Church Bulletin - May 26, 2002 - Sunday of the Paralytic

Sunday of the Paralytic - May 26, 2002
[ Click here for the Bible readings: Acts 9:32-42; Jn 5:1-15]
[ Click here for the Bible readings in Greek ]

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"GLORY TO YOUR MIGHT, O MERCIFUL CHRIST!"

During Christ's time, the pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem was a popular gathering place for people with various infirmities and illnesses. In 1888, archaeologists uncovered its five-porched ruins near the ancient Sheep Gate, which was located near the temple area. It is believed that the waters of the pool came from underground springs, perhaps explaining the scriptural reference to the "stirring of the waters" in John's Gospel account of the healing of the paralytic. In these waters, it is thought that the Jewish high priests would wash the sacrificial lambs that were brought to the temple to be slain.

The word Bethesda means "house or grace" or "house of kindness." For the
man who had suffered in a paralyzed state for 38 years, the pool became a fulfillment of both of these definitions. Through the grace of God and His compassionate kindness, the paralytic, who had no one to help him into the pool's healing waters, was cured of his dreaded infirmity. "Rise, take up your bed and walk," the Lord instructed him. The man had been healed!

The words of the following hymn from Matins on this Sunday of the Paralytic clearly illustrate the true Source of healing and miracles: "O Lord, not the POOL, but YOUR WORD healed and renewed the paralytic, for the might of Your voice proved to be more powerful than his infirmity of many years. He cast off his heavy burden because of You, and carried the weight of his bed as a testimony to the abundance of Your compassion."

KURIAKH TETARTH
TOU PARALUTOU

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
THE SUNDAY OF THE PARALYTIC

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 Sev thvn mesiteuvsasan thvn swthrivan tou` gevnou~ hJmw`n, ajnumnou`men Qeotovke Parqevne: ejn th`/ sarkiv gavr th`/ ejk sou` proslhfqeivsh, oJ UiJov~ sou kaiv Qeov~ hJmw`n, tov diav Staurou` katadexavmeno~ pavqo~, ejlutrwvsato hJma`~ ejk fqora`~, wJ~ filavnqrwpo~./	Theotokion We praise you, Virgin Theotokos, intercessor of our race. In the flesh He received from you, your Son, our loving God, freed us from corruption by condescending to the Passion of the Cross.


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~ g j. (Yalmov~ mst j).
Yavlate tw`/ Qew`/ hJmw`n, yavlate.
Stivc. Pavnta tav e[qnh krothvsate cei`ra~.
Pravxewn tw`n jApostovlwn tov jAnavgnwsma.
(Kef. Q j 32<42)

jEn tai`~ hJmevrai~ ejkei`nai~, ejgevneto Pevtron diercovmenon diav pavntwn katelqei`n kaiv prov~ touv~ aJgivou~ touv~ katoikou`nta~ Luvddan. Eu|re dev ejkeiv a[nqrwpon tina Aijnevan ojnovmati, ejx ejtw`n ojktwv katakeivmenon ejpiv krabavttw/, o{~ h\n paralelumevno~. Kaiv ei\pen aujtw`/ oJ Pevtro~: Aijneva, ija`taiv se jIhsou`~ oJ Cristov~: ajnavsthqi kaiv strw`son seautw`/. Kaiv eujqevw~ ajnevsth. Kaiv ei\don aujtovn pavnte~ oiJ katoikou`nte~ Luvddan kaiv tovn Savrwna, oi{tine~ ejpevstreyan ejpiv tovn Kuvrion.

JEn jIovpph/ dev ti~ h\n maqhvtria ojnovmati Tabiqav, h{ diermhneuomevnh levgetai Dorkav~: au{th h\n plhvrh~ ajgaqw`n e[rgwn kaiv ejlehmosunw`n w|n ejpoivei. JEgevneto dev ejn tai`~ hJmevrai~ ejkei`nai~ ajsqenhvsasan aujthvn ajpoqanei`n: louvsante~ dev aujthvn e[qhkan ejn uJperwvw/. JEgguv~ dev ou[sh~ Luvddh~ th`/ jIovpph/ oiJ maqhtaiv ajkouvsante~ o{ti Pevtro~ ejstivn ejn aujth`/, ajpevsteilan duvo a[ndra~ prov~ aujtovn parakalou`nte~ mhv ojknh`sai dielqei`n e{w~ aujtw`n. jAnastav~ dev Pevtro~ sunh`lqen aujtoi`~: o{n paragenovmenon ajnhvgagon eij~ tov uJperw`/on, kaiv parevsthsan aujtw`/ pa`sai aiJ ch`rai klaivousai kaiv ejpideiknuvmenai citw`na~ kaiv iJmavtia o{sa ejpoivei met j aujtw`n ou\sa hJ Dorkav~. JEkbalwvn dev e[xw pavnta~ oJ Pevtro~ qeiv~ tav govnata proshuvxato, kaiv ejpistrevya~ prov~ tov sw`ma ei\pe: Tabiqav, ajnavsthqi. JH dev h[noixe touv~ ojfqalmouv~ aujth`~, kaiv ijdou`sa tovn Pevtron ajnekavqise. Douv~ dev aujth``/ cei`ra ajnevsthsen aujthvn, fwnhvsa~ dev touv~ aJgivou~ kaiv tav~ chvra~ parevsthsen aujthvn zw`san. Gnwstovn dev ejgevneto kaq j o{lh~ th``~ jIovpph~, kaiv polloiv ejpivsteusan ejpiv tovn Kuvrion.

Epistle
Prokeimenon. Third Tone. Psalm 46.6,1.
Sing praises to our God, sing praise.
Verse. Clap your hands, all your nations.
The reading is from the Acts of the Apostles.
Chapter 9.32-42

IN THOSE DAYS, as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints that lived in Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years and was paralyzed. And Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed." And immediately he rose. And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

Now there was at Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. In those days she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him entreating him, "Please come to us without delay." So Peter rose and went with them. And when he had come, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping, and showing tunics and other garments which Dorcas made while she was with them. But Peter put them all outside and knelt down and prayed; then turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, rise." And she opened her eyes, and she saw Peter she sat up. And he gave her his hand and lifted her up. Then calling the saints and widows he presented her alive. And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

Eujaggevlion
JEk tou` katav jIwavnnhn.
Kef. e j (5), 1<15

Tw`/ kairw`/ ejkeivnw/, ajnevbh oJ jIhsou`~ eij~ JIerosovluma. [Esti dev ejn toi``~ JIerousaluvmoi~, ejpiv th`/ Probatikh`/ kolumbuvqra, hJ ejpilegomevnh eJbrai>stiv Bhqesdav, pevnte stoav~ e[cousa. JEn tauvtai~ katevkeito plh`qo~ poluv tw`n ajsqenouvntwn, tuflw`n, cwlw`n, xhrw`n, ejkdecomevnwn thvn tou` u{dato~ kivnhsin. [Aggelo~ gavr katav kairovn katevbainen ejn th`/ kolumbhvqra/ kaiv ejtaravsseto tov u{dwr: oJ ou\n prw`to~ ejmbav~ metav thvn tarachvn tou` u{dato~, uJgihv~ ejgivneto, w| dhvpote kateivceto noshvmati. \Hn dev ti~ a[nqrwpo~ ejkei` triavkonta kaiv ojktwv e[th e[cwn ejn th`/ ajsqeneiva/. Tou`ton ijdwvn oJ jIhsou`~ katakeivmenon, kaiv gnouv~ o{ti poluvn h[dh crovnon e[cei, levgei aujtw`/: Qevlei~ uJgihv~ genevsqai_ jApekrivqh aujtw`/ oJ ajsqenw`n: Kuvrie, a[nqrwpon oujk e[cw, i{na, o{tan taracqh`/ tov u{dwr, bavlh/ me eij~ thvn kolumbhvqran: ejn w|/ dev e[rcomai ejgwv, a[llo~ prov ejmou` katabaivnei. Levgei aujtw`/ oJ jIhsou`~: [Egeirai, a\ron tovn kravbattovn sou, kaiv peripavtei. Kaiv eujqevw~ ejgevneto uJgihv~ oJ a[nqrwpo~, kaiv h\re tovn kravbatton aujtou` kaiv periepavtei: h\n dev Savbbaton ejn ejkeivnh/ thvn hJmevra/. [Elegon ou\n oiJ jIoudai`oi tw`/ teqarapeumevnw/: Savbbaton ejstin, oujk e[xesti soi a\rai tovn kravbatton. JApekrivqh aujtoi`~: JO poihvsa~ me uJgih`, ejkei`nov~ moi ei\pen: \Aron tovn kravbattovn sou, kaiv peripavtei. JHrwvthsan ou\n aujtovn: Tiv~ ejstin oJ a[nqrwpo~ oJ eijpwvn soi: \Aron tovn kravbattovn sou, kaiv peripavtei_ JO dev ijaqeiv~ oujk h[/dei tiv~ ejstin: oJ gavr jIhsou`~ ejxevneusen o[clou o[nto~ ejn tw`/ tovpw/. Metav tau`ta euJrivskei aujtovn oJ jIhsou``~ ejn tw`/ iJerw`/, kaiv ei\pen aujtw`/: [Ide, uJgihv~ gevgona~: mhkevti aJmavrtane, i{na mhv cei`rovn soiv ti gevnhtai. JAph`lqen oJ a[nqrwpo~, kaiv ajnhvggeile toi`~ jIoudaivoi~, o{ti jIhsou`~ ejstin oJ poihvsa~ aujtovn uJgih`.

Gospel
From the Gospel according to St. John
Chapter 5: 1-15

At that time, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Hebrew called Bethesda, which has five porticoes. In these lay a multitude of invalids, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water; for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool, and troubled the water; whoever stepped in first after the troubling of the water was healed of whatever disease he had. One man was there, who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew that he had been lying there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be healed?" The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is troubled, and while I am going another steps down before me." Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your pallet, and walk." And at once the man was healed, and he took up his pallet and walked.

Now that day was the Sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who was cured, "It is the Sabbath, it is not lawful for you to carry your pallet." But he answered them. "The man who healed me said to me," ‘Take up your pallet, and walk.’ " They asked him, "Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your pallet, and walk’?" Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse befall you." The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him.

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