Church Bulletin - December 15, 2002 - Eleventh Sunday of Luke

Eleventh Sunday of Luke - December 15, 2002
[ Click here for the Bible readings: 2 Tim 1:8-18; Lk 14:16-24]
[ Click here for the Bible readings in Greek and English ]

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THE PROPHETS: INSPIRED ME OF GOD

Who were the prophets? They are often mistakenly thought of as being nothing more than fortune tellers and soothsayers. While they were given a certain amount of insight into the future of God, the prophets of the Old Testament were called by the Lord for far greater work.

The people of Israel had become a nation. They had been delivered from slavery in Egypt, and had been given God's Laws to follow. God's chosen people, however, were constantly forgetting their promises to God, falling back into a life marked by immorality. Time and again, the Israelites needed to be reminded of their dependence on the One True God. This, then, was the role of the prophets: they were sent by God to bring His people back to Him.

The prophets and their message were generally not well-received by those to whom they were sent. Despite being met with opposition and persecution, they continued to fearlessly condemn the morals of their own day, stressing a need to repent and return to the life that the Israelites had abandoned.

It was also the role of some of the prophets to tell of the coming of the Messiah. Christ would one day show that He was truly the Fulfillment of all of the messianic prophecies.

Depicted on the cover of today's Church Bulletin (shown above), along with King David and King Solomon, are the following prophets: Isaiah, Daniel, Habakkuk, Joel and Zechariah. Several prophets are commemorated during the Nativity Fast to further emphasize the connection of their words and writings and the Birth of our Lord.

KURIAKH IA J LOUKA
TWN AGIWN PROPATORWN
jEleuqerivou JIeromavrturo~

Anastavsimon 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.

ELEVENTH SUNDAY OF LUKE
THE HOLY FOREFATHERS
Eleftherios the Priest-martyr

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 tou` JAgivou jEleuqerivou

JIerevwn podhvrei katakosmouvmeno~, kaiv aiJmavtwn toi`~ reivqroi~ ejpistazovmeno~, tw`/ Despovth/ sou Cristw`/ mavkar ejnevdrame~, jElauqevrie sofev, kaqairevta tou` Satavn. Diov mhv pauvsh/ presbeuvwn, uJpevr tw`n pistei timwvntwn, thvn makarivan sou a[qlhsin.

Dismissal Hymn of Saint Eleftherios

Adorned with flowing priestly vesture and with dripping streams of blood you at once went to your Lord Christ, O blessed wise Eleftherios, annihilator of Satan. Wherefore, do not cease to intercede for those who honor your blessed struggles in faith.

jApolutikion tw`n propatovrwn

JEn pivstei touv~ propavtora~ ejdikaivwsa~, thvn ejx ejqnw`n di j aujtw`n, promnhsteusavmeno~ jEkklhsivan. Kaucw`ntai ejn doxh/ oiJ {Agioi, o{ti ejk spevrmato~ aujtw`n, uJpavrcei karpov~ eujklehv~, hJ ajspovrw~ tekou`sav se. Tai`~ aujtw`n iJkesivai~, Cristev oJ Qeov~, sw`son tav~ yucav~ hJmw`n.

Dismissal Hymn of the Forefathers

By faith You justified the Forefathers and through them betrothed Yourself to the Church, taken from out of the Gentiles. The Saints boast in glory for from their seed there exists a noble crop, it is she, who without seed, has given You birth. By their intercessions, O Christ our God, save our souls.

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~ rie j).
Tivmio~ ejnantivon Kurivou oJ qavnato~
tou` oJsivou aujtou`.
Stivc. Tiv ajntapodwvswmen tw`/ Kurivw/
periv pavntwn, w|n ajntapevdwken hJmi`n;
Prov~ Timovqeon B j jEpistolh`~ Pauvlou
tov jAnavgnwsma.
Kef. A j 8<18

Tevknon Timovqee, mhv ejpaiscunqh`/~ tov martuvrion tou` Kurivou hJmw`n mhdev ejmev tovn devsmion aujtou`, ajllav sugkakopavqhson tw`/ eujaggelivw/ katav duvnamin Qeou`, tou` swvsanto~ hJma`~ kaiv kalevsanto~ klhvsei aJgiva/, ouj katav tav e[rga hJmw`n, ajllav kat j ijdivan provqesin kaiv cavrin, thvn doqei`san hJmi`n ejn Cristw`/ jIhsou` prov crovnwn aijwnivwn, fanerwqei`san dev nu`n diav th`~ ejpifaneiva~ tou` swth`ro~ hJmw`n jIhsou` Cristou`, katarghvsanto~ mevn tovn qavnaton, fwtivsanto~ dev zwhvn kaiv ajfqarsivan diav tou` eujaggelivou, eij~ o{ ejtevqhn ejgwv khvrux kaiv ajpovstolo~ kaiv didavskalo~ ejqnw`n. Di j h{n aijtivan kaiv tau`ta pavscw, ajll j oujk ejpaiscuvnomai: oi\da gavr w|/ pepivsteuka, kaiv pevpeismai o{ti dunatov~ ejsti thvn paraqhvkhn mou fulavxai eij~ ejkeivnhn thvn hJmevran. JUpotuvpwsin e[ce uJgiainovntwn lovgwn w|n par j ejmou` h[kousa~, ejn pivstei kaiv ajgavph/ th`/ ejn Cristw`/ jIhsou`: thvn kalhvn paraqhvkhn fuvlaxon diav Pneumato~ JAgivou tou` ejnoikou`nto~ ejn hJmi`n. Oi\da~ tou`to, o{ti ajpestravfhsavn me pavnte~ oiJ ejn th`/ jAsiva/, w|n ejsti Fuvgello~ kaiv JErmogevnh~. Dwv/h e[leo~ oJ Kuvrio~ tw`/ jOnhsifovrou oi[kw/, o{ti pollavki~ me ajnevyuxe kaiv thvn a{lusivn mou oujk ejpaiscuvnqh, ajllav genovmeno~ ejn Rwvmh/ spoudaiovteron ejzhvthsev me kaiv eu{re: dwv/h aujtw`/ oJ Kuvrio~ euJrei`n e[leo~ parav Kurivou ejjn ejkeivnh/ th`/ hJmevra/: kaiv o{sa ejn jEfecsw/ dihkovnhse, bevltion suv ginwvskei~.

Epistle
Prokeimenon. Seventh Tone.
Psalm 115.15, 12.
Precious in the sight of the Lord
is the death of his saints.
Verse. What shall I render to the Lord
for all that he has given me?
The reading is from Saint Paul’s
Second Letter to Timothy.
Chapter 1.8.18.

Timothy, my son, do not be ashamed then of testifying to our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel in the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not in virtue of our works but in virtue of his own purpose and the grace which he gave us in Christ Jesus ages ago, and now has manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. For this gospel I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, and therefore I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me. Follow the pattern of the sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus; guard the truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells with us.

You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, and among them Phygelos and Hermogenes. May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphoros, for he often refreshed me; he was not ashamed of my chains, but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me eagerly and found me – may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that Day – and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesos.

Eujaggevlion
JEk tou` katav Louka`n
Kef. Id j (14) 16<24,
Matqaivou Kef. K j 16.

Ei\pen oJ Kuvrio~ thvn parabolhvn tauvthn: [Anqrwpov~ ti~ ejpoivhse dei`pnon mevga, kaiv ejkavlese pollouv~: kaiv ajpevsteile tovn dou`lon aujtou` th`/ w{ra/ tou` deivpnou eijpei`n toi`~ keklhmevnoi~: e[rcesqe, o{ti h[dh e{toimav ejsti pavnta. Kaiv h[rxanto ajpov mia`~ paraitei`sqai pavnte~. JO prw`to~ ei\pen aujtw`/: jAgrovn hjgovrasa, kaiv e[cw ajnavgkhn ejxelqei`n kaiv ijdei`n aujtovn: ejrwtw` se, e[ce me parh/thmevnon. Kaiv e{tero~ ei\pe: Zeuvgh bow`n hjgovrasa pevnte, kaiv poreuvomai dokimavsai aujtav: ejrwtw` se, e[ce me parh/thmevnon. Kaiv e{tero~ ei\pe: Gunai`ka e[ghma, kaiv diav tou`to ouj duvnamai ejlqei`n. Kaiv paragenovmeno~ oJ dou`lo~ ejkei`no~, ajphvggeile tw`/ kurivw/ aujtou` tau`ta. Tovte ojrgisqeiv~ oJ oijkodespovth~, ei\pe tw`/ douvlw/ aujtou`: [Exelqe tacevw~ eij~ tav~ plateiva~ kaiv rJuvma~ th`~ povlew~, kaiv touv~ ptwcouv~ kaiv ajnaphvrou~ kaiv cwlouv~ kaiv tuflouv~ eijsavgage w|de. Kaiv ei\pen oJ dou`lo~: Kuvrie, gevgonen wJ~ ejpevtaxa~, kaiv e[ti tovpo~ ejstiv. Kaiv ei\pen oJ kuvrio~ prov~ tovn dou`lon: [Exelqe eij~ tav~ oJdouv~ kaiv fragmouv~, kaiv ajnavgkason eijselqei`n, i{na gemisqh`/ oJ oi\ko~ mou. Levgw gavr uJmi`n, o[ti oujdeiv~ tw`n ajndrw`n ejkeivnwn tw`n keklhmevnwn geuvsetaiv mou tou` deivpnou. Polloiv gavr ejisi klhtoiv, ojlivgoi dev ejklektoiv.

Gospel
From The Gospel according to St. Luke
Chapter 14: 16-24,
Matthew 20:16

The Lord said this parable: "A man once gave a great banquet, and invited many; and at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come; for all is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it; I pray you, have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them; I pray you, have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ So the servant came and reported this to his master. Then the householder in anger said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and maimed and blind and lame.’ And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges, and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet. For many are called, but few are chosen.’ "

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