Church Bulletin - March, 2002 - Sunday of the Prodigal Son

Sunday of the Prodigal Son - March 3, 2002
[ Click here for the Bible readings: 1 Cor 6:12-20; Lk 15:11-32]
[ Click here for the Bible readings in Greek ]

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THE PARISH PRIEST: A SERVANT TO ALL

It can be said that a priest fills a multitude of roles in his parish community. He celebrates the Divine Services. He administers the Sacraments. He preaches and teaches the Word of God to his appointed flock.

By virtue of his calling, every priest must be committed to serving the One Who called him to service: Jesus Christ. He is charged with the challenge of setting the proper example for his faithful, always being mindful of the fact that others must see the image of our Lord reflected in his actions and words. Like his Divine Master, a priest must always remember that he has not been commissioned TO BE SERVED, but rather TO SERVE.

By the same token, we must all understand that our parish priest is there to help us in a variety of ways. In time of sickness -- not just when death is imminent -- we should call on our priest to offer prayers. The Apostle James tells us as much in his epistle: "Is anyone among you sick? Let him call in the priests of the Church, and let them pray over him." (James 5:14) A priest is trained to care for the needs of our soul as well. He is able to answer our questions and ease our doubts about our faith. He is well-equipped to help us deal with social and psychological issues that confront us on a daily basis. Young and old alike can benefit from his wise counsel.

Call upon your parish priest often! Never feel that he is "too busy" to listen to your concerns. Don't think that you are "bothering" him by sharing your burdens with him. Your priest is truly your Father. Allow him to minister to you.

ANASTASIMON APOLUTIKION

jAggelikaiv Dunavmei~ ejpiv tov mnh`mav sou, kaiv oiJ fulavssonte~ ajpenekrwvqhsan: kaiv I{stato Mariva ejn tw`/ tavfw/ zhtou`sa tov a[crantovn sou sw`ma: ejskuvleusa~ tovn a{/dhn, mhv peirasqeiv~ uJp j aujtou`: uJphvnthsa~ th`/ Parqevnw/ dwrouvmeno~ thvn zwhvn. JO ajnastav~ ejk tw`n nekrw`n, Kuvrie, dovxa soi.

RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION

O Christ the angelic powers appeared at Your tomb, the guards were as dead, and Mary stood by the grave, seeking Your sacred body. You destroyed Hades yet remained untouched by it. You encountered the Virgin and, through her, bestowed life. Glory to You who have risen from the dead!

QEOTOKION

JO thvn eujloghmevnhn kalevsa~ sou Mhtevra, h\lqe~ ejpiv tov Pavqo~ eJkousiva/ boulh`/, lavmya~ ejn tw`/ Staurw`/, ajnazhth`sai qevlwn tovn jAdavm, levgwn toi`~ jAggevloi~: Sugcavrhtev moi, o{ti euJrevqh hJ ajpollumevnh dracmhv. JO pavnta sofw`~ oijkonomhvsa~ Qeov~, dovxa soi.

THEOTOKION

O Lord, who called the blessed One Mother, and of Your own will came to Your passion, Who shone radiantly on the Cross, seeking Adam’s restoration and saying to the angels, "Rejoice with me, for I have found the lost piece of silver," You have provided all things in wisdom. Glory to You!

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

Th`~ patrwv/a~ dovxh~ sou, ajposkirthvsa~ ajfrovnw~, ejn kakoi`~ ejskovrpisa, o{n moi parevdwka~ plou`ton: o{qen soi, thvn tou` jAswvtou, fwnhvn kraugavzw: {Hmarton, ejnwvpiovn sou, Pavter oijktivrmon: devxai me metanoou`nta, kaiv poivhsovn me, wJ~ e{na tw`n misqivwn sou.

KONTAKION

O Father, foolishly I ran away from Your glory and, in sin, squandered the riches You gave me. Wherefore, I cry out to You with the voice of the Prodigal, "I have sinned before You, Compassionate Father. Receive me in repentance and take me as one of Your hired servants."

APOSTOLOS
(B j Tim. g j 10<15)

jAdelfoiv, pavnta moi ejxevstin, ajll j ouj pavnta sumfevrei: pavnta moi ejxevstin, ajll j oujk ejgwv ejxousiasqhvsomai uJpov tino~. Tav brwvmata th`/ koiliva/ kaiv hJ koiliva toi`~ brwvmasin: oJ dev Qeov~ kaiv tauvthn kaiv tau`ta katarghvsei. Tov dev sw`ma ouj th`/ porneiva/, ajllav tw`/ Kurivw/, kaiv oJ Kuvrio~ tw`/ swvmati: oJ dev Qeov~ kaiv tovn Kuvrion h[geire kaiv hJma`~ ejxegerei` diav th`~ dunavmew~ aujtou`. Oujk oi[date o{ti tav swvmata uJmw`n mevlh Cristou` ejstinÉ [Ara~ ou\n tav mevlh tou` Cristou` poihvsw povrnh~ mevlh_ Mhv gevnoito. [H oujk oi[date o{ti oJ kollwvmeno~ th`/ povrnh/ e{n sw`ma ejstinÉ [Esontai gavr, fhsivn, oiJ duvo eij~ savrka mivan: oJ dev kollwvmeno~ tw`/ Kurivw/ e{n pneu`ma ejsti. Feuvgete thvn porneivan. Pa`n aJmavrthma o{ ejavn poihvsh/ a[nqrwpo~ ejktov~ tou` swvmatov~ ejstin, oJ dev porneuvwn eij~ tov I[dion sw`ma aJmartavnei. [H oujk oi[date o{ti tov sw`ma uJmw`n naov~ tou` ejn uJmi`n JAgivou Pneu`matov~ ejstin, ou| e[cete ajpov Qeou`, kaiv oujk ejstev eJautw`n_ jHgoravsqhte gavr timh`~: doxavsate dhv tovn Qeovn ejn tw`/ swvmati uJmw`n kaiv ejn tw`/ pneuvmati uJmw`n, a{tina ejsti tou` Qeou`.

EPISTLE
(1 Cor. 6:12-20)

Brethren, "All things are lawful for me," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful for me," but I will not be enslaved by anything. "Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food"-and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I therefore take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who joins himself to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, "The two shall become one flesh." But he who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Shun immorality. Every other sin which a man commits is outside the body; but the immoral man sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body and in your spirit which belong to God.

EUAGGELION
jEk tou` katav Louka`n
(Kef. ie j (15), 11<32)

Ei\pen oJ Kuvrio~ thvn parabolhvn tauvthn: [Anqrwpov~ ti~ ei\ce duvo uiJouv~: kaiv ei\pen oJ newvtero~ aujtw`n tw`/ patriv: Pavter, dov~ moi tov ejpibavllon mevro~ th`~ oujsiva~. Kaiv diei`len aujtoi`~ tovn bivon. Kaiv met j ouj pollav~ hJmevra~ sunagagwvn a{panta oJ newvtero~ uiJov~, ajpedhvmhsen eij~ cwvran makravn: kaiv ejkei` dieskovrpise thvn oujsivan aujtou`, zw`n ajswvtw~. Dapanhvsanto~ dev aujtou` pavnta, ejgevneto limov~ ijscurov~ katav thvn cwvran ejkeivnhn, kaiv aujtov~ h[rxato uJsterei`sqai. Kaiv poreuqeiv~ ejkolhvqh eJniv tw`n politw`n th`~ cwvra~ ejkeivnh~: kaiv e[pemyen aujtovn eij~ touv~ ajgrouv~ aujtou` bovskein coivrou~. Kaiv ejpequvmei gemivsai thvn koilivan aujtou` ajpov tw`n kerativwn, w|n h[sqion oiJ coi`roi, kaiv oujdeiv~ ejdivdou aujtw`/. Eij~ eJautovn dev ejlqwvn, ei\pe: povsoi mivsqioi tou` patrov~ mou perisseuvousin a[rtwn, ejgwv dev limw`/ ajpovllumai! JAnastav~ poreuvsomai prov~ tovn patevra mou, kaiv ejrw` aujtw`/: Pavter, h{marton eij~ tovn oujranovn kaiv ejnwvpiovn sou: kaiv oujkevti eijmiv a[xio~ klhqh`nai uiJov~ sou: poivhsovn me wJ~ e{na tw`n misqivwn sou. Kaiv ajnastav~ h\lqe prov~ tovn patevra aujtou`. [Eti dev aujtou` makravn ajpevconto~, ei\den aujtovn oJ pathvr aujtou`, kaiv eujsplagcnivsqh, kaiv dramw`n ejpevpesen ejpiv tovn travchlon aujtou`, kaiv katefivlhsen aujtovn. Ei\pe dev aujtw`/ oJ uiJov~: pavter, h{marton eij~ tovn oujranovn kaiv ejnwvpiovn sou, kaiv oujkevti eijmiv a[xio~ klhqh`nai uiJov~ sou. Ei\pe dev oJ pathvr prov~ touv~ douvlou~ aujtou`: jExenevgkate thvn stolhvn thvn prwvthn, kaiv ejnduvsate aujtovn, kaiv dovte daktuvlion eij~ thvn cei`ra aujtou`, kaiv uJpodhvmata eij~ touv~ povda~: kaiv ejnevgkante~ tovn movscon tovn siteutovn, quvsate, kaiv fagovnte~ eujfranqw`men, o{ti ou|to~ oJ uiJov~ mou nekrov~ h\n, kaiv ajnevzhse, kaiv ajpolwlwv~ h\n, kaiv euJrevqh. Kaiv h[rxanto eujfraivnesqai. \Hn dev oJ uiJov~ aujtou` oJ presbuvtero~ ejn ajgrw`/: kaiv wJ~ ejrcovmeno~ h[ggise th`/ oijkiva/, h[kouse sumfwniva~ kaiv corw`n. Kaiv proskalesavmeno~ e{na tw`n paivdwn, ejpunqavneto tiv ei[h tau`ta; JO dev ei\pen aujtw`/, o{ti oJ ajdelfov~ sou h{kei, kaiv e[qusen oJ pathvr sou tovn movscon tovn siteutovn, o{ti uJgiaivnonta aujtovn ajpevlaben. JWrgivsqh dev, kaiv oujk h[qelen eijselqei`n. JO ou\n pathvr aujtou` ejxelqwvn parekavlei aujtovn. JO dev ajpokriqeiv~ ei\pe tw`/ patriv: jIdouv tosau`ta e[th douleuvw soi, kaiv oujdevpote ejntolhvn sou parh`lqon, kaiv ejmoiv oujdevpote e[dwka~ e[rifon, I{na metav tw`n fivlwn mou eujfranqw`: o{te dev oJ uiJov~ sou ou|to~, oJ katafagwvn sou tovn bivon metav pornw`n, h\lqen, e[qusa~ aujtw`/ tovn movscon tovn siteutovn. JO dev ei\pen aujtw`/: Tevknon, suv pavntote met j ejmou` ei\, kaiv pavnta tav ejmav, sav ejstin: eujfqranqh`nai dev kaiv carh`nai e[dei, o{ti oJ ajdelfov~ sou ou|to~ nekrov~ h\n, kaiv ajnevzhse: kaiv ajpolwlwv~ h\n, kaiv euJrevqh

GOSPEL
From the Gospel according to St. Luke
(Chapter 15:11-32)

The Lord said this parable: "There was a man who had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that falls to me.’ And he divided his living between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in loose living. And when he had spent everything, a great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want. So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have fed on the pods that the swine ate; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants." And he arose and came to his father. But while he was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to make merry.

‘Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what this meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf!’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’ "

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