Assumption Greek Orthodox Church

October 18, 2020: St.

MARTYRS: Luke the Evangelist, Marinos the Elder, 40 Holy Children, & Kyrmidolis, Bsp of Cyprus, Isidoros presbyter & George & Irene, his children SAINTS: Julian by Euphrates River; Symeon & Theodore, founders of Great Cave Monastery, Efrosyni the Shepherdess; All fathers of Crete, Panagia Maheriotisa of Cyprus

ANNOUNCEMENTS October Food Fest: Order & Pay Online by Oct 21st at: www.foodfest.assumptionnh.org or 603-623-2641 Paraklesis to Panagia (Prayer to Virgin Mary): Wednesday, October 21st, at 5:00 PM REGISTER CHILDREN ONLINE for Greek School: www.greekschool.assumptionnh.org/registration Greek School: Wednesdays 4:00 - 5:30 PM (classes 5 & 6) & Thursdays 4:00 - 7:15 PM (classes 1, 2, 3 & 4)

Gospel and Readings

Matins Reading - Eighth Orthros Gospel, John 20:11-18 At that time, Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb; and she saw two in white, sitting where the body of had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." Saying this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?" Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, "Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God." went and said to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"; and she told them that He had said these things to her. AMEN

Epistle Reading - St. Paul's Letter to the :5-11, 14-18 BRETHREN, conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone. Tychicos will tell you all about my affairs; he is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts, and with him Onesimos, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of yourselves. They will tell you of everything that has taken place. Aristarchos my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of (concerning whom you have received instructions if he comes to you, receive him), and Jesus who is called Justos. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. Luke the beloved physician and greet you. Give my greetings to the brethren at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. And when this letter has been read among you, have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you read also the letter from Laodicea. And say to Archippos, "See that you fulfill the ministry which you have received in the Lord." I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my fetters. Grace be with you. AMEN

Gospel Reading - Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist, Luke 10:16-21 The Lord said to his disciples, "He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me." The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!" And he said to them, "I saw fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will." AMEN

Standing up for Truth! The Resurrection of the Son of the Widow of Na’in St. Paul is sending us a direct message today! It is advice perfectly fitting our times. He says: “Brethren, conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time.” When St. Luke wrote these lines for St. Our Lord performed miracles to show His power and love for men. This show of power led Paul, the second was imprisoned in Rome. He was locked up there for two years. In this epistle, St. Paul mentions people to faith and through faith to salvation (i.e. union with God). By raising the dead, our Lord all his disciples and co-workers in , one of which is St. Luke we are celebrating today. St. Paul knows he is intended to pave the way for His teaching of Eternal Life, for His Own Resurrection and for addressing faithful who belong to Churches under persecution and asks them to share his message and remember His promise for the General Resurrection. He wanted to show us the Power of His Love can his fetters. Today, our Church is not openly persecuted. However, it is under similar restrictions as the Churches conquer death. St. Paul was addressing in his time. People could not attend services and could not receive Holy Communion back The resurrection of the son of the widow of Na’in brings us face to face with the mystery of then, and the same is true in our church today. So, what does St. Paul advise? “Use the time wisely and be careful how you talk to outsiders. Your words should be full of grace.” St. Paul knows his readers live amid people who do not accept the Christian truth. So, he advises them to avoid confrontation. should use love and hope to establish the Christian truth. One such truth is that the Holy Body and Precious Blood of Christ is the source of eternal life, not the source of Covid!

In today’s Holy Gospel, our Lord sends His disciples into the world to free people from demonic powers. Even though they return victorious, He tells them defeating demons is less important than being righteous. “Do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” What does this mean? It means demons are in charge on earth but have no power in Heaven. Defeating demons in this world is a power given to all who believe in Jesus. He says: “Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall hurt you.” But this will help in this life. Yet, the goal is not only to have a good life here for 80, 90, or 100 years! The true goal is to have a good eternal life in Heaven with God! So, yes, we should use the name of the Lord in prayer - it is the weapon He gave us to tread upon demons like Covid in this life. Our focus, however, should be on how our names will be written in Heaven together with the Apostles and Saints, and that will be accomplished by standing up for the Christian truth! AMEN

Lives of Saints

St. Luke the Evangelist This Apostle was from Antioch of Syria. He was a physician by training and trade, a painter, and a and faithful companion of St. Paul. He wrote his Gospel in Greek after St. Matthew and St. Mark, focusing on the social work of Jesus. After that, he wrote “The ,” and dedicated both works to Theophilos, who, according to some, was Governor of Achaia. He lived some eighty-four years and died a martyr’s death in central Greece, near Thebes, at around 84 AD. From the four emblems dedicated to Evangelists, his is the calf, the third symbolical beast attributed by prophet Ezekiel to the Messiah (1:10). According to Saint Irenaeus, the calf symbolizes Christ's sacrificial and priestly office.

Wisdom of the Fathers

As a beloved physician and disciple, O Luke, heal with your mystical surgery the passions of my soul and body, and grant me complete health. Grant that I joyously honor your all-praiseworthy feast and shower your holy and most precious body with tears instead of myrrh. For it is a monument of life in the marvelous Church of the Apostles, and it proclaims to all, as when you wrote it, the Gospel of Christ our God.

Chant from the Feast of St. Luke, October Menaion, p.115 - Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Brookline, MA