Church Bulletin - November 10, 2002 - Eighth Sunday of Luke

Eighth Sunday of Luke - November 10, 2002
[ Click here for the Bible readings: Gal 1:11-19; Lk 10:25-37]
[ Click here for the Bible readings in Greek ]

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"I AM THE SERVANT OF JESUS CHRIST!"

Shall we follow Christ, or give in to the ways of the world? This is a question with which men and women have struggled for centuries. Our answer comes down to this: are we seeking some tangible reward in this life, or eternal riches in the kingdom of heaven?

In the icon above, we see depicted a 4th century saint who agonized over this very matter: THE MARTYR MENAS. Menas had a promising military career, serving in the Roman Army in Egypt. At the time, Egypt was a "problem" area in the Roman Empire, and a soldier who could maintain order in such a region would be destined for greater things.

But Menas, indeed had "greater things" of a different nature on his mind. He converted to Christianity, resigned his military commission and became a monk, living in the deserts of Egypt. Many of the nomads wandering through this desolate area were soon brought into the fold of Christ's Church by the zealous Menas.

In 304 A.D., a great pagan festival was planned for the city of Cotyaeus. As many Christians were being tortured in the arena by their Roman oppressors, Menas suddenly came forth, boldly proclaiming before the Emperor's representative, Pyrros: "I AM THE SERVANT OF JESUS CHRIST." Recognizing Menas as one of Rome's prized soldiers, Pyrros ordered him to immediately deny Christ. When he refused, Menas was beheaded and his body burned.

Friends removed the remains of St. Menas from the city and buried him in the Egyptian wilderness that he had grown to love. The site of his burial soon became a revered shrine, attracting many early Christian pilgrims.

KURIAKH H J LOUKA
jOlumpa`, Rodivwno~, Swsipavtrou
Tertivou, jEravstou kaiv Kouavrtou
ejk tw`n JEbdomhvkonta jApostovlwn

Anastavsimon jApolutivkion

J{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~.

EIGHTH SUNDAY OF LUKE
Olympus, Rodion, Sosipratos, Tertius,
Erastos and Quartus
of the Seventy Holy Apostles

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.

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

JO kaqarwvtato~ Naov~, tou` Swth`ro~, hJ polutivmhto~ pastav~ kaiv Parqevno~, tov iJerovn qhsauvrisma th`~ dovxh~ tou` Qeou`, shvmeron eijsavgetai, ejn tw`/ Oi[kw/ Kurivou, thvn cavrin suneisavgousa, thvn ejn Pneuvmati qeivw/: h{n ajnumnou`sin [Aggeloi Qeou`: Au{th uJpavrcei, skhnhv ejpouravnio~.

Kontakion

Today the most pure temple of the Savior, the precious bridal chamber and virgin, the sacred treasure of the glory of God enters this house of the Lord bringing with her the grace of the Divine Spirit. The angels of God praise her. She is the heavenly tabernacle.

jjApovstolo~
Prokeivmenon. \Hco~ g j. (Yalmov~ mst j).
Yavlate tw`/ Qew`/ hJmw`n, yavlate.
Stivc. Pavnta tav e[qnh krothvsate cei`ra~.
Prov~ Galavta~ jEpistolh``~ Pauvlou
tov jAnavgnwsma.
Kef. a j 11<19

jAdelfoiv, gnwrivzw uJmi`n tov eujaggevlion tov eujaggelisqevn ujp j ejmou` o{ti oujk ejsti katav a[nqrwpon: oujdev gavr ejgwv parav ajnqrwvpou parevlabon aujtov ou[te ejdidavcqhn, ajllav diav ajpokaluvyew~ jIhsou` Cristou`. JHkouvsate gavr thvn ejmhvn ajnastrofhvn pote ejn tw`/ jIoudai>smw`/, o{ti kaq j uJperbolhvn ejdivwkon thvn ejkklhsivan tou` Qeou` kaiv ejpovrqoun aujthvn, kaiv proevkopton ejn tw`/ jIoudai>smw`/ uJpevr pollouv~ sunhlikiwvta~ ejn tw`/ gevnei mou, perissotevrw~ zhlwthv~ uJpavrcwn tw`n patrikw`n mou paradovsewn. {Ote dev eujdovkhsen oJ Qeov~ oJ ajforivsa~ me ejk koiliva~ mhtrov~ mou kaiv kalevsa~ diav th`~ cavrito~ aujtou` ajpokaluvyai tovn uiJovn aujtou` ejn ejmoiv, i{na eujaggelivzwmai aujtovn ejn toi`~ e[qnesin, eujqevw~ ouj prosaneqevmhn sarkiv kaiv ai{mati, oujdev ajnh`lqon eij~ JIerosovluma prov~ touv~ prov ejmou` ajpostovlou~, ajllav ajph`lqon eij~ jArabivan, kaiv pavlin uJpevstreya eij~ Damaskovn. {Epeita metav e[th triva ajnh`lqon eij~ JIerosovluma iJstorh`sai Pevtron, kaiv ejpevmeina prov~ aujtovn hJmevra~ dekapevnte: e{teron dev tw`n ajpostovlwn oujk ei\don eij mhv jIavkwbon tovn ajdelfovn tou` Kurivou.

Epistle
Prokeimenon. Third Tone. Psalm 46.6, 1.
Sing praises to our God, sing praises.
Verse. Clap your hands, all you nations.
The reading is from Saint Paul’s Letter
to the Galatians.
Chapter 1: 11-19

Brethren, for I would have you know, that the gospel which was preached by me is not man’s gospel. For I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it; and I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the tradition of my fathers. But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and had called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia; and again I returned to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas, and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the brother of the Lord.

Eujaggevlion
JEk tou` katav Louka`n.
Kef. i j (10), 25<37.

Tw`/ kairw`/ ejkeivnw/, Nomikov~ ti~ prosh`lqe tw`/ jIhsou`, peiravzwn aujtovn, kaiv levgwn: Didavskale, tiv poihvsa~ zwhvn aijwvnion klhronomhvsw_ JO dev ei\pe prov~ aujtovn: jEn tw`/ novmw/ tiv gevgraptai_ pw`~ ajnaginwvskei~_ JO dev ajpokriqeiv~ ei\pen: jAgaphvsei~ Kuvrion tovn Qeovn sou ejx o{lh~ th`~ kardiva~ sou, kaiv ejx o{lh~ th`~ yuch`~ sou, kaiv ejx o{lh~ th`~ ijscuvo~ sou, kaiv ejx o{lh~ th`~ dianoiva~ sou: kaiv tovn plhsivon sou wJ~ eJautovn. Ei\pe dev aujtw`/: jOrqw`~ ajpekrivqh~: tou`to poivei, kaiv zhvsh/. JO dev, qevlwn dikaiou`n eJautovn, ei\pe prov~ tovn jIhsou`n: Kaiv tiv~ ejstiv mou plhsivon_ JUpolabwvn dev oJ jIhsou`~, ei\pen: [Anqrwpov~ ti~ katevbainen ajpov jIerousalhvm eij~ JIericwv, kaiv lhstai`~ perievpesen: oi{ kaiv ejkduvsante~ aujtovn, kaiv plhgav~ ejpiqevnte~ ajph`lqon, ajfevnte~ hJmiqanh` tugcavnonta. Katav sugkurivan dev JIereuv~ ti~ katevbainen ejn th`/ oJdw`/ ejkeivnh/, kaiv ijdwvn aujtovn ajntiparh`lqen. JOmoivw~ dev kaiv Leui?th~, genovmeno~ katav tovn tovpon, ejlqwvn kaiv ijdwvn, ajntiparh`lqe. Samareivth~ dev ti~ oJdeuvwn, h\lqe kat j aujtovn, kaiv ijdwvn aujtovn, ejsplagcnivsqh, kaiv proselqwvn katevdhse tav trauvmata aujtou`, ejpicevwn e[leon kaiv oi\non, ejpibibavsa~ dev aujtovn ejpiv tov i[dion kth`no~, h[gagen aujtovn eij~ pandocei`on, kaiv ejpelhvqh aujtou`: kaiv ejpiv thvn au[rion ejxelqwvn, ejkbalwvn duvo dhnavria e[dwke tw`/ pandocei`, kaiv ei\pen aujtw`/: jEpimelhvqhti aujtou`, kaiv o{,ti a[n prosdapanhvsh/~, ejgwv ejn tw`/ ejpanevrcesqaiv me ajpodwvsw soi. Tiv~ ou\n touvtwn tw`n triw`n, plhsivon dokei` soi gegonevnai tou` empesovnto~ eij~ touv~ lh/stav~_ JO dev ei\pen: JO poihvsa~ tov e[leo~ met j aujtou`. Ei\pen ou\n aujtw`/ oJ jIhsou`~: Poreuvou, kaiv suv poivei oJmoivw~.

Gospel
From the Gospel according to St. Luke
Chapter 10: 25-37

At that time, a lawyer stood up to put Jesus to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" He said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you read?" And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." And he said to him, You have answered right: do this, and you will live."

But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was; and when he saw him, he had compassion, and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; then he set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Which of these three, do you think, proved neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?" He said, "The one who showed mercy on him." And Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."

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