SAINT LUKE THE EVANGELIST

Transcription

1 SAINT LUKE THE EVANGELIST GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH march 17, 2013 cheesefare sunday As we begin the Great Fast, the Church reminds us of Adam s expulsion from Paradise. God commanded Adam to fast (Gen. 2:16), but he did not obey. Because of their disobedience, Adam and Eve were cast out of Eden and lost the life of blessedness, knowledge of God, and communion with Him, for which they were created. Both they and their descendents became heirs of death and corruption. Let us consider the benefits of fasting, the consequences of disobedience, and recall our fallen state. Today we are invited to cleanse ourselves of evil through fasting and obedience to God. Our fasting should not be a negative thing, a mere abstention from certain foods. It is an opportunity to free ourselves from the sinful desires and urges of our fallen nature, and to nourish our souls with prayer, repentance, to participate in church services, and partake of the life-giving Mysteries of Christ. At Forgiveness Vespers we sing: Let us begin the time of fasting in light, preparing ourselves for spiritual efforts. Let us purify our soul, let us purify our body. As we abstain from food, let us abstain from all passion and enjoy the virtues of the spirit... Saint Patrick, the Enlightener of Ireland was born around 385, the son of Calpurnius, a Roman decurion (an official responsible for collecting taxes). He lived in the village of Bannavem Taberniae, which may have been located at the mouth of the Severn River in Wales. The district was raided by pirates when Patrick was sixteen, and he was one of those taken captive. He was brought to Ireland and sold as a slave, and was put to work as a herder of swine on a mountain identified with Slemish in Co. Antrim. During his period of slavery, Patrick acquired a proficiency in the Irish language which was very useful to him in his later mission. He prayed during his solitude on the mountain, and lived this way for six years. He had two visions. The first told him he would return to his home. The second told him his ship was ready. Setting off on foot, Patrick walked two hundred miles to the coast. There he succeeded in boarding a ship, and returned to his parents in Britain audubon drive columbia, missouri, tel / fax info@saintlukecolumbia.org web:

2 at the small entrance we sing αναστασιμον Ἀπολυτ. Ἦχος πλ. δ. Ἐξ ὕψους κατῆλθες ὁ εὔσπλαγχνος, ταφὴν κατεδέξω τριήμερον, ἵνα ἡμᾶς ἐλευθερώσῃς τῶν παθῶν. Ἡ ζωὴ καὶ ἡ Ἀνάστασις ἡμῶν, Κύριε δόξα σοι. Ἀπολυτίκιον του ναου. πλ. α. Λουκάν τον πανύμνητον καὶ ἅγιον ἀπόστολον, τὸν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας γνωστὸν συνθέτην τῶν Πράξεων τῶν Ἀποστόλων, τόν τε σεμνὸν τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου Χριστοῦ ὑπομνηματιστήν, ἀξίως τιμήσωμεν ὕμνοις ὁσίοις, ὡς νοσημάτων ἀνθρωπίνων καὶ φυσικῶν ἀσθενειῶν θεραπευτήν, τὸν καθαίροντα πληγὰς τοῦ πνεύματος, καὶ ἀδιαλείπτως πρεσβεύοντα ὑπὲρ τῶν ψυχῶν ἡμῶν. Κοντάκιον. Ἦχος πλ. β. Τῆς σοφίας ὁδηγέ, φρονήσεως χορηγέ, τῶν ἀφρόνων παιδευτά, καὶ πτωχῶν ὑπερασπιστά, στήριξον, συνέτισον τὴν καρδίαν μου Δέσποτα. Σὺ δίδου μοι λόγον, ὁ τοῦ Πατρός Λόγος, ἰδοὺ γὰρ τὰ χείλη μου, οὐ μὴ κωλύσω ἐν τῷ κράζειν σοι Ἐλεῆμον, ἐλέησόν με τὸν παραπεσόντα. Resurrectional Apolyt. Mode 8. Υou descended from on high, O compassionate One, and condescended to be buried for three days, so that from the passions You might set us free. Our life and resurrection, O Lord, glory be to You. Apolytikion for the Church. Mode 5. The holy Apostle, the All-hymned Luke, * who is acknowledged by the Church of Christ * as the recorder of the Acts of the Apostles, * and the splendid author of the Gospel of Christ. * Let us praise with sacred hymns as a physician, * who heals the infirmities of man, * and the ailments of nature, * who cleanses spiritual wounds, and prays unceasingly for our souls. Kontakion. Mode 6. O guide to wisdom, provider of prudence, disciplinarian of fools, and defender of the poor, fortify and discipline my heart, O Master; You, give me a word, O Word of the Father. For behold, I will not hinder my lips from cry- ing to You: O merciful Lord, have mercy on me who have fallen. If joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, then what a joyful time for God s good angels our great Lent must be, and particularly the days of penitence and communion And how greatly priests contribute to this their joy by carefully, paternally confessing their spiritual children! But, on the other hand, there is no more grievous time for the demons than the season of Lent; and therefore they rage more furiously and attack priests, who help God s people to sincerely repent of their sins, with special cruelty, and are especially powerful, both in church and at home, in chilling the hearts of the pious Christians who are zealous in prayer, fasting, and penitence. Saint john of kronstadt ( )

3 THE READINGS OF THE DAY epistle reading saint paul s Letter to the Romans 13:11-14; 14:1-4 Brethren, salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed; the night is far gone, the day is at hand. Let us then cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us conduct ourselves becomingly as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. As for the man who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not for disputes over opinions. One believes he may eat anything, while the weak man eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who abstains, and let not him who abstains pass judgment on him who eats; for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for God is able to make him stand. gospel reading Matthew 25:31-46 T he Lord said, If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. CHEESEFARE SUNDAY Today is Cheesefare Sunday. According to Orthodox tradition, beginning tommorow we refarin from eating dairy and meat products until Pascha. If you are unsure about how to fast, you should speak to your Spiritual Father. Whence shall my tears begin? What first-fruits shall I bear Of earnest sorrow for my sin? Or how my woes declare? O Thou! the Merciful and Gracious One Forgive the foul ransgressions I have done. Saint andrew of crete ( )

4 announcements upcoming church services: Sunday, March 17, Vespers of Forgiveness, 6pm Monday, March 18, Great Compline, 6pm Wednesday, March 20, Presanctified Liturgy, 5pm Thursday, March 21, Great Compline, Macon, MO, 6pm Friday, March 22, Salutations to the Theotokos, 6pm Saturday, March 23, Saturday of the Souls, 9am Divine Liturgy Saturday, March 23, Great Vespers, 5pm great and holy lent Our Great and Holy Lenten jounrey begins on this evening at 6pm with the celebration of the Vespers of Forgiveness. Please be attentive to the Church s call to personal holiness as we begin our preparations for the celebration of our Lord s Pascha. Do not absent yourself with poor excuses, but accept the call to be present at this solemn service so that we begin our journey as one family, with one voice and heart for Christ. sunday of orthodoxy Next Sunday we will have a procession of Holy Icons in commemoration of the Sunday of Orthodoxy. Children who woud like to participate in the procession should bring an icon from. A Pan- Orthodox Vespers service will be celebrated at St. Nicholas GOC in St. Louis at 4:30pm. iocc health kits IOCC collects Health kits to supply them in collaboration with the Church World Service to those in need. Please take one or more Health Kit cards, purchase what is on the back and bring the items back to church by March 31st. flower donations 3 x $75 donations are needed to cover the cost of flowers for the Procession of the Holy Cross on April 7. lenten retreat - save the date See the back page of this bulletin for information about our Lenten Retreat on April 13. Fr. George D. Dragas will be our speaker. The cost is $10 / person. ronald mcdonald house Please consider signing up to cook a meal for the families at Ronald McDonald House in Columbia. Meals must be prepared at the House or in a restaurant kitchen. Please see sign-up sheet in Narthex. books available for purchase Commentary on the Divine Liturgy ($15), Illness and the Believer ($9), An Orthodox Prayer Book (Softcover $12), Σύντομαι καί Ἀπλαί Ὁμιλίαι ἐπί τῶν Ἀποστολικών Περικοπών ($12). To purchase a book, see Presvytera. give a month towards our future A little over one year ago we purchased land for our future growth. As we did last year, we would like to offer families and individuals the opportunity to help offset our additional mortgage payment with a donation of $640. If you would like to sponsor one month for 2013, please contact Fr. Michael. Thus far we have received committments for 3 of 12 months. As always, your geneorsity is a blessing to our community!

5 synaxarion Some time later, he went to Gaul and studied for the priesthood at Auxerre under St Germanus ( July 31). Eventually, he was consecrated as a bishop, and was entrusted with the mission to Ireland, succeeding St Palladius ( July 7). St Palladius did not achieve much success in Ireland. After about a year he went to Scotland, where he died in 432. Patrick had a dream in which an angel came to him bearing many letters. Selecting one inscribed The Voice of the Irish, he heard the Irish entreating him to come back to them. Although St Patrick achieved remarkable results in spreading the Gospel, he was not the first or only missionary in Ireland. He arrived around 432 (though this date is disputed), about a year after St Palladius began his mission to Ireland. There were also other missionaries who were active on the southeast coast, but it was St Patrick who had the greatest influence and success in preaching the Gospel of Christ. Therefore, he is known as The Enlightener of Ireland. His autobiographical Confession tells of the many trials and disappointments he endured. Patrick had once confided to a friend that he was troubled by a certain sin he had committed before he was fifteen years old. The friend assured him of God s mercy, and even supported Patrick s nomination as bishop. Later, he turned against him and revealed what Patrick had told him in an attempt to prevent his consecration. Many years later, Patrick still grieved for his dear friend who had publicly shamed him. St Patrick founded many churches and monasteries across Ireland, but the conversion of the Irish people was no easy task. There was much hostility, and he was assaulted several times. He faced danger, and insults, and he was reproached for being a foreigner and a former slave. There was also a very real possibility that the pagans would try to kill him. Despite many obstacles, he remained faithful to his calling, and he baptized many people into Christ. The saint s Epistle to Coroticus is also an authentic work. In it he denounces the attack of Coroticus men on one of his congregations. The Breastplate (Lorica) is also attributed to St Patrick. In his writings, we can see St Patrick s awareness that he had been called by God, as well as his determination and modesty in undertaking his missionary work. He refers to himself as a sinner, the most ignorant and of least account, and as someone who was despised by many. He ascribes his success to God, rather than to his own talents: I owe it to God s grace that through me so many people should be born again to Him. By the time he established his episcopal See in Armargh in 444, St Patrick had other bishops to assist him, many native priests and deacons, and he encouraged the growth of monasticism. St Patrick is often depicted holding a shamrock, or with snakes fleeing from him. He used the shamrock to illustrate the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. Its three leaves growing out of a

6 single stem helped him to explain the concept of one God in three Persons. St Patrick died on March 17, 461 (some say 492). Muirchu says that no one knows the place where St Patrick is buried. St Columba of Iona ( June 9) says that the Holy Spirit revealed to him that Patrick was buried at Saul, the site of his first church. A granite slab was placed at his traditional grave site in Downpatrick in St Alexis was born at Rome into the family of the pious and poverty-loving Euphemianus and Aglais. The couple was childless for a long time and constantly prayed the Lord to grant them a child. And the Lord consoled the couple with the birth of their son Alexis. At six years of age the child began to read and successfully studied the mundane sciences, but it was with particular diligence that he read Holy Scripture. When he was a young man, he began to imitate his parents: he fasted strictly, distributed alms and beneath his fine clothing he secretly wore a hair shirt. Early on there burned within him the desire to leave the world and serve God. His parents, however, had arranged for Alexis to marry a beautiful and virtuous bride. On his wedding night, Alexis gave her his ring and his belt (which were very valuable) and said, Keep these things, Beloved, and may the Lord be with us until His grace provides us with something better. Secretly leaving his home, he boarded a ship sailing for Mesopotamia. Arriving in the city of Edessa, where the Icon of the Lord Not-made-by-Hands (August 16) was preserved, Alexis sold everything that he had, distributed the money to the poor and began to live near the church of the Most Holy Theotokos under a portico. The saint used a portion of the alms he received to buy bread and water, and he distributed the rest to the aged and infirm. Each Sunday he received the Holy Mysteries. The parents sought the missing Alexis everywhere, but without success. The servants sent by Euphemianus also arrived in Edessa, but they did not recognize the beggar sitting at the portico as their master. His body was withered by fasting, his comeliness vanished, his stature diminished. The saint recognized them and gave thanks to the Lord that he received alms from his own servants. The inconsolable mother of St Alexis confined herself in her room, incessantly praying for her son. His wife also grieved with her inlaws. St Alexis dwelt in Edessa for seventeen years. Once, the Mother of God spoke to the sacristan of the church where the saint lived: Lead into My church that Man of God, worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven. His prayer rises up to God like fragrant incense, and the Holy Spirit rests upon him. The sacristan began to search for such a man, but was not able to find him for a long time. Then he prayed to the Most Holy Theotokos, beseeching Her to clear up his confusion. Again a voice from the icon proclaimed that the Man of God was the beggar who sat in the church portico. The sacristan found St Alexis and brought him into the church. Many recognized him and

7 began to praise him. The saint secretly boarded a ship bound for Cilicia, intending to visit the church of St Paul in Tarsus. But God ordained otherwise. A storm took the ship far to the West and it reached the coast of Italy. The saint journeyed to Rome and decided to live in his own house. Unrecognized, he humbly asked his father s permission to settle in some corner of his courtyard. Euphemianus settled Alexis in a specially constructed cell and gave orders to feed him from his table. Living at his parental home, the saint continued to fast and he spent day and night at prayer. He humbly endured insults and jeering from the servants of his father. The cell of Alexis was opposite his wife s windows, and the ascetic suffered grievously when he heard her weeping. Only his immeasurable love for God helped the saint endure this torment. St Alexis dwelt at the house of his parents for seventeen years and the Lord revealed to him the day of his death. Then the saint, taking paper and ink, wrote certain things that only his wife and parents would know. He also asked them to forgive him for the pain he had caused them. On the day of St Alexis death in 411, Archbishop Innocent ( ) was serving Liturgy in the presence of the emperor Honorius ( ). During the services a Voice was heard from the altar: Come unto Me, all ye who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Mt.11:28). All those present fell to the ground in terror. The Voice continued: On Friday morning the Man of God comes forth from the body; have him pray for the city, that you may remain untroubled. They began to search throughout Rome, but they did not find the saint. Thursday evening the Pope was serving Vigil in the Church of St Peter. He asked the Lord to show them where to find the Man of God. After Liturgy the Voice was heard again in the temple: Seek the Man of God in the house of Euphemianus. All hastened there, but the saint was already dead. His face shone like the face of an angel, and his hand clasped the paper, and they were unable to take it. They placed the saint s body on a cot, covered with costly coverings. The Pope and the Emperor bent their knees and turned to the saint, as to one yet alive, asking him to open his hand. And the saint heard their prayer. When the letter was read, the righteous one s wife and parents tearfully venerated his holy relics. The body of the saint was placed in the center of the city. The emperor and the Pope carried the body of the saint into the church, where it remained for a whole week, and then was placed in a marble crypt. A fragrant myrrh began to flow from the holy relics, bestowing healing upon the sick. The venerable relics of St Alexis, the Man of God, were buried in the church of St Boniface. The relics were uncovered in the year 1216.

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