Church Bulletin - May 19, 2002 - Sunday of the Myrrhbearers

Sunday of the Myrrhbearers - May 19, 2002
[ Click here for the Bible readings: Acts 6:1-7; Mk 5:43-6:8]
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THE RESURRECTION'S FIRST WITNESSES

When our Lord was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, the Apostles exhibited behavior that, at best, would he considered cowardly. They fled for their own lives, leaving their Master behind to face His Passion alone. The Gospels even present a detailed account of Peter vehemently denying that he KNEW Christ!

In contrast to the actions of the Apostles is the bravery shown by a small band of women that will forever be known as the "MYRRHBEARING WOMEN." They were present on Golgotha when Christ breathed His last breath. They saw Joseph of Arimathea wrap His lifeless body in a shroud and place it in a nearby tomb. And they knew, because of the lateness of the hour, that their beloved Lord's body had not been properly prepared for burial.

The Myrrhbearing Women knew what had to be done: they must return to the tomb and finish what their Law prescribed. "So very early in the morning on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen." (Mark 16:2) They were the first to discover, however, that the SON HAD RISEN! The tomb was empty!

What courage the Myrrhbearing Women showed! They knew that a band of Roman soldiers was assigned to guard the tomb. They knew that a huge stone had sealed its entrance. Still, they remained undaunted. Their loyalty and dedication to their Master could not be shaken. What a wonderful example of commitment the Myrrhbearers set for all of us!

KURIAKH TRITH
TWN MUROFORWN

jAnastavsimon jApolutivkion
\Hco~ b j.

{Ote kath`lqe~ prov~ tovn qavnaton, hJ zwhv ajqavnato~, tovte tovn a{/dhn ejnevkrwsa~, th`/ ajstraph`/ th`~ Qeovthto~: o{te dev kaiv touv~ teqnew`ta~, ejk tw`n katacqonivwn ajnevsthsa~, pa`sai aiJ dunavmei~ tw`n ejpouranivwn ejkrauvgazon: Zwodovta Cristev, oJ Qeov~ hJmw`n, dovxa soi.

THIRD SUNDAY
SUNDAY OF THE MYRRHBEARERS

Resurrection Dismissal Hymn
Second tone

When you descended to death, O immortal life, then the light of Your divinity destroyed Hades. When You raised the dead from the depths of darkness, all the heavenly powers cried out, "Glory to You, O Christ our God, the Giver of life."

jApolutivkia th`~ JEorth`~ JO eujschvmwn jIwshvf, ajpov tou` xuvlou kaqelwvn tov a[crantov~ sou sw`ma, sindovni kaqara/` eijlhvsa~ kaiv ajrwvmasin, ejn mnhvmati kainw`/ khdeuvsa~ ajpevqeto: ajllav trihvmero~ ajnevsth~ Kuvrie, parevcwn tw`/ kovsmw/ tov mevga e[leo~.	Dismissal Hymns of the Feast Day Lowering Your pure body from the Cross, the noble Joseph wrapped it in clean muslin, with fragrant spices, and laid it in a new tomb, but on the third day You rose, O Lord, granting the world great mercy.
Tai`~ Murofovroi~ gunaixiv, parav tov mnh`ma ejpistav~, oJ [Aggelo~ ejbova: Tav mu`ra toi`~ qnhtoi`~ uJpavrcei ajrmovdia. Cristov~ dev diafqora`~ ejdeivcqh ajllovtrio~: ajllav kraugavsate: jAnevsth, oJ Kuvrio~, parevcwn tw`/ kovsmw/ tov mevga e[leo~.	Standing by the tomb, the angel said to the myrrh-bearing women, "Myrrh is for the dead; but Christ has proven Himself alien to death, therefore cry out, "The Lord risen, granting the world great mercy."

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~ b j.
(Yalmov~ riz j).

jIscuv~ mou kaiv u{mnhsiv~ mou oJ Kuvrio~.
Stivc. Paideuvwn ejpevdeusev me oJ Kuvrio~.
Pravxewn tw`n jApostovlwn tov jAnavgnwsma.
(Kef. ST j 1<7)

jEn tai`~ hJmevrai~, ejkei`nai~, plhqunovntwn tw`n maqhtw`n ejgevneto goggusmov~ tw`n JEllhnistw`n prov~ touv~ jEbraivou~, o{ti pareqewrou`nto ejn th`/ diakoniva/ th`/ kaqhmerinh`/ aiJ ch`rai aujtw`n. Proskalesavmenoi dev oiJ dwvdeka tov plh`qo~ tw`n maqhtw`n ei\pon: Oujk ajrestovn ejstin hJma`~ kataleivyante~ tovn lovgon tou` Qeou` diakonei`n trapevzai~. JEpiskevyasqe ou\n, ajdelfoiv, a[ndra~ ejx uJmw`n marturoumevnou~ eJptav, plhvrei~ Pneuvmato~ JAgivou kaiv sofiva~, ou{~ katasthvsomen ejpiv th`~ creiva~ tauvth~: hJmei`~ dev th`/ proseuch`/ kaiv th`/ diakoniva/ tou` lovgou proskarterhvsomen. Kaiv h[resen oJ lovgo~ ejnwvpion pantov~ tou` plhvqou~: kaiv ejxelevxanto Stevfanon, a[ndra plhvrh pivstew~ kaiv Pneuvmato~ JAgivou, kaiv Fivlippon kaiv Provcoron kaiv Nikavnora kaiv Tivmwna kaiv Parmena`n kaiv Nikovlaon proshvluton jAntioceva, ou{~ e[sthsan ejnwvpion tw`n ajpostovvlwn, kaiv proseuxavmenoi ejpevqhkan aujtoi`~ tav~ cei`ra~. Kaiv oJ lovgo~ tou` Qeou` hu[xane, kaiv ejplhquvneto oJ ajriqmov~ tw`n maqhtw`n ejn JIerousalhvm sfovdra, poluv~ te o[clo~ tw`n jIoudaivwn uJphvkouon th`/ pivstei.

Epistle

Prokeimenon. Second Tone. Psalm 117. 14, 18
The Lord is my strength and my song.
Verse. The Lord has chastened me sorely.
The reading is from the Acts of the Apostles.
Chapter 6. 1-7

IN THOSE DAYS, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists murmured against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the body of the disciples and said, "It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word." And what they said pleased the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochoros, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaos, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles , and they prayed and laid their hands upon them. And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.

Eujaggevlion
JEk tou` katav Mavrkon.
Kef. ie j (15), 43<47 i~ j (16), 1<8

Tw`/ kairw`/ ejkeivnw/, ejlqwvn jIwshvf oJ ajpov jArimaqaiva~, eujscuvmwn bouleuthv~, o{~ kaiv aujtov~ h\n prosdecovmeno~ thvn basileivan tou` Qeou`, tolmhvsa~ eijsh`lqe prov~ Pila`ton, kaiv hj/tthvsato tov sw`ma tou` jIhsou`. JO dev Pila`to~ ejqauvmasen, eij h[dh tevqnhke: kaiv proskalesavmeno~ tovn Kenturivwna, ejphrwvthsen aujtovn eij pavlai ajpevqane. Kaiv gnouv~ ajpov tou` Kenturivwno~, ejdwrhvsato tov sw`ma tw`/ jIwshvf. Kaiv ajgoravsa~ sindovna, kaiv kaqelwvn aujtovn, ejneivlhse th`/ sindovni, kaiv katevqhken aujtovn ejn mnhmeivw/, o{ h\n lelatomhmevnon ejk pevtra~, kaiv prosekuvlise livqon ejpiv thvn quvran tou` mnhmeivou. JH dev Mariva hJ Magdalhnhv, kaiv Mariva jIwsh` ejqewvroun pouv tivqetai. Kaiv diav genomevnou tou` Sabbavtou, Mariva hJ Magdalhnhv, kaiv Mariva hJ tou` jIakwvbou, kaiv Salwvmh, hjgovrasan ajrwvmata, i{na ejlqou`sai ajleivywsin aujtovn. Kaiv livan prwi? th`~ mia`~ Sabbavtwn, e[rcontai ejpiv tov mnhmei`on, ajnateivlanto~ tou` hJlivou: kaiv e[legon prov~ eJautav~: Tiv~ ajpokulivsei hJmi`n tovn livqon ejk th`~ quvra~ tou` mnhmeivou_ Kaiv ajnablevyasai qewrou`sin, o{ti ajpokekuvlistai oJ livqo~: h\n gavr mevga~ sfovdra. Kaiv eijselqou`sai eij~ tov mnhmei`on, ei\don neanivskon kaqhvmenon ejn toi`~ dexioi`~, peribeblhmevnon stolhvn leukhvn: kaiv ejxeqambhvqhsan. JO dev levgei aujtai`~: Mhv ejkqambei`sqe: jIhsou`n zhtei`te tovn Nazarhnovn tovn ejstauromevnon: hjgevrqh, oujk e[stin w|de: i[de, oj tovpo~ o{pou e[qhkan aujtovn. JAll j uJpavgete, ei[pate toi`~ Maqhtai`~ aujtou` kaiv tw`/ Pevtrw/, o{ti proavgei uJma`~ eij~ thvn Galilaivan: ejkei` aujtovn o[yesqe, kaqwv~ ei\pen uJmi`n. Kaiv ejxelqou`sai tacuv, e[fugon ajpov tou` mnhmeivou: ei\ce dev aujtav~ trovmo~ kaiv e[kstasi~, kaiv oujdeniv oujdevn ei\pon: ejfobou`nto gavr.

Gospel
From the Gospel according to St. Mark
Chapter 15:43-47, 16:1-8

At that time, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. And Pilate wondered if he were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the body to Joseph. And he bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud, and laid him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.

And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, brought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?" And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back; for it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed. And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here; see the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you." And they went out and fled from the tomb; for trembling and astonishment had come upon them; and they said nothing to any one, for they were afraid.

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