Church Bulletin - July 21, 2002 - Fourth Sunday of Matthew

Fourth Sunday of Matthew - July 21, 2002
[ Click here for the Bible readings: Rom 6:18-23; Mt 8:5-13]
[ Click here for the Bible readings in Greek ]

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THE PRIEST-MARTYR APOLLINARIS: PETER'S PRIZED DISCIPLE

Just as they were carefully chosen by the Lord to do His work, the Apostles also had their own trusted disciples to assist them in their labors. Apollinaris was one such disciple: a devoted follower of the Apostle Peter. It was in Antioch - his birthplace - that Apollinaris converted to Christianity after hearing Peter preach to the community there. Peter must have sensed that Apollinaris would dedicate his life to serving Christ, for he asked him to accompany him to Rome. While in Rome, Apollinaris was consecrated as the first Bishop of Ravenna.

Apollinaris held this position for nearly 26 years. Ravenna was an important city in the ancient Roman world. The new Bishop arrived there at a time when the persecution of Christians began to intensify. Apollinaris had great success in winning converts to the Christian Faith, which infuriated the civil authorities. It is recorded that he endured a series of brutal attacks from his enemies. He was beaten, stoned, scalded, chained and imprisoned. On several occasions, Apollinaris was banished from Ravenna. Amazingly, he continued to persevere, always returning to the faithful that had been entrusted to his pastoral care.

Finally, during the reign of the Emperor Vespasian, Apollinaris suffered martyrdom at the hands of Ravenna's pagan leaders. His relics are still preserved there in a great church that bears his name.

KURIAKH D J MATQAIOU
Sumewvn kaiv jIwavnnou tw`n jOsivwn
JAnastavsimon jApolutivkion

Eujfrainevsqw tav oujravnia, ajgalliavsqw tav ejpivgeia, o{ti ejpoivhse kravto~, ejn bracivoni aujtou`, oJ Kuvrio~: ejpavthse tw`/ qanavtw/ tovn qavnaton: prwtovtoko~ tw`n nekrw`n ejgevneto: ejk koiliva~ a/{dou ejrjrJuvsato hJma`~, kaiv parevsce tw`/ kovsmw/ tov mevga e[leo~.

FOURTH SUNDAY OF MATTHEW
Symeon and John the Venerable
Resurrection Dismissal Hymn

Let the heavens rejoice and the earth be glad, for the Lord, by His mighty Arm, has created a Dominion. He has conquered death by death, and become the firstborn of the dead. He has delivered us from the depths of Hades, and has granted the world great mercy.

Qeotokivon

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.

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

Prostasiva, tw`n cristianw`n ajkataivscunte, mesiteiva, prov~ tovn poihthvn ajmetavqete, mhv parivdh/~, aJmartwlw`n dehvsewn fwnav~, ajllav provfqason, wJ~ ajgaqhv, eij~ thvn bohvqeian hJmw`n, tw`n pistw`~ kraugazovntwn soi: Tavcunon eij~ presbeivan, kaiv speu`son eij~ iJkesivan, hJ prostateuvousa ajeiv, Qeotovke, tw``n timwvntwn se.

Kontakion

Champion of Christians not put to shame, advocate before the Maker always steadfast, do not spurn sinners’ voices raised in prayer. In your goodness respond to bring help to us who devoutly petition you. Hasten your intercession and urgently make entreaty; for you unfailingly defend, Theotokos, those who honor you.

jjApovstolo~
Prokeivmenon. \Hco~ g j. (Yalmov~ mst j).
Yavlate tw`/ Qew`/ hJmw`n, yavlate.
Stivc. Pavnta tav e[qnh krothvsate cei`ra~.
Prov~ Rwmaivou~ jEpistolh`~ Pauvlou tov jAnavgnwsma.
Kef. ST j 18<23

JAdelfoiv, ejleuqerwqevnte~ ajpov th`~ aJmartiva~ ejdoulwvqhte th`/ dikaiosuvnh/. JAnqrwvpinon levgw diav thvn ajsqevneian th`~ sarkov~ uJmw`n. {Wsper gavr paresthvsate tav mevlh uJmw`n dou`la th/`/ kaqarsiva/ kaiv th`/ ajnomiva/ eij~ thvn ajnomivan, ou{tw nu`n parasthvsate tav mevlh uJmw`n dou`la th`/ dikaiosuvnh/ eij~ aJgiasmovn. {Ote gavr dou`loi h]te th`~ aJmartiva~, ejleuvqeroi h\te th`/ dikaiosuvnh/. Tivna ou]n karpovn ei[cete tovte ejf j oi|~ nu`n ajpaiscuvnesqe; Tov gavr tevlo~ ejkeivnwn qavnato~. Nuniv dev ejleuqerwqevnte~ ajpov th`~ aJmartiva~ doulwqevnte~ dev tw`/ Qew`/ e[cete tovn karpovn uJmw`n eij~ aJgiasmovn, tov dev tevlo~ zwhvn aijwvnion. Tav gavr ojywvnia th`~ aJmartiva~ qavnato~, tov dev cavrisma tou` Qeou` zwhv aijwvnio~ ejn Cristw`/ jIhsou` tw`/ Kurivw/ hJmw`n.

Epistle
Prokeimenon. Third Tone. Psalm 46.6,1.
Sing praise to our God, sing praises.
Verse. Clap your hands, all you nations.
The reading is from Saint Paul’s Letter to the Romans.
Chapter 6: 18-23

BRETHREN, having been set free from sin, you have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural imitations. For just as you once yielded your members to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now yield your members to righteousness for sanctification.

When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But then what return did you get from the things of which you are now ashamed? The end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the return you get is sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Eujaggevlion
JEk tou` katav Matqai`on.
Kef. h j (8), 5<13

Tw`/ kairw/` ejkeivnw/, ejlqovnti tw`/ jIhsou` eij~ Kapernaouvm, prosh`lqen aujtw`/ JEkatovntarco~, parakalw`n aujtovn, kaiv levgwn: Kuvrie, oJ pai`~ mou bevblhtai ejn th`/ oijkiva/ paralutikov~, deinw`~ basanizovmeno~. Kaiv levgei aujtw`/ oJ jIhsou`~: jEgwv ejlqwvn qerapeuvaw aujtovn. Kaiv ajpokriqeiv~ oJ JEkatovntarco~ e[fh: Kuvrie, oujk eijmi iJkanov~ i{na mou uJpov thvn stevghn eijsevlqh/~: ajllav movnon eijpev lovgw/, kaiv ijaqhvsetai oJ pai`~ mou. Kaiv gavr ejgwv a[nqrwpo~ eijmi uJpov ejxousivan, e[cwn uJp j ejmautovn stratiwvta~ kaiv levgw touvtw/, Poreuvqhti, kaiv poreuvetai: kaiv a[llw/, [Ercou, kaiv e[rcetai kaiv tw`/ douvlw/ mou, Poivhson tou`to, kaiv poiei`. JAkouvsa~ dev oJ jIhsou`~, ejqauvmase, kaiv ei\pe toi`~ ajkolouqou`sin: jAmhvn levgw uJmi`n, oujdev ejn tw`/ jIsrahvl tosauvthn pivstin eu{ron. Levgw dev uJmi`n, o{ti polloiv ajpov ajnatolw`n kaiv dusmw`n h{xousi, kaiv ajnakliqhvsontai metav jAbraavm kaiv jIsaavk kaiv jIakwvb ejn th`/ basileiva/ tw`n oujranw`n: oiJ dev uiJoiv th`~ basileiva~ ejkblhqhvsontai eij~ tov skovto~ tov ejxwvteron: ejkei` e[stai oJ klauqmov~ kaiv oJ brugmov~ tw`n ojdovntwn. Kaiv ei\pen oJ jIhsou`~ tw`/ jEkatontavrcw/: {Upage, kaiv wJ~ ejpivsteusa~ genhqhvtw soi. Kaiv ijavqh oJ pai`~ aujtou` ejn th`/ w{ra/ ejkeivnh/.

Gospel
From the Gospel according to St. Matthew
Chapter 8: 5-13

At that time, as Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him beseeching him and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, in terrible distress." And he said to him, "I will come and heal him." But the centurion answered him, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it." When Jesus heard him, He marveled, and said to those who followed him, "Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth." And to the centurion Jesus said, "Go; be it done for you as you have believed." And the servant was healed at that very moment.

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