Church Bulletin - June 9, 2002 - Sunday of the Blind Man

Sunday of the Blind Man - June 9, 2002
[ Click here for the Bible readings: Acts 16:16-34; Jn 9:1-38]
[ Click here for the Bible readings in Greek ]

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"AND HIS KINGDOM SHALL HAVE NO END..."

Scripture tells us that after our Lord's Resurrection, He appeared to His faithful followers on numerous occasions. For forty days, Christ spoke to them of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. He reminded the Apostles that "... it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day." (Luke 24:46) He prepared them for the great task that would lie ahead for them: spreading the Gospel and establishing the Church. "YOU SHALL RECEIVE POWER WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS COME UPON YOU, AND YOU SHALL BE WITNESSES TO ME IN JERUSALEM, AND IN ALL JUDEA AND SAMARIA, AND TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH." (Acts 1:8) With these words, Christ ascended into heaven and disappeared from the midst of His beloved disciples.

It is interesting to note that in some traditional Orthodox icons of the Ascension, Christ is depicted in a way that makes it difficult to determine whether He is actually GOING into heaven or RETURNING to earth to judge mankind. The Lord is shown in this manner to stress the profound truth that while we await His return to establish His Kingdom, we are already living under His reign. Like the Apostles, who went back to Jerusalem "with great joy" after witnessing Christ's Ascension, we are called upon to joyfully prepare ourselves for the Second Coming by living according to the teachings of our Lord and His holy Church. The words of the angels to the Apostles on the Mount of Olives at the Ascension assure us of the truthfulness of these words: "This same Jesus, Who was taken up from you into heaven will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven." (Acts 1:11)

KURIAKH TOU TUFLOU

jAnastavsimon jApolutivkion

Tovn sunavnarcon Lovgon Patriv kaiv Pneuvmati, tovn ejk parqevnou tecqevnta eij~ swthrivan hJmw`n, ajnumnhvswmen pistoiv kaiv proskunhvswmen: o{ti hujdovkhse sarkiv, ajnelqei`n ejn tw`/ Staurw`/, kaiv qavnaton uJpomei`nai, kaiv ejgei`rai touv~ teqnew`ta~, ejn th`/ ejndovxw/ ajnastavsei aujtou`.

SUNDAY OF THE BLIND MAN

Resurrection Dismissal Hymn

O faithful, let us sing a hymn of praise and worship to the Logos who is co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit, who was born of the Virgin for our salvation. Of His own will, He went upon the Cross in the flesh and suffered death, to raise the dead through His glorious Resurrection.

jApolutivkion 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
\Hco~ pl. d j. Aujtovmelon.

Eij kaiv ejn tavfw/, kath`lqe~ ajqavnate, ajllav tou` a{/dou, kaqei`le~ thvn dujnamin: kaiv ajnevsth~ wJ~ nikhthv~, Cristev oJ Qeov~, gunaixiv murofovroi~, fqegxavmeno~: Caivrete, kaiv toi``~ soi`~ ajpostovloi~, eijrhvnhn dwrouvmeno~ oJ toi`~ pesou`si, parevcwn ajnnavstasin.

Kontakion
Eighth tone

Though You went down into the tomb, You destroyed Hades’ power, and rose the victor, Christ God. To the myrrh-bearing women, saying "Hail!" and granting peace to Your disciples, You are He Who raises up the fallen.

jjApovstolo~
Prokeivmenon. \Hco~ pl. a j. (Yalmov~ ia j).
Suv, Kuvrie, fulavxai~ hJma`~, kaiv diathrhvsai~ hJma`~.
Stivc. Sw`sovn me, Kuvrie, o{ti ejklevloipen o{sio~.
Pravxewn tw`n jApostovlwn tov jAnavgnwsma.
Kef. IST j 16<34)

jEn tai`~ hJmevrai~ ejkeivnai~, ejgevneto poreuomevnwn hJmw`n tw`n ajpostovlwn eij~ proseuchvn paidivskhn tinav e[cousan pneu`ma puvqwno~ ajpanth`sai hJmi`n, h{ti~ ejrgasivan pollhvn parei`ce toi`~ kurivoi~ aujth`~ manteuomevnh. Au{th katakolouqhvsasa tw`/ Pauvlw/ kaiv tw`/ Sivla/ e[kraze levgousa: ou|toi oiJ a[nqrwpoi dou`loi tou` Qeou` tou` uJyivstou eijsivn, oi{tine~ kataggevlousin hJmi`n oJdovn swthriva~. Tou`to dev ejpoivei ejpiv pollav~ hJmevra~. Diaponhqeiv~ dev oJ Pau`lo~ kaiv ejpistrevya~ tw`/ pneuvmati ei\pe: paraggevlw soi ejn tw`/ ojnovmati jIhsou` Cristou` ejxelqei`n ajp j aujth`~. Kaiv ejxh`lqen aujth`/ th`/ w{ra/. JIdovnte~ dev oiJ kuvrioi aujth``~ o{ti ejxh`lqen hJ ejlpiv~ th`~ ejrgasiva~ aujtw`n, ejpilabovmenoi tovn Pau`lon kaiv tovn Sivlan ei{lkusan eij~ thvn ajgoravn ejpiv touv~ a[rconta~, kaiv prosagagovnte~ aujtouv~ toi`~ strathgoi`~ ei\pon: ou|toi oiJ a[nqrwpoi ejktaravssousin hJmw`n thvn povlin jIoudai`oi uJpavrconte~, kaiv kataggevlousin e[qh a{ oujk e[xestin hJmi`n paradevcesqai oujdev poiei`n JRwmaivoi~ ou\si. Kaiv sunepevsth oJ o[clo~ kat j aujtw`n. Kaiv oiJ strathgoiv perirrhvxante~ aujtw`n tav iJmavtia ejkevleuon rabdivzein, pollav~ te ejpiqevnte~ aujtoi`~ plhgav~ e[balon eij~ fulakhvn, paraggeivlante~ tw`/ desmofuvlaki ajsfalw`~ threi`n aujtouv~: o{~ paraggelivan toiauvthn eijlhfwv~ e[balen aujtouv~ eij~ thvn ejswtevran fulakhvn kaiv touv~ povda~ aujtw`n hjsfalivsato eij~ tov xuvlon. Katav dev tov mesonuvktion Pau`lo~ kaiv Sivla~ proseucovmenoi u{mnoun tovn Qeovn: ejphkrow`nto dev aujtw`n oiJ devsmioi. [Afnw dev seismov~ ejgevneto mevga~, w{ste saleuqh`nai tav qemevlia tou` desmwthrivou, ajnew/vcqhsavn te paracrh`ma aiJ quvrai pa`sai kaiv pavntwn tav desmav ajnevqh. [Exupno~ dev genovmeno~ oJ desmofuvlax kaiv ijdwvn ajnew/gmevna~ tav~ quvra~ th`~ fulakh`~, spasavmeno~ mavcairan e[mellen eJautovn ajnairei`n, nomivzwn ejkpefeugevnai touv~ desmivou~: jEfwvnhse dev fwnh`/ megavlh/ oJ Pau`lo~ levgwn: Mhdevn pravxh/~ seautw`/ kakovn: a{pante~ gavr ejsmen ejnqavde. Aijthvsa~ dev fw`ta eijsephvdhse, kaiv e[ntromo~ genovmeno~ prosevpese tw`/ Pauvlw/ kaiv Sivla/, kaiv proagagwvn aujtouv~ e[xw e[fh: Kuvrioi, tiv me dei` poiei`n i{na swqw`;É OiJ dev ei\pon: Pivsteuson ejpiv tovn Kuvrion jIhsou`n Cristovn, kaiv swqhvsh/ suv kaiv oJ oi\kov~ sou. Kaiv ejlavlhsan aujtw`/ tovn lovgon tou` Kurivou kaiv pa`si toi`~ ejn th`/ oijkiva/ aujtou`. Kaiv paralabwvn aujtouv~ ejn ejkeivnh/ th`/ w{ra/ th``~ nuktov~ e[lousen ajpov tw`n plhgw`n, kaiv ejbaptivsqh aujtov~ kaiv oij aujtou` pavnte~ paracrh`ma, ajnagagwvn te aujtouv~ eij~ tovn oi\kon aujtou` parevqhke travpezan, kaiv hjgalliavsato panoikiv pepisteukwv~ tw`/ Qew`/.

Epistle
Prokeimenon. Fifth Tone. Psalm 11.7, 1.
You, Lord, shall keep us and preserve us.
Verse. Save me, O Lord, for the godly man has failed.
The reading is from the Acts of the Apostles
Chapter 16.16-34.

IN THOSE DAYS, as we apostles were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by soothsaying. She followed Paul and us crying, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation." And this she did for many days. But Paul was annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, "I charge you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And it came out that very hour.

But when her owners saw that there hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place before the rulers; and when they had brought them to the magistrate they said, "These men are Jews and they are disturbing our city. They advocate customs which it is not lawful for us Romans to accept or practice." The crowd joined in attacking them; and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely. Having received this charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and every one’s fetters were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here." And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out and said, "Men what must I do to be saved?" And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their wounds, and he was baptized at once, with all his family. Then he brought them up into his house, and set food before them; and he rejoiced with all his household that he had believed in God.

Eujaggevlion
jEk tou` katav jIwavnnhn.
Kef. q j (9), 1<38

Tw`/ kairw`/ ejkeivnw/, paravgwn oJ jIhsou`~, ei\den a[nqrwpon tuflovn ejk geneth`~. Kaiv hjrwvthsan aujtovn oiJ Maqhtaiv aujtou`, levgonte~: JRabbiv, tiv~ h{marten, ou|to~, h[ oiJ gonei`~ aujtou`, i{na tuflov~ gennhqh/É jApekrivqh jIhsou`~: ou[te ou|to~ h{marten ou[te oiJ gonei``~ aujtou`, ajll j i{na fanerwqh/` tav e[rga tou` Qeou` ejn aujtw`/. JEmev dei` ejrgavzesqai tav e[rga tou` pevmyantov~ me, e{w~ hJmevra ejstivn: e[rcetai nu`x, o{te oujdeiv~ duvnatai ejrgavzesqai. {Otan ejn tw`/ kovsmw/ w\, fw`~ eijmi tou` kovsmou. Tau`ta eijpwvn, e[ptuse camaiv, kaiv ejpoivhse phlovn ejk tou` ptuvsmato~, kaiv ejpevcrise tovn phlovn ejpiv touv~ ojfqalmouv~ tou` tuflou` kaiv ei\pen aujtw`/: {Upage, nivyai eij~ thvn kolumbhvqran tou` Silwavm, o{ eJrmhneuvetai, ajpestalmevno~. JAph`lqen ou\n, kaiv ejnivyato, kaiv h\lqe blevpwn. OiJ ou\n geivtone~ kaiv oiJ qewrou`nte~ aujtovn tov provteron, o{ti tuflov~ h\n, e[legon: Oujc ou|tov~ ejstin oJ kaqhvmeno~ kaiv prosaitw`nÉ [Alloi e[legon: o{ti ou|tov~ ejstin. [Alloi dev o{ti o{moio~ aujtw`/ ejstin. JEkei`no~ e[legen: {Oti ejgwv eijmi. [Elegon ou\n aujtw`/: Pw`~ ajnew/vcqhsavn sou oiJ ojfqalmoivÉ jApekrivqh ejkei`no~, kaiv ei\pen: [Anqrwpo~, legovmeno~ jIhsou`~, phlovn ejpoivhse, kaiv ejpevcrisev mou touv~ ojfqalmouv~, kaiv ei\pev moi: {Upage eij~ thvn kolumbhvqran tou` Silwavm, kaiv nivyai. JApelqwvn dev kaiv niyavmeno~, ajnevbleya. Ei\pon ou\n aujtw`/: Pou` ejstin ejkei`no~É Levgei: Oujk oi\da. [Agousin aujtovn prov~ touv~ Farisaivou~, tovn pote tuflovn. \Hn dev Savbbaton, o{te tovn phlovn ejpoivhsen oJ jIhsou`~, kaiv ajnevw/xen aujtou` touv~ ojfqalmouv~. Pavlin ou\n hjrwvtwn aujtovn kaiv oiJ Farisai`oi, pwv~ ajnevbleyen. JO dev ei\pen aujtoi`~: Phlovn ejpeqhkev mou ejpiv touv~ ojfqalmouv~, kaiv ejniyavmhn, kaiv blevpw. [Elegon ou\n ejk tw`n Farisaivwn tinev~: Ou|to~ oJ a[nqrwpo~ oujk ejsti parav tou` Qeou`, o{ti tov Savbbaton ouj threi`. [Alloi e[legon: Pw`~ duvnatai a[nqrwpo~ aJmartwlov~ toiau`ta shmei`a poiei`nÉ Kaiv scivsma h\n ejn aujtoi`~. Levgousi tw`/ tuflw`/ pavlin: Suv tiv levgei~ periv aujtou`, o{ti h[noixev sou touv~ ojfqalmouv~É JO dev ei\pen: {Oti profhvth~ ejstivn. Oujk ejpivsteusan ou\n oiJ jIoudai`oi periv aujtou`, o{ti tuflov~ h\n, kaiv ajnevbleyen, e{w~ o{tou ejfwvnhsan touv~ gonei`~ aujtou` tou` ajnablevyanto~ kaiv hjrwvthsan aujtouv~, levgonte~: Ou|tov~ ejstin oJ uiJov~ uJmw`n, o{n uJmei``~ levgete o{ti tuflov~ ejgennhvqhÉ pw`~ ou\n a[rti blevpeiÉ jApekrivqhsan dev aujtoi`~ oiJ gonei`~ aujtou` kaiv ei\pon: Oi[damen o{ti ou|tov~ ejstivn oJ uiJov~ hJmw`n, kaiv o{ti tuflov~ ejgennhvqh: pw`~ dev nu`n blevpei, oujk oi[damen: h{ tiv~ h[noixen aujtou` touv~ ojfqalmouv~, hJmei``~ ou[k oi[damen: aujtov~ hJlikivan e[cei, aujtovn ejrwthvsate: aujtov~ periv aujtou` lalhvsei. Tau`ta ei\pon oiJ gonei`~ aujtou`, o{ti ejfobou`nto touv~ jIoudaivou~: h[dh gavr sunetevqeinto oiJ jIoudai`oi, i{na, ejavn ti~ aujtovn oJmologhvsh/ Cristovn, ajposunavgwgo~ gevnhtai. Diav tou`to oiJ gonei``~ aujtou` ei\pon: {Oti hJlikivan e[cei, aujtovn ejrwthvsate. JEfwvnhsan ou\n ejk deutevrou tovn a[nqrwpon, o{~ h\n tuflov~, kaiv ei\pon aujtw`/: Dov~ dovxan tw`/ Qew`/: hJmei``~ oi[damen o{ti oJ a[nqrwpo~ ou|to~ aJmartwlov~ ejstin. JApekrivqh ou\n ejkei`no~, kaiv ei\pen: Eij aJmartwlov~ ejstin, oujk oi\da: e{n oi\da, o{ti, tuflov~ w[n, a[rti blevpw. Ei\pon dev aujtw`/ pavlin: Tiv ejpoivhsev soiÉ pw``~ h[noixev sou touv~ ojfqalmouv~É jApekrivqh aujtoi`~: Ei\pon uJmi`n h[dh, kaiv oujk hjkouvsate: tiv pavlin qevlete ajkouveinÉ mhv kaiv hJmei``~ qevlete aujtou` maqhtaiv genevsqaiÉ jEloidovrhsan ou\n aujtovn, kaiv ei\pon: Suv ei\ maqhthv~ ejkeivnou: hJmei``~ dev tou` Mwu>sevw~ ejsmevn maqhtaiv. JHmei`~ oi[damen, o{ti Mwu>sei` lelavlhken oJ Qeov~: tou`ton dev oujk oi[damen povqen ejstivn. JApekrivqh oJ a[nqrwpo~ kaiv ei\pen aujtoi`~. JEn gavr touvtw/ qaumastovn ejstin, o{ti uJmei`~ oujk oi[date povqen ejstiv, kaiv ajnevw/xev mou touv~ ojfqalmouv~. Oi[damen d j o{ti aJmartwlw`n oJ Qeov~ oujk ajkouvei: ajll j ejavn ti~ qeosebhv~ h\/, kaiv tov qevlhma aujtou` poih/`, touvtou ajkouvei. JEk tou` aijw`no~ oujk hjkouvsqh, o{ti h[noixev ti~ ojfqalmouv~ tuflou` gegennhmevnou. Eij mhv h[n ou|to~ parav Qeou`, oujk hjduvnato poiei`n oujdevn. JApekrivqhsan kaiv ei\pon aujtw`/: jEn aJmartivai~ suv ejgennhvqh~ o{lo~, kaiv suv didavskei~ hJma``~É Kaiv ejxevbalon aujtovn e[xw. [Hkousen oJ jIhsou`~, o{ti ejxevbalon aujtovn e[xw, kaiv euJrwvn aujtovn, ei\pen aujtw`/: Suv pisteuvei~ eij~ tovn UiJovn tou` Qeou`É jApekrivqh ejkei`no~ kaiv ei\pe: Tiv~ ejsti, Kuvrie, i{na pisteuvsw eij~ aujtovnÉ Ei\pe dev aujtw`/ oJ jIhsou`~: Kaiv eJwvraka~ aujtovn, kaiv oJ lalwvn metav sou`, ejkei`nov~ ejstin. JO dev e[fh: Pisteuvw, Kuvrie: kaiv prosekuvnhsen aujtw`/.

Gospel
From the Gospel according to St. John
Chapter 9: 1-38

At that time, as Jesus passed by, he saw a man blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be made manifest in him. We must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day; night comes, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." As he said this, he spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and anointed the man’s eyes with the clay, saying to him go wash in the pool of "Siloam" (which means sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing. The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar, said, "Is not this the man who used to sit and beg?" Some said, "It is he," others said, "No, but he is like him." He said, "I am the man." They said to him, "Then how were your eyes opened?" He answered, "The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash’; so I went and washed and received my sight." They said to him, "Where is he?" He said, I do not know."

They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. The Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, "He put clay on my eyes and I washed, and I see." Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath." But others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?" There was a division among them. So they again said to the blind man, "What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?" He said, "He is a prophet."

The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight, and asked them, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?" His parents answered, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself." His parents said this because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, "He is of age, ask him."

So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him, "Give God the praise; we know that this man is a sinner." He answered, "Whether he is a sinner, I do not know, one thing I know, that though I was blind, now I see." They said to him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?" He answered them, "I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you too want to become his disciples?" And they reviled him, saying, "You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from." The man answered, "Why, this is a marvel! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if any one is a worshipper of God and does his will, God listens to him. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." They answered him, "You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?" And they cast him out.

Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, "Do you believe in the Son of God?" He answered, "And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?" Jesus said to him, "You have seen him, and it is he who speaks to you." He said, "Lord, I believe"; and he worshiped him.

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