Church Bulletin - July 28, 2002 - Fifth Sunday of Matthew

Fifth Sunday of Matthew - July 28, 2002
[ Click here for the Bible readings: Rom 6:18-23; Mt 8:5-13]
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'COME FORTH TODAY, AND LOOK UPON THE KING OF HEAVEN'

Jerusalem was filled with Jews from all over the world that first Palm Sunday. They had come to celebrate the Passover, but word soon spread throughout the Holy City that this year's feast would have added significance: Jesus of Nazareth had come as well! As our Lord entered Jerusalem, seated on a donkey, the streets were filled with cheering throngs. Palms and branches were placed in His path as the frenzied crowd cried out as He passed by: "Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord!" Yes, Christ's popularity was at its peak on that fateful day.

Soon, however, the cheering stopped. Jesus did not speak of restoring the Kingdom of Israel that existed in King David's time. He did not urge the long-oppressed Jewish people to rise up and overthrow their Roman captors as many had hoped He would. Instead, Christ brought a different message with Him to Jerusalem. He deals with the Pharisees face to face and openly condemns their ways, calling them "fools," "hypocrites" and "broods of vipers." He drives the money-changers from the Temple. He speaks of "rendering unto Caesar what is Caesar's, and rendering unto God what is God's." COMMITMENT... CONVICTION... SACRIFICE. This is what Christ asked for when He addressed those who had come to listen to Him, and this is NOT what the crowds wanted to hear. They rejected Christ, for they did not know Who He really was.

Do WE really know Him? This is the question we must ponder today. If we truly recognize Christ as our Savior and Redeemer, then we cannot be "lukewarm" in our feelings for Him. We must love and obey Him - we must be loyal to Him always. A King deserves no less.

KURIAKH E J MATQAIOU
Procovrou, Nikavnoro~, Tivmwno~
kaiv Parmena` tw`n jApostovlwn

JAnastavsimon jApolutivkion

Tov faidrovn th`~ ajnastavsew~ khvrugma, ejk tou` ajggevlou maqou`sai, aiJ tou` Kurivou maqhvtriai, kaiv thvn progonikhvn ajpovfasin ajporrivyasqai, toi`~ ajpostovloi~ kaucwvmenai e[legon: jEskuvleutai oJ qavnato~, hjgevrqh Cristov~ oJ Qeov~, dwrouvmeno~ tw`/ kovsmw/ tov mevga e[leo~.

FIFTH SUNDAY OF MATTHEW
Prochor, Nikanor, Timon
and Parmenas the Apostles

Resurrection Dismissal Hymn

From the angel, the women disciples of the Lord heard the joyful news of the Resurrection and the repeal of the sentence imposed upon our forefathers. With pride, they said to the Apostles, "Death is vanquished. Christ our God is risen, bestowing upon the world His great mercy."

Qeotokivon

JTov ajp j aijw`no~ ajpovkrufon, kaiv jAggevloi~ a[gnwston musthvrion, diav sou` Qeotovke, toi`~ ejpiv gh`~ pefanevrwtai: Qeov~ ejn ajsugcuvtw/ eJnwvsei sarkouvmeno~ kaiv Staurovn eJkousivw~ uJpevr hJmw`n katadexavmeno~: di j ou| ajnasthvsa~ tovn prwtovplaston, e[swsen ejk qanavtou tav~ yucav~ hJmw`n.

Theotokion

O Theotokos, the mystery hidden from all ages, unknown even to the angels, has been revealed in you to all who live upon the earth. God in perfect union becomes incarnate. For our sake, He willingly endured the Cross through which He raised up the first man He had fashioned, and saved our souls from death.

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

JEpiv tou` [Orou~ metemorfwvqh~, kaiv wJ~ ejcwvroun, oiJ Maqhtaiv sou, thvn dovxan sou, Cristev oJ Qeov~, ejqeavsanto: i{na o{tan se i[dwsi staurouvmenon, tov mevn pavqo~ nohvswsin eJkouvsion, tw`/ dev kovsmw/ khruvxwsin, o{ti suv uJpavrcei~ ajlhqw`~, tou` Patrov~ tov ajpauvgasma.

Kontakion

You were transfigured upon the mount O Christ our God and Your disciples, in so far as they could bear, beheld Your glory. Thus, when they see You crucified they may understand Your voluntary passion, and proclaim to the world that You are truly the effulgence of the Father.

jjApovstolo~
Prokeivmenon. \Hco~ d j. (Yalmov~ rg j).
JW~ ejmegaluvnqh tav e[rga sou, Kuvrie: pavnta ejn
sofiva/ ejpoivhsa~.
Stivc. Eujlovgei, hJ yuchv mou, tovn Kuvrion.
Prov~ JRwmaivou~ jEpistolh`~ Pauvlou tov
jAnavgnwsma.
Kef. I j 1<10

JjAdelfoiv, hJ mevn eujdokiva th``~ ejmh`~ kardiva~ kaiv hJ devhsi~ hJ prov~ tovn Qeovn uJpevr tou` jIsrahvl ejstin eij~ swthrivan: marturw` gavr aujtoi`~ o{ti zh`lon Qeou` e[cousin, ajll j ouj kat j ejpivgnwsin. JAgnoou`nte~ gavr thvn tou` Qeou` dikaiosuvnhn, kaiv thvn ijdivan dikaiosuvnhn zhtou`nte~ sth`sai, th`/ dikaiosuvnh/ tou` Qeou` oujc uJpetavghsan. Tevlo~ gavr novmou Cristov~ eij~ dikaiosuvnhn pantiv tw`/ pisteuvonti. Mwu>sh`~ gavr gravfei thvn dikaiosuvnhn thvn ejk tou` novmou, o{ti «oj poihvsa~ aujtav a[nqrwpo~ zhvsetai ejn aujtoi`~»: hJ dev ejk pivstew~ dikaiosuvnh ou{tw levgei: «Mhv ei[ph/~ ejn th`/ kardiva/ sou, tiv~ ajnabhvsetai eij~ tovn oujranovn;» Tou`t j e[sti Cristovn katagagei`n: h[ «tiv~ katabhvsetai eij~ thvn a[busson;». Tou`t j e[sti Cristovn ejk nekrw`n ajnagagei`n. jAllav tiv levgei; « jEgguv~ sou tov rJh`mav ejstin, ejn tw`/ stovmativ sou kaiv ejn th`/ kardiva/ sou»: tou`t j e[sti tov rh`ma th`~ pivstew~ o{ khruvssomen. {Oti ejavn oJmologhvsh/~ ejn tw`/ stovmativ sou Kuvrion jIhsou`n, kaiv pisteuvsh/~ ejn th`/ kardiva/ sou o{ti oJ Qeov~ aujtovn h[geiren ejk nekrw`n, swqhvsh/: kardiva/ gavr pisteuvetai eij~ dikaiosuvnhn, stovmati dev oJmologei`tai eij~ swthrivan.

Epistle
Prokeimenon. Fourth Tone. Psalm 103.24,1.
O Lord, how magnificent are your works.
You have made all things in wisdom.
Verse. Bless the Lord, O my soul.
The Reading is from Saint Paul’s Letter
to the Romans
(Chapter 5: 1-10)

BRETHREN, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but it is not enlightened. For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law, that every one who has faith may be justified. Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on the law shall live by it. But the righteousness based on faith says, Do not say in your heart, "Who will ascend into heaven?" (that is, to bring Christ down) or "Who will descend into the abyss?" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preach); because, if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For man believes with his heart and so is justified, and he confesses with his lips and so is saved.

Eujaggevlion
JEk tou` katav Matqai`on.
Kef. h j (8) 28<24, q j (9) 1.

Tw`/ kairw`/ ejkeivnw/, ejlqovnti tw`/ jIhsou` eij~ thvn cwvran tw`n Gergeshnw`n uJphvnthsan aujtw`/ duvo daimonizovmenoi, ejk tw`n mnhmeivwn ejxercovmenoi, calepoiv livan, w{ste mhv ijscuvein tinav parelqei`n diav th`~ oJdou` ejkeivnh~. Kaiv ijdouv e[kraxan, levgonte~: Tiv hJmi`n kaiv soiv, jIhsou`, UiJev tou` Qeou`; h\lqe~ w/|de prov kairou` basanivsai hJma`~; \Hn dev makravn ajp j aujtw`n ajgevlh coivrwn pollw`n boskomevnh. OiJ dev daivmone~ parekavloun aujtovn levgonte~: Eij ejkbavllei~ hJma`~, ejpivtreyon hJmi`n ajpelqei`n eij~ thvn ajgevlhn tw`n coivrwn. Kaiv ei\pen aujtoi`~: JUpavgete. OiJ dev ejxelqovnte~, ajph`lqon eij~ thvn ajgevlhn tw`n coivrwn. Kaiv ijdouv, w{rmhse pa`sa hJ ajgevlh tw`n coivrwn katav tou` krhmnou` eij~ thvn qavlassan, kaiv ajpevqanon ejn toi`~ u{dasin. OiJ dev bovskonte~ e[fugon: kaiv ajpelqovnte~ eij~ thvn povlin, ajphvggeilan pavnta, kaiv tav tw`n daimonizomevnwn. Kaiv ijdouv, pa`sa hJ povli~ ejxh`lqen eij~ sunavnthsin tw`/ jIhsou`: kaiv ijdovnte~ aujtovn, parekavlesan o{pw~ metabh`/ ajpov tw`n oJrivwn aujtw`n. Kaiv ejmbav~ eij~ tov ploi`on, diepevrase, kaiv h\lqen eij~ thvn ijdivan povlin.

Gospel
From the Gospel according to St. Mathew
(Chapter 8: 28-34, 9:1)

At that time, when Jesus came to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, two demoniacs met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way. And behold, they cried out, "What have you to do with us, o Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?" Now a herd of many swine was feeding at some distance from them. And the demons begged him, "If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of swine." And he said to them, "Go." So they came out and went into the swine; and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and perished in the waters. The herdsmen fled, and going in to the city they told everything, and what had happened to the demoniacs. And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their neighborhood.

And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city.

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