SAINT LUKE the EVANGELIST GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH December 20, 2015
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SAINT LUKE THE EVANGELIST GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH december 20, 2015 the sunday before the nativity The Sunday before the Nativity of the Lord (December 18-24) is known as the Sunday of the Holy Fathers. On this day the Church commemorates all those who were well-pleasing to God from all ages, from Adam to St Joseph the Betrothed of the Most Holy Theotokos, those who are mentioned in the geneology of Luke 3:23-38. The holy prophets and prophetesses are also remembered today, especially the Prophet Daniel and the three holy youths (December 17). The Troparion to the Prophet Daniel and the three holy youths (“Great are the accomplish- ments of faith...) is quite similar to the Troparion for St Theodore the Recruit (February 17, and the first Saturday of Great Lent). The Kontakion to St Theodore, who suffered martyrdom by fire, reminds us that he also had faith as his breastplate (see I Thessalonians 5:8). The Forefeast of the Nativity of the Lord begins on December 20. From now on, most of the liturgical hymns will be concerned with the birth of the Savior. The Hieromartyr Ignatios the God-Bearer, was a disciple of the holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, as was also St Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna (February 23). St Ignatios was the second bishop of Antioch, and successor to Bishop Euodius, Apostle of the Seventy (September 7). Tradition suggests that when St Ignatios was a little boy, the Savior hugged him and said: “Un- less you turn and become as little children, you shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven” (Mt. 18:3). The saint was called “God-Bearer” (Theophoros), because he bore God in his heart and prayed unceasingly to Him. He also had this name because he was held in the arms of Christ, the incarnate Son of God. St Ignatios was a disciple of the Apostle John the Theologian, together with St Polycarp of Smyrna. As Bishop of Antioch, St Ignatios was zealous and spared no effort to build up the church of Christ. To him is attributed the practice of antiphonal singing (by two choirs) during church services. He had seen a vision of the angels in heaven alternately singing praises to God, and divid- ed his church choir to follow this example. In the time of persecution he was a source of strength to the souls of his flock, and was eager to suffer for Christ. 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 Ἀπολυτ. Ἀναστάσιμον Ἦχος δ. resurrectional apolyt. mode 4. ὸ φαιδρὸν τῆς Ἀναστάσεως κήρυγμα, ἐκ τοῦ Ἀγ- hen the women Disciples of the Lord had learned Tγέλου μαθοῦσαι αἱ τοῦ Κυρίου Μαθήτριαι, καὶ τὴν Wfrom the Angel the joyful message of the Resurrec- προγονικὴν ἀπόφασιν ἀπορρίψασαι, τοῖς Ἀποστόλοις tion and had rejected the ancestral decision, they cried καυχώμεναι ἔλεγον· Ἐσκύλευται ὁ θάνατος, ἠγέρθη aloud to the Apostles triumphantly: Death has been de- Χριστὸς ὁ Θεός, δωρούμενος τῷ κόσμῳ τὸ μέγα ἔλε- spoiled, Christ God has risen, granting His great mercy ος. to the world. Ἀπολυτ. Τῶν πατόρων. Ἦχος b. apolyt. of the forefathers. mode 2. εγάλα τὰ τῆς Πίστεως κατορθώματα! ἐν τῇ πηγῇ agnificent are Faith’s accomplishments! The three Mτῆς φλογός, ὡς ἐπὶ ὕδατος ἀναπαύσεως, οἱ Ἅγιοι Mholy Youths exultingly stood in the fountain of fire τρεῖς Παῖδες ἠγάλλοντο· καὶ ὁ Προφήτης Δανιήλ, as if beside the still waters of rest. And Daniel the Proph- λεόντων ποιμήν, ὡς προβάτων ἐδείκνυτο. Ταῖς αὐτῶν et was shown to be a shepherd of lions. At their entreaty, ἱκεσίαις Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, σῶσον τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν. O Christ God, save our souls. Ἀπολυτ. Προεόρτιον. Ἦχος δ. apolyt. of the forefeast. mode 4. τοιμάζου Βηθλεέμ, ἤνοικται πᾶσιν ἡ Ἐδέμ. Εὐτρε- Bethlehem, prepare, Eden is opened unto all. * And Ἑπίζου Ἐφραθᾶ, ὅτι τὸ ξύλον τῆς ζωῆς, ἐν τῷ Σπη- Obe ready, Ephrata, for the Tree of life * has in the λαίῳ ἐξήνθησεν ἐκ τῆς Παρθένου. Παράδεισος καὶ grotto blossomed forth from the Virgin. * Indeed her γάρ, ἡ ἐκείνης γαστήρ, ἐδείχθη νοητός, ἐν ᾧ τὸ θεῖον womb is shown to be spiritually * a Paradise, in which is φυτόν, ἐξ οὗ φαγόντες ζήσομεν, οὐχὶ δὲ ὡς ὁ Ἀδὰμ found the God-planted Tree. * And if we eat from it we τεθνηξόμεθα. Χριστὸς γεννᾶται, τὴν πρὶν πεσοῦσαν, shall live, and shall not die, as did Adam of old. * Christ ἀναστήσων εἰκόνα. is born, so that He might raise up * the formerly fallen image. Ἀπολυτίκιον του ναου. πλ. α. Apolyt. for the Church. Mode 5. ουκάν τον πανύμνητον καὶ ἅγιον ἀπόστολον, τὸν he holy Apostle, the All-hymned Luke, * who is ac- Λτῆς Ἐκκλησίας γνωστὸν συνθέτην τῶν Πράξε- Tknowledged by the Church of Christ * as the recorder ων τῶν Ἀποστόλων, τόν τε σεμνὸν τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου of the Acts of the Apostles, * and the splendid author of Χριστοῦ ὑπομνηματιστήν, ἀξίως τιμήσωμεν ὕμνοις the Gospel of Christ. * Let us praise with sacred hymns ὁσίοις, ὡς νοσημάτων ἀνθρωπίνων καὶ φυσικῶν as a physician, * who heals the infirmities of man, * and ἀσθενειῶν θεραπευτήν, τὸν καθαίροντα πληγὰς τοῦ the ailments of nature, * who cleanses spiritual wounds, πνεύματος, καὶ ἀδιαλείπτως πρεσβεύοντα ὑπὲρ τῶν and prays unceasingly for our souls. ψυχῶν ἡμῶν. Κοντάκιον. Ἦχος γ. Kontakion. Mode 3. Παρθένος σήμερον, τὸν προαιώνιον Λόγον, ἐν n this day the Virgin Maid * goes to the cave to give ἩΣπηλαίῳ ἔρχεται, ἀποτεκεῖν ἀπορρήτως. Χόρευε Obirth * to the pre-eternal Word * in an ineffable man- ἡ οἰκουμένη ἀκουτισθεῖσα, δόξασον μετὰ Ἀγγέλων ner. * Dance for joy, all the inhabited earth, on hearing. καὶ τῶν Ποιμένων, βουληθέντα ἐποφθῆναι, Παιδίον * Glorify along with Angels and with the shepherds * νέον, τὸν πρὸ αἰώνων Θεόν. Him who willed that He appear as * a newborn Child, * the pre-eternal God. THE READINGS OF THE DAY epistle reading ah. Solomon became the father of Rehoboam. Rehoboam became the father of Abijah. Abijah became the father of The letter of paul Asa. Asa became the father of Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat to Hebrews 11:9-10; 32-40 became the father of Joram. Joram became the father of Uz- ziah. Uzziah became the father of Jotham. Jotham became BRETHREN, by faith Abraham sojourned in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with the father of Ahaz. Ahaz became the father of Hezekiah. He- BIsaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. zekiah became the father of Manasseh. Manasseh became For he looked forward to the city which has foundation, the father of Amon. Amon became the father of Josiah. whose builder and maker is God. And what more shall I Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Sam- the time of the exile to Babylon. After the exile to Babylon, son, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets - who Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel. Shealtiel became through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, re- the father of Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel became the father of ceived promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched Abiud. Abiud became the father of Eliakim. Eliakim be- raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out came the father of Azor. Azor became the father of Sadoc. of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to Sadoc became the father of Achim. Achim became the fa- flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Some ther of Eliud. Eliud became the father of Eleazar. Eleazar were tortured, refusing to accept release, that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and scourg- became the father of Matthan. Matthan became the father ing, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, of Jacob. Jacob became the father of Joseph, the husband of they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were killed Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ. And with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and so, all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen goats, destitute, afflicted, ill-treated - of whom the world generations; from David to the exile to Babylon fourteen was not worthy - wandering over deserts and mountains, generations; and from the exile to Babylon until the Christ, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though fourteen generations. Now the birth of Jesus Christ hap- well attested by their faith, did not receive what was prom- pened like this: after his mother, Mary, was promised in ised, since God had foreseen something better for us,that marriage to Joseph but before they came together, she was apart from us they should not be made perfect. found pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her betrothed, who was a righteous man did not want to make her a public gospel reading spectacle and so intended to put her away quietly. But as Matthew 1:1-25 he was thinking about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of he book of the origins of Jesus Christ, the son of Da- David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife home, for vid, the son of Abraham. Abraham became the father what is conceived in her is by the Holy Spirit. She will give Tof Isaac. Isaac became the father of Jacob. Jacob be- birth to a son and you shall give him the name Jesus be- came the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah became cause he will be the one to save his people from their sins.” the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar.