Church Bulletin - November 18, 2001

9th Sunday of Luke - November 18, 2001
[ Click here for the Bible readings: Eph 2:14-22; Lk 12:16-21]
[ Click here for the Bible readings in Greek ]

THE EMPEROR JUSTINIAN: A BUILDER AND A BELIEVER

Throughout history, we rarely find rulers whose faith in God played an important role in the governing of their subjects. One such person was the Emperor Justinian. Justinian ruled the Byzantine Empire from 527 A.D. to 565 A.D. During this 38-year period, his deeply rooted Orthodox beliefs had a profound influence on him. It is said that the Emperor lived an ascetic life, fasting severely and sleeping sparingly. He was a diligent student of the Scriptures and the writings of the Church Fathers. It was his keen interest in the well-being of the Church that caused him to convene the Fifth Ecumenical Council in 553 A.D.

Justinian will always be remembered best, however, as being a great builder. Along with his wife, the Empress Theodora, Justinian had a particular fondness for building churches. His crowning accomplishment was the construction of the magnificent Church of the Holy Wisdom in Constantinople. Its huge center dome and its expansive interior made it one of the architectural wonders of its time. When he arrived at the great edifice on its day of consecration in 537 A.D., it was perfectly natural for Justinian to proclaim: "O Solomon, I have outdone you!" Centuries later, this was the church to which the emissaries of Vladimir the Great would come. After seeing the beautiful mosaics and the majestic columns that characterized the Church of the Holy Wisdom, they returned home with this message for their ruler: "We knew not if we were in heaven or on earth."

Justinian's peaceful and productive reign came to an end in 565 A.D. when he fell asleep in the Lord at the age of 80. He and his beloved wife are commemorated on the Church Calendar on November 14/27.

ANASTASIMON APOLUTIKION

Katevlusa~ tw`/ Staurw`/ sou tovn qavnaton: hjnevw/xa~ tw`/ Lhsth`/ tovn paravdeison: tw`n murofovrwn tovn qrh`non metevbale~: kaiv toi`~ soi`~ jApostovloi~ khruvttein ejpevtaxa~: o{ti ajnevsth~, Cristev oJ Qeov~, parevcwn tw`/ kovsmw/ tov mevga e[leo~.

RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION

By Your Cross, O Christ our God, You destroyed death. You opened paradise to the thief. You transformed the lament of the Myrrh-bearing women, and You commanded the Apostles to proclaim You are risen, granting the world Your great mercy.

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, eswsen 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
( jEfesivou~ b j 14<22)

jAdelfoiv, Cristov~ ejstin hJ eijrhvnh hJmw`n, oJ poihvsa~ tav ajmfovtera e{n kaiv tov mesovtoicon tou` fragmou` luvsa~, thvn e[cqran, ejn th`/ sarkiv aujtou` tovn novmon tw`n ejntolw`n ejn dovgmasi katarghvsa~, I{na touv~ duvo ktivsh/ ejn eJautw`/ eij~ e{na kainovn a[nqrwpon poiw`n eijrhvnhn kaiv ajpokatallavxh/ touv~ ajmfotevrou~ ejn eJniv swvmati tw`/ Qew`/ diav tou` staurou`, ajpokteivna~ thvn e[cqran ejn aujtw`/: kaiv ejlqwvn eujhggelivsato eijrhvnhn uJmi`n toi`~ makravn kaiv toi`~ ejgguv~, o{ti di j aujtou` e[comen thvn prosagwghvn oiJ ajmfovteroi ejn eJniv pneuvmati prov~ tovn patevra. [Ara ou\n oujkevti ejste xevnoi kaiv pavroikoi, ajllav sumpoli`tai tw`n aJgivwn kaiv oijkei`oi tou` Qeou`, ejpoikodomhqevnte~ ejpiv tw`/ qemeleivw/ tw`n ajpostovlwn kaiv profhtw`n, o[nto~ ajkrogwniaivou aujtou` jIhsou` Cristou`, ejn w|/ pa`sa oijkodomhv aunarmologoumevnh au[xei eij~ naovn aJgion ejn Kurivw/: ejn w|/ kaiv uJmei`~ sunoikodomei`sqe eij~ katoikhthvrion tou` Qeou` ejn Pneuvmati.

EPISTLE
(Ephesians 2: 14-22)

Brethren, for he is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

EUAGGELION
JEk tou` Katav Louka`n.
(Kef. ib j (12), 16<21)

Ei\pen oJ Kuvrio~ thvn parabolhvn tauvthn: jAnqrwvpou tinov~ plousivou eujfovrhsen hJ cwvra: kaiv dielogivzeto ejn eJautw`/, levgwn: Tiv poihvsw, o{ti oujk e[cw pou` sunavxw touv~ karpouv~ mou; Kaiv ei\pe: Tou`to poihvsw: kaqelw` mou tav~ ajpoqhvka~, kaiv meivzona~ oijkodomhvsw, kaiv sunavxw ejkei` pavnta tav genhvmatav mou kaiv tav ajgaqav mou, kaiv ejrw` th`/ yuch`/ mou: Yuchv, e[cei~ pollav ajgaqav keivmena eij~ e[th pollav: ajnapauvou, favge, pive, eujfraivnou. Ei\pe dev aujtw`/ oJ Qeov~: [Afron, tauvth/ th`/ nuktiv thvn yuchvn sou ajpaitou`sin ajpov sou`: a{ dev hJtoivmasa~, tivni e[stai; Ou{tw~ oJ qusaurivzwn eJautw`/, kaiv mhv eij~ Qeovn ploutw`n. Tau`ta levgwn, ejfwvnei: JO e[cwn w\ta ajkouvein, ajkouevtw.

GOSPEL
From the Gospel according to St. Luke
(Chapter 12: 16-21)

The Lord said this parable: "The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store the crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." As he said these things, he cried out: "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

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