Church Bulletin - January 27, 2002

12th Sunday of Luke - January 27, 2002
[ Click here for the Bible readings: Heb 7:26-8:2; Lk 19:1-10]
[ Click here for the Bible readings in Greek ]

A FAMILY UNITED BY THE LORD

We have all heard heartwarming stories of family members that have been separated for long periods of time, only to be reunited later in life under circumstances that could only be described as miraculous. Such is the story of Xenophon and his family. Xenophon lived in Constantinople in the sixth century. He and his wife Maria were the proud parents of two sons -- John and Arcadios. They were determined to give them the best Christian upbringing, so when the boys became young adults, Xenophon and Maria sent them to Beirut to further their education in one of the finest institutions of higher learning at that time.

Disaster struck for John and Arcadios as they crossed the sea on their journey. Encountering a terrible storm, their ship capsized. Both young men survived and made their way to shore. Unfortunately, they were separated and each thought the other had perished! In their grief, they each entered a monastery, with John settling in a community near the city of Tyre and Arcadios becoming a part of the St. Sabbas Monastery near Jerusalem.

Two years later, a monk visiting Constantinople happened to meet Xenophon and Maria. When he told them of a young monk he had met in Jerusalem who had survived a ship wreck, the couple immediately set out for the Holy City. At the same time, John decided to make a pilgrimage to the sacred places in the Holy Land. Through divine providence, all four were reunited at the tomb of Christ in Jerusalem.

In gratitude to God for restoring their family, Xenophon and Maria also embraced the monastic way of life, giving themselves entirely to the service of His Holy Church.

ANASTASIMON APOLUTIKION

JTou` livqou sfragisqevnto~ uJpov tw`n jIoudaivwn, kaiv stratiwtw`n fulassovntwn tov a[crantovn sou sw`ma, ajnevsth~ trihvmero~ Swthvr, dwrouvmeno~ tw`/ kovsmw/ thvn zwhvn. Diav tou`to aiJ dunavmei~ tw`n oujranw`n, ejbovwn soi zwodovta: Dovjxa th`/ ajnastavsei sou Cristev: dovxa th`/ basileiva/ sou: dovxa th`/ oijkonomiva/ sou, movne filavnqrwpe.

RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION

Savior, Your tomb was sealed by the Jews with a stone. Soldiers kept watch over Your sacred body. Yet, You rose on the third day, giving life to the world. Wherefore the powers of heaven cried out, to You, O Giver of Life, "Glory to Your Resurrection, O Christ; glory to Your Kingdom, glory to Your dispensation, who alone are the loving One."

APOLUTIKION TOU IWANNOU TOU CRUSOSTOMOU

JH tou` stovmatov~ sou kaqavper pursov~ ejklavmyasa cavri~, thvn oijkoumevnhn ejfwvtisen: ajfilarguriva~ tw`/ kovsmw/ qusaurouv~ ejnapevqeto: tov u{yo~ hJmi`n th`~ tapeinofrwsuvnh~ uJpevdeixen. JAllav soi`~ lovgoi~ paideuvwn, Pavter jIwavnnh Crusovstome, prevsbeue tw`/ Lovgw/ Cristw`/ tw`/ Qew`/, swqh`nai tav~ yucav~ hJmw`n.

APOLYTIKION OF JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

The grace of your words illuminated the universe like a shining beacon. It amassed treasures of munificence in the world. It demonstrated the greatness of humility, teaching us by your own words; therefore, O Father John Chrysostom, intercede to Christ the Logos for the salvation of our souls.

QEOTOKION

JO di j hJma`~ gennhqeiv~ ejk Parqevnou, kaiv stauvrwsin uJpomeivna~ ajgaqev, oJ qanavtw/ tovn qavnaton skuleuvsa~, kaiv e[gersin deivxa~ wJ~ Qeov~, mhv parivdh/~ ou{~ e[plasa~ th`/ ceiriv sou: dei`xon thvn filanqrwpivan sou ejleh`mon: devxai thvn tekou`savn se Qeotovkon, presbeuvousan uJpevr hJmw`n: kaiv sw`son Swthvr hJmw`n, laovn ajpegnwsmevnon.

THEOTOKION

O Pure One, who were born for us of a Virgin, and endured Crucifixion, who vanquished death by death and, as God, showed forth the Resurrection, do not forget those, You created by Your own hand. Show Your love, O Merciful One, and accept on our behalf the intercession of the Theotokos who bore You, and save us, O Savior, a desperate people.

APOLUTIKION TOU AGIOU NIKOLAOU

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.

APOLYTIKION 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.

KONTAKION

JO 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 j eijrhvneuson, ejn polevmoi~ tov polivteuma, kaiv krataivwson basilei`~ ou{~ hjgavphsa~, oJ movno~ filavnqrwpo~.

KONTAKION

Your birth sanctified a Virgin’s womb and fittingly blessed the hands of Symeon. You have now come and saved us O Christ, our God. In troubled times, as the only loving One, give peace to Your commonwealth and strength to those in civil authority, whom You love.

APOSTOLOS
Tou` JAgivou jIwavnnou tou` Crusostovmou
( JEbraivou~ z j 26-28, h j 1<2)

jAdelfoiv, toiou`to~ hJmi`n e[prepen ajrciereuv~, o{sio~, a[kako~, ajmivanto~, kecwrismevno~ ajpov tw`n aJmartwlw`n kaiv uJyhlovtero~ tw`n oujranw`n genovmeno~, o{~ oujk e[cei kaq j hJmevran ajnavgkhn, w{sper oiJ ajrcierei`~, provteron uJpevr tw`n ijdivwn aJmartiw`n qusiva~ ajnafevrein, e[peita tw`n tou` laou`: tou`to gavr ejpoivhsen ejfavpax ejautovn ajnenevgka~. JO novmo~ gavr ajnqrwvpou~ kaqivsthsin ajrcierei`~ e[conta~ ajsqevneian, oJ lovgo~ dev th`~ ojrkwmosiva~ th`~ metav tovn novmon uiJovn eij~ tovn aijw`na teteleiwmevnon. Kefavlaion dev ejpiv toi`~ legomevnoi~, toiou`ton e[comen ajrciereva, wJ~ ejkavqisen ejn dexia`/ tou` qrovnou th`~ megalwsuvnh~ ejn toi``~ oujranoi`~, tw`n JAgivwn leitourgov~ kaiv th`~ skhnh``~ th`~ ajlhqinh`~, h{n e[phxen oJ Kuvrio~, kaiv oujk a[nqrwpo~.

EPISTLE
Venerable Father Euthymios
2 Corinthians 4: 6-15

Brethren, It was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, unstained, separated from sinners, exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; he did this once for all when he offered up himself. Indeed, the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect for ever. Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the sanctuary and the true tent which is set up not by man but by the Lord.

EUAGGELION
JEk tou` katav Louka`n
Kef. iq j (19), 1<10

Tw`/ kairw`/ ejkeivnw/, dihvrceto oJ jIhsou`~ thvn JIericwv: kaiv ijdouv ajnhvr ojnovmati kalouvmeno~ Zakcai`o~, kaiv aujtov~ h\n ajrcitelwvnh~, kaiv ou|to~ h\n plouvsio~, kaiv ejzhvtei ijdei`n tovn jIhsou`n tiv~ ejsti, kaiv oujk hjduvnato uJpov tou` o[clou, o{ti th`/ hJlikiva/ mikrov~ h\n. Kaiv prodramwvn e[mprosqen ajnevbh ejpiv sukomorevan, I{na I[dh/ aujtovn, o{ti di j ejkeivnh~ h[melle dievrcesqai. Kaiv wJ~ h\lqen ejpiv tovn tovpon, ajnablevya~ oJ jIhsou`~ ei\den aujtovn kaiv ei\pe prov~ aujtovn: Zakcai`e, speuvsa~ katavbhqi. Shvmeron gavr ejn tw`/ oi[kw/ sou dei` me mei`nai. Kaiv speuvsa~ katevbh, kaiv uJpedevxato aujtovn caivrwn. Kaiv ijdovnte~ pavnte~ diegovgguzon levgonte~ o{ti parav aJmartwlw`/ ajndriv eijsh`lqe katalu`sai. Staqeiv~ dev Zakcai`o~ ei\pe prov~ tovn jIhsou`n: jIdouv, tav h{mish tw`n uJparcovntwn mou, Kuvrie, divdwmi toi`~ ptwcoi`~, kaiv ei[ tinov~ ti ejsukofavnthsa, ajpodivdwmi tetraplou`n. Ei\pe dev prov~ aujtovn oJ jIhsou`~: o{ti shvmeron swthriva tw`/ oi[kw/ touvtw/ ejgevneto, kaqovti kaiv aujtov~ uiJov~ jAbraavm ejstin. \Hlqe gavr oJ UiJov~ tou` ajnqrwvpou zhth`sai kaiv sw`sai tov ajpolwlov~.

GOSPEL
From the Gospel according to St. Luke
Chapter 17:12-19

At that time, Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. And there was a man named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector, and rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not, on account of the crowd, because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into sycamore tree to see him, for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today." So he made haste and came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw it they all murmured, "He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner." And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost."

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