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Saint Luke the Evangelist Greek Orthodox Church SAINT LUKE THE EVANGELIST GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH december 8, 2013 tenth sunday of luke Saint Patapius was born at Thebes into a pious Christian family. Reaching the age of maturity, he scorned the vanities of the world and so went into the Egyptian desert where he became known for his ascetic deeds. Though he wished to dwell in silence, people began to come to him for advice. He went eventually to Constantinople, where he obtained a cell at the city wall, near the Blachernae church. But here, too, he quickly became known. The sick began to throng about, and he having been vouchsafed the gift of healing, began to help all the needy. After a life adorned with virtue and miracles, St Patapius fell asleep in the Lord and was buried in the church of St John the Baptist. Saints Apollos, Cephas, Tychicus, Epaphroditus, Caesar, Onesiphorus, Apostles of the 70 were chosen and sent by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself to preach. They were chosen some time after the selection of the Twelve Apostles (Luke 10:1-24). St Sosthenes, before accepting Christianity, was head of the Jewish synagogue at Corinth. During a riot against the Apostle Paul, he too suffered a beating. He was converted by Paul to faith in Christ and afterwards became bishop at Caesarea. The Holy Martyrs of Africa (62 Clergy and 300 Laypeople): They suffered in the time of the emperor Zeno (474-491). Guneric, the ruler of the Vandal kingdom in North Africa, came under the influence of heretical Arian bishops and began a fierce persecution against the Orthodox. When believers had gathered at one of the churches and secretly celebrated the Divine Liturgy, bar- barian soldiers burst into the church. Some of the worshippers fled, but 300 men voluntarily gave them- selves over to torture and were beheaded. Of the clergy, two were burned, and sixty had their tongues cut out. By a miraculous Divine power they continued to preach and to oppose the Arian heresy. They all endured horrible torments, but remained faithful to Christ and His holy Church. The Holy Martyr Anthusa, the wife of a Roman official, was baptized by St Ambrose of Milan (De- cember 7). When the city prefect’s wife Sunilda suggested that St Anthusa be baptized by an Arian, she refused. So she was committed to the fire, and received the crown of martyrdom. 1510 audubon drive • columbia, missouri, 65201 • tel. 573.817.0050 / fax 573.449.8452 email: [email protected] • web: www.saintlukecolumbia.org at the small entrance we sing Ἀναστ. Ἀπολυτικιον. Ἦχος βαρυς. resurr. apolyτikion. Mode varys. ατέλυσας τῷ Σταυρῷ σου τὸν θάνατον, y means of Your Cross, O Lord, You abol- Κἠνέῳξας τῷ Λῃστῇ τὸν Παράδεισον, τῶν Bished death. To the robber You opened Μυροφόρων τὸν θρῆνον μετέβαλες, καὶ τοῖς Paradise. The lamentation of the myrrh-bearing σοῖς Ἀποστόλοις κηρύττειν ἐπέταξας· ὅτι ἀνέ- women You transformed, and You gave Your στης Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, παρέχων τῷ κόσμῳ τὸ Apostles the order to proclaim to all that You had μέγα ἔλεος. risen, O Christ our God, and granted the world Your great mercy. Ἀπολυτίκιον του ναου. πλ. α´. apolyt. of the church. Mode pl. 1. ουκάν τον πανύμνητον καὶ ἅγιον ἀπό- he holy Apostle, the All-hymned Luke, * Λστολον, τὸν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας γνωστὸν Twho is acknowledged by the Church of συνθέτην τῶν Πράξεων τῶν Ἀποστόλων, τόν Christ * as the recorder of the Acts of the Apos- τε σεμνὸν τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου Χριστοῦ ὑπομνημα- tles, * and the splendid author of the Gospel of τιστήν, ἀξίως τιμήσωμεν ὕμνοις ὁσίοις, ὡς νο- Christ. * Let us praise with sacred hymns as a σημάτων ἀνθρωπίνων καὶ φυσικῶν ἀσθενειῶν physician, * who heals the infirmities of man, * θεραπευτήν, τὸν καθαίροντα πληγὰς τοῦ πνεύ- and the ailments of nature, * who cleanses spiri- ματος, καὶ ἀδιαλείπτως πρεσβεύοντα ὑπὲρ τῶν tual wounds, and prays unceasingly for our souls. ψυχῶν ἡμῶν. Κοντάκιον. Ἦχος δ. Kontakion. Mode 4. Παρθένος σήμερον, τὸν προαιώνιον oday the Virgin is coming to the cave, to ἩΛόγον, ἐν Σπηλαίῳ ἔρχεται, ἀποτεκεῖν Tgive birth ineffably to the eternal Word. ἀποῤῥήτως, Χόρευε ἡ οἰκουμένη ἀκουτισθεῖ- Hearing this, dance, O inhabited world! Glorify, σα, δόξασον μετὰ Ἀγγέλων καὶ τῶν Ποιμένων, with Angels and with Shepherds, him who willed βουληθέντα ἐποφθῆναι, Παιδίον νέον, τὸν πρὸ to be made manifest, a little Child, God before αἰώνων Θεόν. the ages. The humble person believes that all things depend on Christ and that Christ gives His grace and in that way he makes progress. The person who possesses holy humility lives even now in the earthly uncreated “Church. He always has the joy of Christ, even in the most displeasing circumstances…. —venerable porphyrios of kavsokalyvia” THE READINGS OF THE DAY epistle reading gospel reading The letter of Luke 13:10-17 paul to the Ephesians 2:14-22 RETHREN, Christ is our peace, who t that time, Jesus was teaching in one has made us both one, and has broken of the synagogues on the sabbath. And down the dividing wall of hostility, by there was a woman who had a spirit Βabolishing in his flesh the law of command- Aof infirmity for eighteen years; she was bent ments and ordinances, that he might create in over and could not fully straighten herself. himself one new man in place of the two, so And when Jesus saw her, he called her and said making peace, and might reconcile us both to to her, “Woman, you are freed from your in- God in one body through the cross, thereby firmity.” And he laid his hands upon her, and bringing the hostility to an end. And he came immediately she was made straight, and she and preached peace to you who were far off praised God. But the ruler of the synagogue, and peace to those who were near; for through indignant because Jesus had healed on the sab- him we both have access in one Spirit to the bath, said to the people, “There are six days on Father. So then you are no longer strangers and which work ought to be done; come on those sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with days and be healed, and not on the sabbath the saints and members of the household of day.” Then the Lord answered him, “You hyp- God, built upon the foundation of the apostles ocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, cornerstone, in whom the whole structure is and lead it away to water it? And ought not this joined together and grows into a holy temple woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan in the Lord; in whom you also are built into it bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. bond on the sabbath day?” As he said this, all his adversaries were put to shame; and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him. Complete trust in God – that’s what holy humility is. Complete obedience to God, with- out protest, without reaction, even when some things seem difficult and unreasonable. Abandonment to the hands of God. The words we repeat during the Divine Liturgy say it all: ‘Let us commend our whole life to Christ our God.’ The secret prayer of the priest “says the same thing: ‘We commend our whole life and hope to You, O loving Master, and we entreat You and beseech You and supplicate You…’ To you, O Lord, we leave everything. This is what trust in God is. This is holy humility. this is what transfigures a person and makes him a ‘God-man’. —venerable porphyrios of kavsokalyvia” announcements upcoming church services: Monday, December 9, Conception of St. Anna, Div. Lit. 9am Thursday, December 12, St. Spyridon the Wonderworker, Orthros / Div. Lit. 8:30am Saturday, December 14, November 30, Great Vespers, 5pm 2014 stewardship serving in the Pacific and to James, an Apache Pilot The 2014 Stewardship packets have been serving in Afghanistan. mailed. PLEASE return your stewardship card Gift Cards: The next deadline for orders will be as soon as possible. If you are not on the mailing January 12. Please see Ronni Harwood or Karen list, please take a packet from the narthex. Thank Sade to place your order. you for your generosity! give a month towards our future nativity flowers A little over one year ago we purchased land for our We are in need of 2 x $100 donations for flowers future growth. As we did last year, we would like for the feast of the Nativity of our Lord. to offer families and individuals the opportunity to philoptochos help offset our additional mortgage payment with a donation of $640. If you would like to sponsor Please join us for the next meeting on Tuesday, De- one month for 2013, please contact Fr. Michael. cember 10 at 6pm. Thus far we have received committments for 9 of Christmas Card: The Community Christmas 12 months. As always, your geneorsity is a blessing Card is a major fundraiser for Philoptochos. If to our community! you would like to be included in our Community new books available for purchase Christmas card, please see Julie Kalaitzandonakes or Karen Sade to sign up by December 8. A mini- The following new books are available for pur- mum $10 donation is suggested. chase: Repentance and Confession ($9), Be Ready: An Apporach to the Mystery of Death ($9), Do not Angel Wreath: We are once again participating in Judge: Understanding the Vice of Passing Judgment the Voluntary Action Center Christmas Program, ($9).
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