flock and through your truthfulness of your deeds were exalted by greatness through your humility uplifting all and by poverty gaining wealth. Father and hierarch Nicholas intercede with Christ our God that our souls be saved.

Kontavkion

jIwakeivm kaiv [Anna ojneidismou` ajtekniva~, kaiv jAdavm kaiv Eu[a ejk th`~ fqora`~ tou` qanavtou, hjleuqerwvqhsan [Acrante, ejn th`/ aJgiva/ Gennhvsei sou: aujthvn eJortazei kaiv oJ laov~ sou, ejnoch`~ tw`n ptaismavtwn, lutrwqeiv~ ejn tw`/ kravzein soi: JH Stei`ra tivktei thvn Qeotovkon, kaiv trofovn th`~ zwh`~ hJmw`n.

Kontakion

In Your holy birth, Immaculate One, Joachim and Anna were rid of the shame of childlessness; Adam and Eve of the corruption of death. And so your people, free of the guilt of their sins, celebrate crying: "The barren one gives birth to the Theotokos, who nourishes our life."

jjApovstolo~
Prokeivmenon. \Hco~ pl. d j. (Yalmov~ ih j).
Eij~ pa`san thvn gh`n ejxh`lqen oJ fqovggo~ aujtou`.
Stivc. OiJ oujranoiv dihgou`ntai dovxan Qeou`.
Prov~ Tivton jEpistolh`~ Pauvlou tov jAnavgnwsma.
(Kef. A j 1<5, B j 15, G j 1<2, 12<15)

Pau`lo~, dou`lo~ Qeou`, ajpovstolo~ dev jIhsou` Cristou` katav pivstin ejklektw`n Qeou` kaiv ejpivgnwsin ajlhqeiva~ th`~ kat j eujsevbeian ejp j ejlpivdi zwh`~ aijwnivou, h{n ejphggeivlato oJ ajyeudhv~ Qeov~ prov crovnwn aijwnivwn, ejfanevrwse dev kairoi`~ ijdivoi~ tovn lovgon aujtou` ejn khruvgmati o{ ejpisteuvqhn ejgwv kat j ejpitaghvn tou` swth`ro~ hJmw`n Qeou`, Tivtw/ gnhsivw/ tevknw/ katav koinhvn pivstin: cavri~, e[leo~, eijrhvnh ajpov Qeou` patrov~ kaiv Kurivou jIhsou` Cristou` tou` swth`ro~ hJmw`n. Touvtou cavrin katevlipovn se ejn Krhvth/, i{na tav leivponta ejpidiorqwvsh/, kaiv katasthvsh/~ katav povlin presbutevrou~, wJ~ ejgwv soi dietaxavmhn. Tau`ta lavlei kaiv parakavlei kaiv e[legce metav pavsh~ ejpitagh``~: mhdeiv~ sou perifroneivtw. JUpomivmnh/ske aujtouv~ ajrcai`~ kaiv ejxousivai~ uJpotavssesqai, peiqarcei`n, prov~ pa`n e[rgon ajgaqovn eJtoivmou~ ei\nai, mhdevna blasfhmei`n, ajmavcou~ ei\nai, ejpieikei`~, pa`san ejndeiknumevnou~ pra/ovthta prov~ pavnta~ ajnqrwvpou~. {Otan pevmyw jArtema`n prov~ se h[ Tucikovn, spouvdason ejlqei`n prov~ me eij~ Nikovpolin: ejkei` gavr kevkrika paraceimavsai. Zhna`n tovn nomikovn kaiv jApollwv spoudaivw~ provpemyon, i{na mhdevn aujpoi`~ leivph/. Manqanevtwsan dev kaiv oiJ hJmevteroi kalw`n e[rgwn proi?stasqai eij~ tav~ ajnagkaiva~ creiva~, i{na mhv w\sin a[karpoi. jAspavzontaiv se oiJ metav aujtou` pavnte~. [Aspasai touv~ filou`nta~ hJma`~ ejn pivstei. JH cavri~ metav pavntwn uJmw`n: ajmhvn.

Epistle
Prokeimenon. Eighth Tone. Psalm 18.4,1.
Their message goes out through all the earth.
Verse. The heavens declare the glory of God.
The reading is from Saint Paul’s Letter to Titus.
Chapters 1.1-5; 2.15; 3.1-2, 12-15.

PAUL, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth which accord with godliness, in hope of eternal life which God, who never lies, promised ages ago and at the proper time manifested in the word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by command of God our Savior;

To Titus, my true child in common faith:

Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

Declare these things; exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for any honest work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all men.

When I send Artemas or Tychicos to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. Do your best to speed Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they lack nothing. And let our people learn to apply themselves to good deeds, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not to be unfruitful.

All who are with me send greetings to you. Greet those who love us in the faith.

Grace be with you all. Amen.

Eujaggevlion
JEk tou` katav Matqai`on.
Kef. id j (14), 22-34

Tw`/ kairw`/ ejkeivnw/, hjnavgkasen oJ jIhsou``~ touv~ Maqhtav~ aujtou` ejmbh`nai eij~ tov ploi`on, kaiv proavgein aujtovn eij~ tov pevran, e{w~ ou| ajpoluvsh/ touv~ o[clou~. Kaiv ajpoluvsa~ touv~ o[clou~, ajnevbh eij~ tov o[ro~ kat j ijdivan proseuvxasqai. JOyiva~ dev genomevnh~, movno~ h\n ejkei`. Tov dev ploi`on h[dh mevson th`~ qalavssh~ h\n, basanizovmenon uJpov tw`n kumavtwn: h\n gavr ejnantivo~ oJ a[nemo~. Tetavrth/ dev fulakh`/ th`~ nuktov~ ajph`lqe prov~ aujtouv~ oJ jIhsou`~, peripatw`n ejpiv th``~ qalavssh~. Kaiv ijdovnte~ aujtovn oiJ Maqhtaiv ejpiv thvn qavlassan peripatou`nta, ejtaravcqhsan, levgonte~: {Oti favntasmav ejsti: kaiv ajpov tou` fovbou e[kraxan: Eujqevw~ dev ejlavlhsen oJ jIhsou`~, levgwn: Qarsei`te: ejgwv eijmi: mhv fobei`sqe. JApokriqeiv~ dev aujtw`/ oJ Pevtro~, ei\pe: Kuvrie, suv ei\, kevleusovn me prov~ sev ejlqei`n ejpiv tav u{data. JO dev ei\pen: jElqev. Kaiv katabav~ ajpov tou` ploivou oJ Pevtro~, periepavthsen ejpiv tav u{data, ejlqei`n prov~ tovn jIhsou`n. Blevpwn dev tovn a[nemon ijscurovn, ejfobhvqh: kaiv ajrxavmeno~ katapontivzesqai, e[kraxe, levgwn: Kuvrie, sw`sovn me. Eujqevw~ dev oj jIhsou`~ ejkteivna~ thvn cei`ra, ejpelavbeto aujtou`, kaiv levgei aujtw`/: jOligovpiste, eij~ tiv ejdivstasa~_ Kaiv ejmbavntwn aujtw`n eij~ tov ploi`on, ejkovpasen oJ a[nemo~. OiJ dev ejn tw`/ ploivw/, ejlqovnte~ prosekuvnhsan aujtw`/, levgonte~: jAlhqw`~ Qeou` UiJov~ ei\. Kaiv diaperavsante~, h\lqon eij~ thvn gh`n Gennhsarevt.

Gospel
From the Gospel according to St. Matthew
Chapter 14: 22-34

At that time, Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was out on the sea, beaten by the waves; for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. But immediately he spoke to them, saying, "Take heart, it is I; have no fear."

And Peter answered him, "Lord if it is you, bid me come to you on the water. " He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus; but when he saw the strong wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me." Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, "O man of little faith, why did you doubt?" And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshipped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."

And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret.

St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church
1260 Davis Street, San Jose, California 95126