Church Bulletin - November 11, 2001

8th Sunday of Luke - November 11, 2001
[ Click here for the Bible readings: 2 Cor 4:6-15; Lk 10:25-37]
[ Click here for the Bible readings in Greek ]

A MODEL FOR MONASTICS AND A CHAMPION OF ORTHODOXY

Monasticism has long been a respected lifestyle for men and women in the Orthodox Church. Example after example can he given of those who willingly sacrificed wealth, political position and social rank in order to submit themselves totally to Christ.

One such person was THEODORE THE STUDITE. He was born in Constantinople in 759 A.D. His family was a prominent one in the capital city of the Byzantine Empire, and there is little doubt that Theodore could have ascended to a lofty rank in the Imperial Court of the Empire. Instead, he chose to enter a monastery, where his uncle as the Abbot. When his uncle passed away, Theodore was chosen to head the monastic community. He quickly became known as a great reformer, restoring many of the ancient monastic disciplines and practices that had been lost through the years.

Theodore also developed a reputation for defending the true teachings of the Orthodox Faith. When the Emperor Constantine VI chose to divorce his wife and marry his mistress, Theodore loudly expressed his disapproval. Exiled from the monastery for his boldness, Theodore was forced to live in Thessalonika until Constantine was overthrown. Returning to Constantinople, Theodore was placed in charge of the famous Studium Monastery, which became a model for monasticism in the Byzantine world. Soon however, he was exiled again — this time for speaking out against the iconoclastic Emperor Leo V. Even while banished from the Empire, Theodore continued to write treatises in defense of the dogmas of the Holy Orthodox Church, particularly those dealing with the veneration of icons. He died in 826 A.D. having "fought the good fight" for Christ and His Church throughout his life.

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!

APOLUTIKION TWN AGIWN

OiJ mavrturev~ sou, Kuvrie, ejn th`/ ajqlhvsei aujtw`n, stefavnou~ ejkomivsanto th`~ ajfqarsiva~, ejk sou` tou` Qeou` hJmw`n: scovnte~ gavr thvn ijscuvn sou, touv~ turavnnou~ kaqei`lon: e[qrausan kaiv daimovnwn, tav ajnivscura qravsh. Aujtw`n tai`~ iJkesivai~, Cristev oJ Qeov~, sw`son tav~ yucav~ hJmw`n.

APOLYTIKION OF THE SAINTS

Your Martyrs, O Lord received, from You our God, for their struggle, the crown of immortality. Armed with Your might they defeated the tyrants. They also crushed the imprudence of demons. By their intercessions O Christ our God, save our souls.

QEOTOKION

Tov ajp j aijw`no~ ajpovkrufon, kaiv jAggevloi~ a[gnwston musthvrion, diav sou` Qeotovke, toi`~ ejpiv gh`~ pefanevrwtai: Qeov~ ejn ajsugcuvtw/ eJnwvsei sarkouvmeno~ kaiv Staurovn eJkousivw~ uJpevr hJmw`n katadexavmeno~: di j ou| ajnasthvsa~ tovn prwtovplaston, e[swsen ejk qanavtou tav~ yucav~ hJmw`n.

THEOTOKION

O Theotokos, the mystery hidden from all ages, unknown even to the angels, has been revealed in you to all who live upon the earth. God in perfect union becomes incarnate. For our sake, He willingly endured the Cross through which He raised up the first man He had fashioned, and saved our souls from death.

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

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 a[ggeloi 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.

APOSTOLOS
(B Korinqivou~ d j6<15)

jAdelfoiv, oJ Qeov~ oJ eijpwvn ejk skovtou~ fw`~ lavmyai, o{~ e[lamyen ejn tai`~ kardivai~ hJmw`n prov~ fwtismovn th`~ gnwvsew~ th`~ dovxh~ tou` Qeou` ejn proswvpw/ jIhsou` Cristou`. [Ecomen dev tovn qhsaurovn tou`ton ejn ojstrakivoi~ skeuvesin, i{na hJ uJperbolhv th`~ dunavmew~ h\/ tou` Qeou` kaiv mhv ejx hJmw`n, ejn pantiv qlibovmenoi ajll j ouj stenocwrouvmenoi, ajporouvmenoi ajll j oujk ejxaporouvmenoi, diwkovmenoi ajll j oujk ejgkataleipovmenoi, kataballovmenoi ajll j oujk ajpolluvmenoi, pavntote thvn nevkrwsin tou` Kurivou jIhsou` ejn tw`/ swvmati perifevronte~, i{na kaiv hJ zwhv tou` jIhsou` ejn tw`/ swvmati hJmw`n fanerwqh`/. JAeiv gavr hJmei`~ oiJ zw`nte~ eij~ qavnaton paradidovmenoi diav jIhsou`n, i{na kaiv hJ zwhv tou` jIhsou` fanerwqh`/ ejn th`/ qnhth`/ sarkiv hJmw`n. {Wste oJ mevn qavnato~ ejn hJmi`n ejnergei`tai, hJ dev zwhv ejn uJmi`n. [Econte~ dev tov aujtov pneu`ma th`~ pivstew~ katav tov gegrammevnon, " jEpivsteusa, diov ejlavlhsa", kaiv hJmei`~ pisteuvomen, diov kaiv lalou`men, eijdovte~ o{ti oJ ejgeivra~ tovn Kuvrion jIhsou`n kaiv hJma`~ diav jIhsou` ejgerei` kaiv parasthvsei suvn uJmi`n. Tav gavr pavnta di j uJma`~, i{na hJ cavri~ pleonavsasa diav tw`n pleiovnwn thvn eujcaristivan perisseuvsh/ eij~ thvn dovxan tou` Qeou`.

EPISTLE
(2 Corinthians 4: 6-15)

Brethren, it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For while we live we are always being given up to death for Jesus sake, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.

Since we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, "I believe and so spoke," we too believed, and so we speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving to the glory of God.

EUAGGELION
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~ lhstav~; 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 the road; and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So like wise 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