Church Bulletin - December 8, 2002 - Tenth Sunday of Luke

Tenth Sunday of Luke - December 8, 2002
[ Click here for the Bible readings: Eph 2:14-22; Lk 13:10-17]
[ Click here for the Bible readings in Greek ]

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"A MODEL FOR HIERARCHS"

Few saints are as popular as St. Nicholas, who is held in high esteem by both the Eastern and Western Church. He is known as the Patron Saint of children, and this beloved saint will forever be associated with being the "real Santa Claus!" There is another "side" to St. Nicholas, however, which is often overshadowed by the legends and myths that are attached to his life: St. Nicholas was a respected hierarch and brilliant theologian.

St. Nicholas was born at the turn of the 4th century in the town of Patara in Asia Minor. After the death of his parents, Nicholas entered a monastery near Myra. In short order, Nicholas was ordained a deacon and then a priest. His talents and abilities were obvious to the other monks, and soon Nicholas was named Abbot of the monastery. When the Archbishop of Myra died, Nicholas was his logical successor.

Like many of his contemporaries, St. Nicholas suffered persecution from the hands of the Romans. He was able to see the Church emerge victorious from its 300-year struggle against paganism when Constantine the Great gave his formal approval to Christianity. When the First Ecumenical Council was convened in Nicea in 325 A.D. to combat the heresy of Arius, St. Nicholas was one of those present. When Arius - an Alexandrian priest - tried to convince the Church Fathers that Christ was NOT "of one essence with the Father," but rather a CREATION of the Father, an enraged Nicholas struck the heretic in the face! Such was the depth of his love for the true teachings of the Church. It is no wonder that St. Nicholas is referred to in our hymnology as "a model for hierarchs."

KURIAKH I J LOUKA
Patapivou tou` JOsivou

Anastavsimon jApolutivkion

Katevlusa~ tw`/ Staurw`/ sou tovn qavnaton: hjnevw/xa~ tw`/ Lhsth`/ tovn paravdeison: tw`n murofovrwn tovn qrh`non metevbale~: kaiv toi`~ soi`~ jApostovloi~ khruvttein ejpevtaxa~: o{ti ajnevsth~, Cristev oJ Qeov~, parevcwn tw`/ kovsmw/ tov mevga e[leo~.

TENTH SUNDAY OF LUKE
Patapios the Venerable

Resurrection Dismissal Hymn

By Your Cross, O Christ our God, You destroyed death. You opened paradise to the thief. You transformed the lament of the Myrrh-bearing women, and You commanded the Apostles to proclaim You are risen, granting the world Your great mercy.

Qeotokivon

jJJW~ th``~ hJmw`n ajnastavsew~ qhsauvrisma, touv~ ejpiv soiv pepoiqovta~, panuvmnhte, ejk lavkkou kaiv buqou` ptaismavtwn ajnavgage. Suv gavr touv~ uJpeuquvnou~ th`/ aJmartiva/ e[swsa~, tekou`sa thvn swthrivan, hJ prov tovkou Parqevno~ kaiv ejn tovkw/ Parqevno~, kaiv metav tovkon pavlin ou|sa Parqevno~.

Theotokion

Treasury of our Resurrection, you are most praised. Lead us who trust in you from out of the pit and the depths of our offenses. By giving birth to Salvation, you saved those responsible for sin. You remained a virgin prior, a virgin during, and a virgin after the giving of birth: a virgin forever.

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

JJH Parqevno~ shvmeron, tovn proaiwvnion Lovgon, ejn sphlaivw/ e[rcetai, ajpotekei`n ajporrhvtw~. Covreue , hJ oijkoumevnh ajkoutisqei`sa, dovxason, metav jAggevlwn kaiv tw`n Poimevnwn, boulhqevnta ejpofqh`nai, paidivon nevon, tovn proj aijwvnwn Qeovn.

Kontakion

Today the Virgin comes to the cave to ineffably give birth, to the eternal Logos. Hearkening to this, rejoice, O Universe, with the angels and shepherds glorify Him, the God before all ages, who willed to be beheld as a young child.

jjApovstolo~
Prokeivmenon. \Hco~ baruv~. (Yalmov~ kh j).
Kuvrio~ ijscuvn tw`/ law`/ aujtou` dwvsei.
Stivc. jEnevgkate tw`/ Kurivw/ uiJoiv Qeou`,...
ejnevgkate tw`/ Kurivw/ dovxan kaiv timhvn.
Prov~ jEfesivou~ jEpistolh``~ Pauvlou
tov jAnavgnwsma.
Kef. b j 14<22

jjjjjAdelfoiv, Cristov~ ejstin hJ eijrhvnh hJmw`n, oJ poihvsa~ tav ajmfovtera e{n kaiv tov mesovtoicon tou` fragmou` luvsa~, thvn e[cqran, ejn th`/ sarkiv aujtou` tovn novmon tw`n ejntolw`n ejn dovgmasi katarghvsa~, I{na touv~ duvo ktivsh/ ejn eJautw`/ eij~ e{na kainovn a[nqrwpon poiw`n eijrhvnhn kaiv ajpokatallavxh/ touv~ ajmfotevrou~ ejn eJniv swvmati tw`/ Qew`/ diav tou` staurou`, ajpokteivna~ thvn e[cqran ejn aujtw`/: kaiv ejlqwvn eujhggelivsato eijrhvnhn uJmi`n toi`~ makravn kaiv toi`~ ejgguv~, o{ti di j aujtou` e[comen thvn prosagwghvn oiJ ajmfovteroi ejn eJniv pneuvmati prov~ tovn patevra. [Ara ou\n oujkevti ejste xevnoi kaiv pavroikoi, ajllav sumpoli`tai tw`n aJgivwn kaiv oijkei`oi tou` Qeou`, ejpoikodomhqevnte~ ejpiv tw`/ qemeleivw/ tw`n ajpostovlwn kaiv profhtw`n, o[nto~ ajkrogwniaivou aujtou` jIhsou` Cristou`, ejn w|/ pa`sa oijkodomhv aunarmologoumevnh au[xei eij~ naovn aJgion ejn Kurivw/: ejn w|/ kaiv uJmei`~ sunoikodomei`sqe eij~ katoikhthvrion tou` Qeou` ejn Pneuvmati.

Epistle
Prokeimenon. Seventh Tone. Psalm 28.11, 1.
The Lord will give strength to his people.
Verse. Bring to the Lord, O sons of God,
bring to the Lord honor and glory.
The reading is from Saint Paul’s Letter
to the Ephesians.
Chapter 2: 14-22

Brethren, for he is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Eujaggevlion
JEk tou` katav Louka`n.
Kef. ig j (13), 10<17.

Tw`/ kairw`/ ejkeivnw/, h\n didavskwn oJ jIhsou`~ ejn mia`/ tw`n Sunagwgw`n ejn toi`~ Savbbasi. Kaiv ijdouv, gunhv h\n pneu`ma e[cousa ajsqeneiva~ e[th devka kaiv ojktwv, kaiv h\n sugkuvptousa, kaiv mhv dunamevnh ajnaku`yai eij~ tov pantelev~. JIdwvn dev aujthvn oJ jIhsou`~, prosefwvnhse, kaiv ei\pen aujth`/: Gu`nai, ajpolevlusai th`~ ajsqeneiva~ sou: kaiv ejpevqhken aujth`/ tav~ cei`ra~: kaiv paracrh`ma ajnwrqwvqh, kaiv ejdovxaze tovn Qeovn. JApokriqeiv~ dev oJ ajrcisunavgwgo~, ajganaktw`n o{ti tw`/ Sabbavtw/ ejqeravpeusen oJ jIhsou`~, e[lege tw`/ o[clw/: {Ex hJmevrai eijsivn, ejn ai|~ dei` ejrgavzesqai: ejn touvtai~ ou\n ejrcovmenoi qerapeuvesqe, kaiv mhv th`/ hJmevra/ tou` Sabbavtou. JApekrivqh ou\n aujtw`/ oJ Kuvrio~, kaiv ei\pen: JUpokritav, e{kasto~ uJmw`n tw`/ Sabbavtw/ ouj luvei tovn bou`n aujtou`, h[ tovn o[non ajpov th`~ favtnh~, kaiv ajpagagwvn potivzei; tauvthn dev, qugatevra jAbraavm ou\san, h{n e[dhsen oJ Satana`~, ijdouv devka kaiv ojktwv e[th, oujk e[dei luqh`nai ajpov tou` desmou` touvtou th`/ hJmevra/ tou` Sabbavtou; Kaiv tau`ta levgonto~ aujtou` kath/scuvnonto pavnte~ oiJ ajntikeivmenoi aujtw`/, kaiv pa`~ oJ o[clo~ e[cairen ejpiv pa`si toi`~ ejndovxoi~ toi`~ ginomevnoi~ ujp jaujtou`.

Gospel
From The Gospel according to St. Luke
Chapter 13: 10-17

At that time, Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity for fifteen years; She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her and said to her, "Woman, you are freed from your infirmity." And he laid his hands upon her, and immediately she was made straight, and she praised God. Bur the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, "There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day." Then the Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger, and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day? As he said this, all his adversaries were put to shame; and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.

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