Saint Luke the Evangelist Greek Orthodox Church
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SAINT LUKE THE EVANGELIST GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH june 23, 2013 holy pentecost In the Church’s annual liturgical cycle, Pentecost is “the last and great day.” It is the celebration by the Church of the coming of the Holy Spirit as the end - the achievement and fulfillment - of the entire history of salvation. For the same reason, however, it is also the celebration of the beginning: it is the “birthday” of the Church as the presence among us of the Holy Spirit, of the new life in Christ, of grace, knowledge, adoption to God and holiness. This double meaning and double joy is revealed to us, first of all, in the very name of the feast. Pentecost in Greek means fifty, and in the sacred biblical symbolism of numbers, the number fifty symbolizes both the fulness of time and that which is beyond time: the Kingdom of God itself. It symbolizes the fulness of time by its first component: 49, which is the fulness of seven (7 x 7): the number of time. And, it symbolizes that which is beyond time by its second component: 49 + 1, this one being the new day, the “day without evening” of God’s eternal Kingdom. With the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Christ’s disciples, the time of salvation, the Divine work of redemption has been completed, the fulness revealed, all gifts bestowed: it belongs to us now to “appropriate” these gifts, to be that which we have become in Christ: participants and citizens of His Kingdom. The Holy Martyr Agrippina, was by birth a Roman. She did not wish to enter into marriage, and totally dedicated her life to God. During the time of persecution against Christians under the em- peror Valerian (253-259) the saint went before the court and bravely confessed her faith in Christ, for which she was given over to torture. They beat the holy virgin with sticks so severely that her bones broke. Afterwards they put St Agrippina in chains, but an angel freed her from her bonds. The holy confessor died from the tortures she endured. The Christians Bassa, Paula and Aga- thonike secretly took the body of the holy martyr and transported it to Sicily, where many miracles were worked at her grave. In the eleventh century the relics of the holy Martyr Agrippina were trans- ferred to Constantinople. The Holy Martyrs Gaius, Eustochius, Probius, Lollia and Urban suffered for Christ during the time of a persecution under the emperor Maximian (286-310). 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 first antiphon. Verse: You have given him his heart’s desire: you have not denied him the request of his lips. Verse: The heavens declare the glory of God: the firma- ment proclaims the work of his hands. Εὐλογητὸς εἶ, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, ὁ πανσόφους By the intercessions of the Theotokos, Savior, save us. τοὺς ἁλιεῖς ἀναδείξας, καταπέμψας αὐτοῖς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, καὶ δι’ αὐτῶν τὴν οἰκουμένην Verse: Day to day utters the word: and night to night pro- σαγηνεύσας, φιλάνθρωπε, δόξα σοι. claims knowledge Ταῖς πρεσβείαις τῆς Θεοτόκου, Σῶτερ, σῶσον ἡμᾶς. Verse: For you came to meet him with blessings of Verse: There is no speech or language: where their voices goodness: and placed a crown of precious stones upon his are not heard. head. By the intercessions of the Theotokos, Savior, save us. Blessed are You, O Christ our God… Verse: Their sound has gone out into all the earth: and Verse: He asked you for life: and you gave him their words to the ends of the world. length of days for ever and ever. Ταῖς πρεσβείαις τῆς Θεοτόκου, Σῶτερ, σῶσον ἡμᾶς. Εὐλογητὸς εἶ, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν… Verse: Glory...Both now... By the intercessions of the Theotokos, Savior, save us. Entrance…then… second antiphon. Blessed are You, O Christ our God… Verse: The Lord hear you in the day of trouble: the name Kontakion. Mode 8. of the God of Jacob shield you. hen the Most High God came down and Save us, O good Comforter, we sing to you alleluia. Wconfused the tongues,* He divided the Verse: May he send you help from the sanctuary: and nations.* When He distributed the tongues of support you out of Sion. fire,* He called all to unity.* And with one voice Save us, O good Comforter, we sing to you alleluia. we glorify the all-holy Spirit. Verse: May he remember your every sacrifice: and accept Κοντάκιον. Ἦχος πλ. δ´. your burnt offering. τε καταβὰς τὰς γλώσσας συνέχεε, διεμέριζεν Save us, O good Comforter, we sing to you alleluia. Ὅἔθνη ὁ Ὕψιστος, ὅτε τοῦ πυρὸς τὰς Verse: Glory…Both now… γλώσσας διένειμεν, εἰς ἑνότητα πάντας ἐκάλεσε, Ὁ Μονογενής Υἱός. καὶ συμφώνως δοξάζομεν τὸ πανάγιον Πνεῦμα. third antiphon. instead of trisagion… Verse: The king will rejoice in your strength, O Lord: he All those who have been baptized… will exult exceedingly in your salvation. communion hymn Apolytikion of the feast. Mode 8. Your good Spirit shall guide me in the land of lessed are You, O Christ our God. You made the uprightness. Alleluia… Bfishermen all-wise, by sending down upon them the Holy Spirit, and so through them You drew the world into Your net. O Lover of mankind, glory to You. THE READINGS OF THE DAY epistle reading gospel reading The Acts of the Apostles Acts 2:1-11 john 7:37-52; 8:12 hen the day of Pentecost had come, n the last day of the feast, the great day, they were all together in one place. And Jesus stood up and proclaimed, “If any suddenly a sound came from heaven one thirst, let him come to me and drink. Wlike the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the OHe who believes in me, as the scripture has said, house where they were sitting. And there appeared ‘Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water.’” to them tongues as of fire, distributed and rest- Now this he said about the Spirit, which those who ing on each one of them. And they were all filled believed in him were to receive; for as yet the Spirit with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glori- tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now fied. there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men When they heard these words, some of the peo- from every nation under heaven. And at this sound ple said, “This is really the prophet.” Others said, the multitude came together, and they were bewil- “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to dered, because each one heard them speaking in come from Galilee? Has not the scripture said that his own language. And they were amazed and won- the Christ is descended from David, and comes dered, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” So Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us there was a division among the people over him. in his own native language? Parthians and Medes Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea hands on him. and Cappadocia, Pontos and Asia, Phrygia and The officers then went back to the chief priest Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and not bring him?” The officers answered, “No man proselytes, Cretans and Arabians, we hear them ever spoke like this man!” The Pharisees answered telling in our own tongues the mighty works of them, “Are you led astray, you also? Have any of God.” the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd, who do not know the law, are ac- cursed.” Nikodemos, who had gone to him before, Therefore, after you have kept the and who was one of them, said to them, “Does our festival of Pentecost, keep one week law judge a man without first giving him a hearing more festival, and after that fast; and learning what he does?” They replied, “Are you for it is reasonable to rejoice for the from Galilee too? Search and you will see that no “gift of God, and to fast after that prophet is to rise from Galilee.” Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world; he relaxation… who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will —from the apostolic have the light of life.” constitutions” announcements upcoming church services: Monday, June 24, Monday of the Holy Spirit / Birth of St. J. the Baptist, Divine Liturgy, 9am. Saturday, June 29, Ss. Peter and paul, Orthros / Div. Liturgy, 8:30am, Great Vespers, 5pm THERE IS NO FASTING THIS WEEK. scanned at check out. 3) Your purchases create automatic contributions of up to 3% to the parish based on your monthly spending. give a month towards our future buddy packs A little over one year ago we purchased land for our future growth. As we did last year, we would like Philoptochos is organizing a food drive for the to offer families and individuals the opportunity to Buddy Pack Program during the month of May. help offset our additional mortgage payment with Please bring to church items included in the wish a donation of $640.