Church Bulletin - December 29, 2002 - Sunday after the Nativity

Sunday after the Nativity - December 29, 2002
[ Click here for the Bible readings: Gal 1:11-19; Mt 2:13-23]
[ Click here for the Bible readings in Greek and English ]

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"A MAN FULL OF FAITH AND THE HOLY SPIRIT"

We read in the Book of Acts how the Apostles felt that they needed some assistance in ministering to the mounting needs of the rapidly growing Church. They chose seven men to serve as deacons to help them with their holy work. The first-mentioned and best-known of these special servants of God was STEPHEN. Stephen was a gifted young man, well-versed in scriptures and Mosaic Law. He was also an eloquent orator, and his stirring messages to the Christian community in Jerusalem began to infuriate the Jewish leaders there. Finally, charges of blasphemy were made against Stephen, and he was brought before the Sanhedrin to answer for his words.

When called upon to defend himself, it is said that Stephen looked upon his accusers with "the face of an angel." In brilliant fashion, Stephen traced the history of the Hebrew nation from the days of Abraham until the present time. He chastised them for resisting the Holy Spirit, and for persecuting the prophets, who foretold of the coming of Christ. When he proclaimed: "Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God," the elders of the council had heard enough. Stephen was dragged out of the city and put to death by stoning. Ironically, one of the witnesses to the great crime was Saul, who would later be known as the Apostle Paul.

Stephen's dying words were reminiscent of Christ's words from the Cross: "Lord, do not charge these men with this sin." (Acts 7:60) The Archdeacon Stephen is viewed as being the first Christian martyr. He is remembered each year on December 27th / January 9th.

KURIAKH META THN TOU
CRISTOU GENNHSIN
Tw`n JAgivwn id j Ciliavdwn Nhpivwn

Anastavsimon jApolutivkion

{Ote kath`lqe~ prov~ tovn qavnaton, hJ zwhv ajqavnato~, tovte tovn a{/dhn ejnevkrwsa~, th`/ ajstraph`/ th`~ Qeovthto~: o{te dev kaiv touv~ teqnew`ta~, ejk tw`n katacqonivwn ajnevsthsa~, pa`sai aiJ dunavmei~ tw`n ejpouranivwn ejkrauvgazon: Zwodovta Cristev, oJ Qeov~ hJmw`n, dovxa soi.

SUNDAY AFTER THE BIRTH
OF CHRIST
The Fourteen Thousand slain Infants

Resurrection Dismissal Hymn

When you descended to death, O immortal life, then the light of Your divinity destroyed Hades. When You raised the dead from the depths of darkness, all the heavenly powers cried out, "Glory to You, O Christ our God, the Giver of life."

Apolutikion metav thvn Cristou` Gevnnhsin

Eujaggelivzou jIwshvf, tw`/ Daui?d tav qauvmata tw`/ qeopavtori: Parqevnon ei\de~ kuoforhvsasan: metav Mavgwn prosekuvnhsa~: metav Poimevnwn ejdoxolovghsa~: di j jAggevlou crhmatisqeiv~. JIkevteue Cristovn tovn Qeovn, swqh`nai tav~ yucav~ hJmw`n.

Dismissal Hymn after the Birth of Christ

O Joseph, proclaim to David, the ancestor of God, the good news of the miracles you witnessed; you saw a virgin give birth; you worshipped with the Magi; you gave glory with the shepherds; you conferred with an angel. Beseech Christ our God to save our souls.

jApolutivkion th`~ tou` Cristou` Gennhvsew~

JJH Gevnnhsiv~ sou Cristev oJ Qeov~ hJmw`n, ajnevteile tw`/ kovsmw/, tov fw`~ tov th`~ gnwvsew~: ejn aujth`/ gavr oiJ toi`~ a[stroi~ latreuvonte~, uJpov ajstevro~ ejdidavskonto, sev proskunei`n tovn {Hlion th`~ dikaiosuvnh~, kaiv sev ginwvskein ejx u{you~ jAnatolhvn. Kuvrie dovxa soi.

Dismissal Hymn of the Birth of Christ

Your birth, O Christ our God, dawned the light of knowledge upon the earth. For by Your birth, those who adored stars were taught by a star to worship You, the Sun of Righteousness, and to know You, Orient from on High. O Lord, glory to You.

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 JUperouvsion tivktei, kaiv hJ gh` tov Sphvlaion, tw`/ ajprosivtw/ prosavgei. [Aggeloi, metav Poimevnwn doxologou`si. Mavgoi dev, metav ajstevro~ oJdoiporou`si: di j hJma`~ gavr ejgennhvqh, Paidivon nevon, oJ prov aijwvnwn Qeov~.

Kontakion

Today, the Virgin bears Him who is transcended, and the earth presents the cave to Him who is beyond reach. Angels, along with shepherds glorify Him. The Magi make their way to Him by a star. For a new child has been born for us, the God before all ages.

jjApovstolo~
Prokeivmenon. \Hco~ d j. (Yalmov~ xz j).
Qaumastov~ oJ Qeov~ ejn toi`~ aJgivoi~ aujtou`.
jEn jEkklhsivai~ eujlogei`te tovn Qeovn.
Prov~ Galavta~ jEpistolh`~
Pauvlou tov jAnavgnwsma.
Kef. a j. 11<19

jjAdelfoiv, gnwrivzw uJmi`n tov eujaggevlion tov eujaggelisqevn ujp j ejmou` o{ti oujk ejsti katav a[nqrwpon: oujdev gavr ejgwv parav ajnqrwvpou parevlabon aujtov ou[te ejdidavcqhn, ajllav di j ajpokaluvyew~ jIhsou` Cristou`. JHkouvsate gavr thvn ejmhvn ajnastrofhvn pote ejn tw`/ jIoudai>smw`/, o{ti kaq j uJperbolhvn ejdivwkon thvn ejkklhsivan tou` Qeou` kaiv ejpovrqoun aujthvn, kaiv proevkopton ejn tw`/ jIoudai>smw`/ uJpevr pollouv~ sunhlikiwvta~ ejn tw`/ gevnei mou, perissotevrw~ zhlwthv~ uJpavrcwn tw`n patrikw`n mou paradovsewn. {Ote dev eujdovkhsen oJ Qeov~ oJ ajforivsa~ me ejk koiliva~ mhtrov~ mou kaiv kalevsa~ diav th`~ cavrito~ aujtou` ajpokaluvyai tovn uiJovn aujtou` ejn ejmoiv, i{na eujaggelivzwmai aujtovn ejn toi`~ e[qnesin, eujqevw~ ouj prosaneqevmhn sarkiv kaiv ai{mati, oujdev ajnh`lqon eij~ JIerosovluma prov~ touv~ prov ejmou` ajpostovlou~, ajllav ajph`lqon eij~ jArabivan, kaiv pavlin ejpevstreya eij~ Damaskovn. {Epeita metav e[th triva ajnh`lqon eij~ JIerosovluma iJstorh`sai Pevtron, kaiv ejpevmeina prov~ aujtovn hJmevra~ dekapevnte. {Eteron dev tw`n ajpostovlwn oujk ei\don eij mhv jIavkwbon tovn ajdelfovn tou` Kurivou.

Epistle
Prokeimenon. Fourth Tone. Psalm 67.35, 26.
God is wonderful among his saints.
Verse. Bless God in the congregations.
The reading is from Saint Paul’s
Letter to the Galatians.
Chapter 1:11-19

Brethren, I would have you know that the gospel which was preached by me is not man’s gospel. For I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it; and I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and had called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia; and again I returned to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas, and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother.

Eujaggevlion
JEk tou` katav Matqai`on.
Kef. b j. (2), 13<23.

JAnacwrhsavntwn tw`n Mavgwn, ijdouv [Aggelo~ Kurivou faivnetai kat j o[nar tw`/ jIwshvf, levgwn: jEgerqeiv~ parevlabe tov Paidivon kaiv thvn Mhtevra aujtou`, kaiv feu`ge eij~ Ai[gupton: kaiv i[sqi ejkei`, e{w~ a[n ei[pw soi: mevllei gavr JHrwvdh~ zhtei`n tov Paidivon, tou` ajpolevsai aujtov! JO dev ejgerqeiv~, parevlabe tov Paidivon kaiv thvn Mhtevra aujtou` nuktov~, kaiv ajnecwvrhsen eij~ Ai[gupton: kaiv h\n ejkei` e{w~ th`~ teleuth`~ JHrwvdou: i{na plhrwqh` tov rhqevn uJpov tou` Kurivou diav tou` Profhvtou, levgonto~: ejx Aijguvptou ejkavlesa tovn UiJovn mou. Tovte JHrwvdh~, ijdwvn o{ti ejnepaivcqh uJpov tw`n Mavgwn, ejqumwvqh livan: kaiv ajposteivla~ ajnei`le pavnta~ touv~ pai`da~ touv~ ejn Bhqleevm kaiv ejn pa`si toi`~ oJrivoi~ aujth`~, ajpov dietou`~ kaiv katwtevrw, katav tovn crovnon o{n hjkrivbwse parav tw`n Mavgwn. Tovte ejplhrwvqh tov rJhqevn uJpov JIeremivou tou` Profhvtou, levgonto~: Fwnhv ejn Rama`/ hjkouvsqh, qrh`no~ kaiv klauqmov~ kaiv ojdurmov~ poluv~, JRachvl klaivousa tav tevkna aujth`~: kaiv oujk h[qele paraklhqh`nai, o{ti oujk eijsiv. Teleuthvsanto~ dev tou` JHrwvdou, ijdouv [Aggelo~ Kurivou kat j o[nar faivnetai tw`/ jIwshvf ejn Aijguvptw/, levgwn: jEgerqeiv~ paravlabe tov Paidivon kaiv thvn Mhtevra aujtou`, kaiv poreuvou eij~ gh`n jIsrahvl: teqnhvkasi gavr oiJ zhtou`nte~ thvn yuchvn tou` Paidivou. JO dev ejgerqeiv~, parevlabe tov Paidivon kaiv thvn Mhtevra aujtou`, kaiv h\lqen eij~ gh`n jIsrahvl. JAkouvsa~ dev o{ti jArcevlao~ basileuvei ejpiv th`~ jIoudaiva~ ajntiv JHrwvdou tou` Patrov~ aujtou`, ejfobhvqh ejkei` ajpelqei`n: crhmatisqeiv~ dev kat j o[nar, ajnecwvrhsen eij~ tav mevrh th`~ Galilaiva~, kaiv ejlqwvn katwv/khsen eij~ povlin legomevnhn Nazarevt: o{pw~ plhrwqh` tov rJhqevn diav tw`n Profhtw`n, o{ti Nazwrai`o~ klhqhvsetai.

Gospel
From the Gospel according to St. Matthew
Chapter 2:13-23

When the Wise Men had departed, behold an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there till I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him." And he rose and took the child and his mother by night, and departed to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, "Out of Egypt have I called my son."

Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, was in a furious rage, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time which he had ascertained from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:

"A voice was heard in Ramah,
wailing and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
She refused to be consoled,
Because they were no more."

But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead." And he rose and took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus reigned over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. And he went and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, "He shall be called a Nazarene."

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