Church Bulletin - February 9, 2003 - Seventeenth Sunday of Matthew

SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY OF MATTHEW - February 9, 2003
[ Click here for the Bible readings: 2 Cor 6:16-7:1; Mt 15:21-28]
[ Click here for the Bible readings in Greek and English ]

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A LIFE-LONG ASCETIC

For some, the spiritual disciplines of prayer, fasting and almsgiving are never quite perfected. For others, however, they quickly become "second nature," and a way of life. This was certainly true for the saint depicted for today's bulletin (above): ST. LUKE OF STIRIS. St. Luke was born on the Greek island of Aegina at the turn of the 9th century. Even as a child, he fasted zealously, never partaking of meat or dairy products. While others his age entertained more frivolous pursuits, Luke developed a strict regimen of prayer and theological study. It can be said that he embraced the monastic life long before he was old enough to enter a monastery.

After the death of his father, St. Luke formally began a life as a monk. He became part of a little known monastic community at Stiris, totally immersing himself in a life of asceticism. While he preferred the isolation of his cell, Luke soon had to live with the fact that he had rapidly developed a reputation for being far above his fellow monks in terms of wisdom and spirituality. Pilgrims from all over Greece came to the humble monastery at Stiris, seeking his counsel. Uncomfortable with is popularity, Luke nonetheless was obedient to his superiors, who would periodically send him into the surrounding towns and villages to teach the faithful. The fervor of his prayers are also credited with bringing about many miraculous cures upon those to whom he ministered.

St. Luke died in 946 A.D. and was buried in his beloved monastery at Stiris.

KURIAKH IZ¢ MATQAIOU
Nikhfovrou Mavrturo~

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.

SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY OF MATTHEW
Nikiforos the 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, O Lord. Glory to You.

jApolutivkion th`~ JUpapanth`~

Cai`re, kecaritwmevnh Qeotovke Parqevne: ejk sou` gavr ajnevteilen oJ {Hlio~ th`~ dikaiosuvnh~, Cristov~ oJ Qeov~ hJmw`n, fwtivzwn touv~ ejn skovtei. Eujfraivnou kaiv suv Presbu`ta divkaie, dexavmeno~ ejn ajgkavlai~, tovn ejleuqerwthvn tw`n yucw`n hJmw`n, carizovmenon hJmi`n kaiv thvn jAnavstasin.

Dismissal Hymn of the Presentation

Hail, Virgin Theotokos full of Grace, for Christ our God, the Sun of Righteousness, has dawned from you, granting light to those in darkness. And you, O Righteous Elder, rejoice, taking in your arms, the Deliverance of our souls, who grants us Resurrection.

jApolutivkion tou` JAgivou Nikolavou

JJJKanovna 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 Saint 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

JJJJO mhvtran parqenikhvn aJgiavsa~ tw`/ tovkw/ sou, kaiv cei`ra~ tou` Sumewvn eujloghvsa~, wJ~ e[prepe, profqavsa~ kaiv nu`n, e[swsa~ hJma`~, Cristev oJ Qeov~. JAll¢ eijrhvneuson ejn polevmoi~ tov polivteuma, kaiv krataivwson basilei`~, ou{~ hjgavphsa~, oJ movno~ filavnqrwpo~.

Kontakion

Your birth sanctified a Virgin’s womb and properly blessed the hands of Simeon. Having now come and saved us O Christ our God, give peace to Your commonwealth in troubled times and strengthen those in authority, whom You love, as only the Loving One.

jjApovstolo~
Prokeivmenon. \Hco~ pl. d j. (Yalmov~ oe j).
Eu[xasqe kaiv ajpovdote Kurivw/ tw`/ Qew`/ hJmw`n.
Stivc. Gnwstov~ ejn th`/ jIoudaiva/ oJ Qeov~, ejn tw`/ jIsrahvl mevga tov o[noma aujtou`.
Prov~ Korinqivou~ B j jEpistolh``~ Pauvlou tov jAnavgnwsma.

jAdelfoiv, uJmei``~ ejste naov~ Qeou` zw`nto~, kaqwv~ ei\pen oJ Qeov~ o{ti ejnoikhvsw ejn aujtoi`~ kaiv ejmperipathvsw, kaiv e[somai aujtw`n Qeov~, kaiv aujtoiv e[sontaiv moi laov~. Diov ejxevlqete ejk mevsou aujtw`n kaiv ajforivsqhte, levgei Kuvrio~, kaiv ajkaqavrtou mhv a{ptesqe, kajgwv eijsdevxomai uJma`~, kaiv e[somai uJmi`n eij~ patevra, kaiv uJmei`~ e[sesqev moi eij~ uiJouv~ kaiv qugatevra~, levgei Kuvrio~ pantokravtwr. Tauvta~ ou\n e[conte~ tav~ ejpaggeliva~, ajgaphtoiv, kaqarivswmen eJautouv~ ajpov pantov~ molusmou` sarkov~ kaiv pneuvmato~, ejpitelou`nte~ aJgiwsuvnhn ejn fovbw/ Qeou`.

Epistle
Prokeimenon. Eighth Tone. Psalm 75.11,1.
Make your vows to the Lord our God and perform them.
Verse. God is known in Judah; his name is great in Israel.
The reading is from Saint Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Chapters 6. 16-18; 7.1.

Brethren, we are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will live in them and move among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore come out from them, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch nothing unclean; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, and make holiness perfect in the fear of God.

Eujaggevlion
JEk tou` katav Matqai`on
Kef. ie j 21<28

Tw`/ kairw`/ ejkeivnw/, ejxh`lqen oJ jIhsou`~ eij~ tav mevrh Tuvrou kaiv Sidw`no~. Kaiv ijdouv gunhv Cananaiva ajpov tw`n oJrivwn ejkeivnwn ejxelqou`sa, ejkrauvgasen aujtw`/ levgousa: jElevhsovn me, Kuvrie, uiJev Daui?d: hJ qugavthr mou kakw`~ daimonivzetai. JO dev oujk ajpekrivqh aujth`/ lovgon. Kaiv proselqovnte~ oiJ maqhtaiv aujtou`, hjrwvtwn aujtovn levgonte~: jApovluson aujthvn, o{ti kravzei o{pisqen hJmw`n. JO dev ajpokriqeiv~ ei\pen: Oujk ajpestavlhn eij mhv eij~ tav provbata tav ajpolwlovta oi[kou jIsrahvl. JH dev ejlqou`sa prosekuvnhsen aujtw`/ levgousa: Kuvrie, bohvqei moi. JO dev ajpokriqeiv~ ei\pen: Oujk e[sti kalovn labei`n tovn a[rton tw`n tevknwn kaiv balei`n toi`~ kunarivoi~. JH dev ei\pe: Naiv, Kuvrie: kaiv gavr tav kunavria ejsqivei ajpov tw`n yucivwn tw`n piptovntwn ajpov th`~ trapevzh~ tw`n kurivwn aujtw`n. Tovte ajpokriqeiv~ oJ jIhsou`~ ei\pen aujth`/: \W guvnai, megavlh sou hj pivsti~! genhqhvtw soi wJ~ qevlei~. Kaiv ijavqh hJ qugavthr auth`~ ajpov th`~ w{ra~ ejkeivnh~.

Gospel
From the holy Gospel according to
St. Matthew Chapter 15: 21-28

At that time, Jesus went to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and cried, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely possessed by a demon." But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, "Send her away, for she is crying after us." He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." But she came and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, help me." And he answered, "It is not fair to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs." She said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table." Then Jesus answered her, "O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire." And her daughter was healed instantly.

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