SAINT GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH december 27, 2015

st. stephen the protomartyr aint Joseph the Betrothed was of the lineage of King David. In his first marriage, he had four sons and two Sdaughters. After he became a widower, St Joseph led a life of strict temperance. He was chosen to be the husband and guardian of the Most Holy Theotokos, who had taken a vow of virginity. An told him of the Incarnation of the Son of God through her. St Joseph was present when the shepherds and the Magi worshiped the new-born divine Infant. On the orders of the angel, he fled into Egypt with the Mother of God and the Infant , saving them from the wrath of King Herod. He lived in Egypt with the Virgin Mary and the divine Child, working as a carpenter. St Joseph reputedly died at the age of one hundred. St Joseph is commemorated on the Sunday after the Nativity. If there is no Sunday between December 25 and January 1, his Feast is moved to December 26. The Righteous Joseph is also commemorated on the Sunday of the Holy Forefathers. The Holy Prophet-King David was a forefather of our Lord Jesus according to the flesh. The youngest son of Jesse, David shepherded a flock of sheep belonging to his father. He was distinguished by his deep faith, and he zealously fulfilled the will of God. During a battle with the Philistines, he vanquished the giant Goliath in single combat, which decided the outcome of the war in favor of the Israelites. He endured many things from King Saul, who saw him as a favorite of the people and his rival. David, however, showed his own decency and magnanimity. Twice, when he had the possibility of killing Saul, he did not do so. After Saul and his son perished, David was proclaimed king of the southern part of Israel, and after Saul’s second son was killed, he became king of all Israel. He built a new capital, Jerusalem (“the City of Peace”), and a new tabernacle. His great wish to build a Temple was not realized. It was foretold to him that his son would build the Temple. The life of the Prophet David was darkened by a grievous falling: he took Uriah’s wife for himself, and sent Uriah to his death in battle. He was also an example of great repentance, humbly and with faith bearing the sorrows sent in punishment for his sins. St David gave a model for repentance in Psalm 50/51. King Da- vid died in great old age with steadfast faith in the coming of the promised Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ. His divinely-inspired Psalter is widely used in the divine services and in personal prayers. (See the Books of Kings and Chronicles).

1510 audubon drive • columbia, missouri, 65201 • tel. 573.817.0050 / fax 573.449.8452 email: [email protected] • web: www.saintlukecolumbia.org 1st & 2nd & 3rd antiphons

first antiphon. Entrance…then…in Mode pl. 1. Verse: I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, in the et us worship the Word who is unoriginate * with assembly of the upright and in the congregation. Lthe Father and the Spirit, and from a Virgin was Verse: The works of the LORD are great, studied by all who born * for our salvation, O believers, and let us sing have pleasure in them. His praise. * For in His goodness He was pleased * to ascend the Cross in the flesh, and to undergo death, * Verse: His work is honorable and glorious, and His righ- and to raise up those who had died, * by His glorious teousness endures forever. Resurrection. Verse: He has sent redemption to His people; He has com- manded His covenant forever: Holy and awesome is His name. Of the feast… Ἡ γέννησὶς σου Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς… By the intercessions of the Theotokos, Savior, save us. Apolytikion of the ancestors. Mode 2. Verse: Glory...Both now... nnunciate the miracles to David the ancestor of By the intercessions of the Theotokos, Savior, save us. AGod, O Joseph. You saw the Virgin pregnant. You glorified with the shepherds. You worshipped with second antiphon. the Magi. And you were warned by an Angel. Entreat Verse: Blessed is the man who fears the Lord; he will delight Christ God to save our souls. greatly in his commandments.. Apolyt. of the protomartyr. Mode 4. Verse: His seed shall be mighty in the earth, the generation nnunciate the miracles to David the ancestor of of the upright will be blessed. AGod, O Joseph. You saw the Virgin pregnant. You Verse: Glory and riches shall be in his house, and his righ- glorified with the shepherds. You worshipped with teousness endures forever. the Magi. And you were warned by an Angel. Entreat Save us, O Son of God, born of a Virgin. We sing to you Christ God to save our souls. alleluia. Kontakion. Mode 8. third antiphon. On this day the Virgin gives birth unto the Super- Verse: The Lord said to my lord: “Sit at my right hand, until Οessential. To the Unapproachable, earth is provid- I make your enemies the footstool of your feet. ing the grotto. sing and with the shepherds Verse: The LORD shall send the rod of Your strength out of offer up glory. Following a star the Magi are still pro- Zion. Rule in the midst of Your enemies! ceeding. He was born for our salvation,* a newborn Verse: With You is dominion in the day of Your power, in the Child,* the pre-eternal God. splendor of Your saints. Κοντάκιον. Ἦχος πλ. δ´. Apolytikion of the feast. Mode 4. Ἡ Παρθένος σήμερον, τὸν ὑπερού- σιον τίκτει, καὶ our nativity, O Christ our God, has caused the light of Ἡἡ γῆ τὸ Σπήλαιον, τῷ ἀπροσίτῳ προσάγει. Ἄγγελοι Yknowledge to rise upon the world. For therein the wor- μετὰ Ποιμένων δοξολογοῦσι. Μάγοι δὲ μετὰ ἀστέρος shippers of the stars were by a star instructed to worship ὁδοιποροῦσι. Δι’ ἡμᾶς γὰρ ἐγεννήθη, Παιδίον νέον, ὁ You, the Sun of Righteousness, and to know You as Orient πρὸ αἰώνων Θεός. from on high. Glory to You, O Lord. THE READINGS OF THE DAY

reading and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, full of the , gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus acts of standing on the right hand of God. He exclaimed, “Behold, I the apostles 6: 8–15, 7 1–5, 47–60 see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” At this, they shouted with a loud voice, n those days, full of faith and power, Stephen performed blocking their ears, and rushed at him with one accord. So great wonders and signs among the people. But some of they threw him out of the city and stoned him. The witnesses Ithose who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen, placed their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. along with Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and men from Cilicia and As they were stoning Stephen, he called in prayer, “Lord Jesus, Asia, reacted. They began debating with Stephen, but they receive my spirit!” Kneeling down, he cried out with a loud were not able to withstand the wisdom and spirit by which he voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” Having said spoke. Then they secretly convinced [some] men to say, “We this, he fell asleep. have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God!” Having stirred up the people, the presbyters and the reading scribes came against Stephen and arrested him. They brought Matthew 2:1-12 him before the Sanhedrin and produced false witnesses who said, “This man is always uttering blasphemies against the holy fter the wise men had departed, behold, an angel of the place and [against] the law. We have even heard him say that Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise! Take this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the Athe young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt. customs which Moses delivered to us!” All the members of Stay there until I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child the council gazed at Stephen and saw that his face was like the to destroy him.” So Joseph arose and took the young child and face of an angel. The high priest asked, “Are these things so?” his mother by night, and departed into Egypt. They remained Stephen answered, “Brothers and fathers, hear me! The God there until the death of Herod, so that what had been spo- of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was [still] ken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled: Out in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran. And God said to of Egypt I have called my son. When Herod saw that he had him, ‘Leave your land and your relatives, and come into a land been outwitted by the wise men, he became extremely angry. which I will show you.’ This is how Abraham came out of the He dispatched [his men] and killed all the male children who land of the Chaldaeans and lived in Haran. From there, when lived in Bethlehem and all the surrounding countryside, two his father was dead, God moved him into this land, where you years old and under, according to the exact time which he had are now living. He gave Abraham no inheritance in this land, learned from the wise men. And so, what had been spoken by no, not so much as to set his foot on it. But God had prom- the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: A voice was heard in Ra- ised that he and his descendants would possess this land, even mah, lamentation, weeping and great mourning:Rachel weep- when Abraham was still childless. Yet, it was Solomon who ing for her children. She would not be comforted, because they built him a house. However, the Most High does not dwell in are no more. But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the sanctuaries made with hands, as the prophet says: ‘Heaven is Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream when he was in Egypt, say- my throne, and the earth is a footstool for my feet. What kind ing: “Arise! Take the young child and his mother, and return of house will you build for me?’ says the Lord; ‘or what is the to the land of Israel; those who were trying to kill the young place of my rest?’ Did not my hand make all these things? You child are dead.” Joseph arose and took the young child and his stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always mother, and they came into the land of Israel. However, when resist the Holy Spirit! As your fathers did, you do likewise. Joseph heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in the place Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Being warned in a [even] killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous dream, he withdrew into the region of Galilee. He thus arrived One, of whom you have now become betrayers and murderers. and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what had been spo- You received the law as it was ordained by angels, and did not ken through the prophets might be fulfilled, “He will be called keep it!” Now when they heard these things, they were furious a Nazarene.” announcements Saturday, January 25, Great Vespers, 5pm

Christ is born! Glorify Him! upcoming church services: Friday, January 1, Orthros / Divine Liturgy, Circumcision of our Lord, 8:30am No GREAT VESPERS this week

Nativity flowers NOTE: Philoptochos will no longer be col- Thank to you to those who donated to help lecting butter for St Francis House. In 2016 decorate the icon of our Lord’s Nativity. there will be a supplly drive for most needed items. vasilopita dinner dance–save the date Join us next Sunday, January 3 as we celebrate with cutting of the Vasilopita. Philoptochos Dinner Dance will be held on February 28, will be passing a second tray benefiting St Ba- 2016. Silent auction items are now being ac- sil’s Academy. cepted. stewardship 2016 bookstore The 2016 Stewardship packets have been Don’t forget to visit the Bookstore. We stock mailed. PLEASE return your stewardship card many books and CDs that would make great as soon as possible. If you are not on the mail- gifts! ing list, please take a packet from the narthex. Thank you for your generosity! icon donation program n this feast [of the Nativity], let each one of us crown the gates Thank to you to everyone who donated to- I wards the icon program. All twelve feast days of his heart. The Holy Spirit longs have now been donated. “for the gates thereof, that He may enter in and dwell there, and sanc- PHILOPTOCHOS tify it, and He goes round about to SAVE THE DATE! The Philoptochos New all the gates to see where He may Year Party will be held on January 12 at 6pm enter. at D. Rowe’s. A BBQ buffet dinner menu is planned for $20 per person. See Rebecca Win- —St. Ephrem the syrian dle or Karen Sade to pre-pay. ” The Holy Apostle James, Brother of the Lord, their ears, and rushed at him. They dragged him was the eldest son of Joseph the Betrothed from out of the city and stoned him, but the holy mar- his first marriage with Solomonia. The Apostle tyr prayed for his murderers. Far off on the heights James is remembered after the Feast of the Nativ- stood the Mother of God with the holy Apostle ity of Christ together with his father Joseph and John the Theologian, and She prayed fervently for the Prophet-King David, since he accompanied his the . Before his death St Stephen said, “Lord family on the Flight into Egypt and lived there with Jesus, receive my spirit. O Lord, lay not this sin to the Infant Jesus, the Mother of God and Joseph. their charge.” Then he joyfully gave up his pure soul Later, he returned to Israel with them. to Christ. After the Ascension of the Lord, St James was The body of the holy Protomartyr Stephen, left the first Bishop of Jerusalem, gaining the great es- to be eaten by beasts, was secretly taken up by the teem not only of Christians, but also of . He Jewish teacher and his son Habib, who was thrown from the roof of the Jerusalem Temple buried Stephen on his estate. They both believed because he had publicly preached to the people in Christ, and later received holy Baptism. about the God-manhood of the Lord Jesus Christ. St Stephen is also commemorated on August The Holy Apostle James is also commemorated on 2 (Translation of his relics) and on September 15 October 23. (Uncovering of his relics in the year 415). The Holy Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen Saint Theodore the Confessor, and his brother was the eldest of the seven , appointed by Theophanes (October 11) were born in Jerusalem the Apostles themselves, and therefore he is called of Christian parents. From early childhood Theo- “archdeacon.” He was the first Christian martyr, dore shunned childish amusements and loved to and he suffered for Christ when he was about attend church services. With his younger brother thirty. In the words of Asterias, he was “the start- Theophanes (October 11), he was sent to the ing point of the , the instructor of suffering Lavra of St Sava to be educated by a pious priest. for Christ, the foundation of righteous confession, Both brothers became monks, and St Theodore since Stephen was the first to shed his blood for the was ordained to the holy priesthood. Gospel.” The iconoclast emperor Leo V the Armenian Filled with the Holy Spirit, St Stephen preached (813-820) expelled and replaced the pious ruler Christianity and defeated Jewish teachers of the I Rhangabe (811-813). In the beginning, Law in debate. The Jews maligned St Stephen, say- Leo concealed his heretical views, but later de- ing that he had uttered blasphemy against God and clared himself an iconoclast. The Patriarch of Je- against Moses. St Stephen came before the Sanhe- rusalem sent the two brothers to Constantinople drin and the High Priest to answer these charges. to defend the holy icons. Theodore refuted Leo’s He gave a fiery speech, in which he recounted the arguments, proving the falseness of his beliefs. Leo history of the Jewish nation, and denounced the ordered that both brothers be beaten mercilessly, Jews for persecuting the prophets, and also for ex- and then had them sent into exile, forbidding any- ecuting the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ (Acts one to help them in any way. ch. 7). Under the subsequent emperors, Michael II During his speech, St Stephen suddenly saw the (820-829), and particularly under the iconoclast heavens opened and Jesus Christ standing at the (829-842), both brothers returned right hand of God. The Jews shouted and covered from exile. Again they were urged to accept icon- oclasm, but they bravely endured all the tortures. der exerted much effort to fulfill the divine revela- They were sent into exile once more, but later re- tion. turned. This time they were subjected to fierce When the icon of the Mother of God arrived torture, and finally, their faces were branded with on the island, many miracles were performed. The the verses of a poem which mocked the holy con- Elder Isaiah was instrumental in building a church fessors. Therefore, the brothers were called “the dedicated to the Theotokos, and placing the Kykko Branded.” Icon in it. From ancient times up to the present day, The city prefect asked St Theodore to take com- those afflicted by every sort of infirmity flock to munion with the iconoclasts just once, promising the monastery of the Mother of God the Merciful, him freedom if he did. But the holy martyr replied, and they receive healing according to their faith. “Your proposal is the same as saying: ‘Let me cut The Orthodox are not the only ones who believe off your head once, and then you may go wherever in the miraculous power of the holy icon, but those you wish.’” of other faiths also pray before it in misfortune and illness. After torture the holy brothers were banished Inexhaustible is the mercy of the Most Holy to Apamea in Bithynia, where St Theodore died Theotokos, Mediatrix for all the suffering, and Her around the year 840. St Theophanes survived until icon fittingly bears the name, the “Merciful.” The the end of the iconoclast heresy, and died as Bishop wonderworking “Kykkiotisa” Icon of the Mother of Nicea. St Theophanes was author of many writ- of God possesses a remarkable peculiarity: from ings in defense of Orthodoxy. The relics of St The- what time period is unknown, but it is covered odore were transferred to Chalcedon, where they by a half shroud from the upper left corner to the worked many healings. lower right, so that no one is able to see the faces The All-Merciful Kykko Icon of the Mother of of the Mother of God and the Divine Infant. The God: This icon was painted, according to Tradi- depiction of the Mother of God appears to be of tion, by the holy Evangelist Luke. It received its the Hodigitria (“Directress”) type, as is also the name “Kykkiotisa” from Mount Kykkos, on the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God. The head of island of Cyprus. Here it was placed in an impe- the Mother of God is adorned with a crown. rial monastery (so designated because it was built the deeper meaning with donations from the Emperor), in a church named for it. Before coming to the island of Cy- of CHRISTMAS prus, the wonderworking icon of the Mother of by Metropolitan Athanasios of Lemessos God was brought throughout the region by the will Every time we stand before the Lord either in of God. At first, it was in one the earliest Christian prayer or in celebration in Church of an event from communities in Egypt, and then it was taken to the life of Christ, or we are in any other way expe- Constantinople in 980, where it remained in the riencing the presence of the Lord, two basic things time of Emperor Alexius Comnenos (end of the happen, which are attested by the Church and the eleventh to early twelfth century). experience of the Saints: Firstly, we are feeling joy During these years it was revealed to the Elder because we are experiencing the Lord’s abundant Isaiah through a miraculous sign, that by his efforts love towards man. He moves our heart into great the wonderworking image painted by the Evange- gratitude, since we are experiencing- to the mea- list Luke would be transferred to Cyprus. The El- sure of our spiritual condition- God’s great gift for us. Secondly, by being presented before the Lord On such feast days, our Church constantly glori- we are also standing in a kind of critical judgment fies the Lord for His great condescension towards for our actions, which leads to our salvation, partic- man through wonderful hymns, while digging into ularly if this takes place during the great feast days the deeper theological meaning of His incarnation. which commemorate events from the life of Christ. Holy elders as well as pious laity have particular Indeed any event in His life prompts us into adopt- experience of the deeper meaning of this event. ing a critical attitude towards ourselves which does When elder Efraim Katounakiotis returned from a not lead to damnation but to our deliverance. trip to Jerusalem, we had expected him to be over- Thus, we are commemorating our Lord’s incar- whelmed by the experience of Golgotha and of nation in order to experience on the one hand His the Crucifixion. Yet, he was overwhelmed by the great love for us and on the other to feel great grati- Cave of the Nativity in Bethlehem. He stood be- tude for all the wonderful things He has granted us. fore this event saying: ‘I thought I was somebody In addition, this benefits us in a practical way, be- when I was living in my ascetic hut at Katounakia, cause we are offered the opportunity to pass judge- amongst my meagre possessions. But when I saw ment on our life. As St Paul says: ‘The Lord will not where Christ was born, I became truly crushed in judge us if we pass judgement on ourselves’. If we spirit’. criticise our ways in this life, we will not be judged Having been born in a cave, persecuted and de- in the afterlife, because judgement has already been spised by all men, Christ accomplished the great- accomplished in this world. est event in man’s history: His incarnation. God In other words, now that our Lord’s feast is be- became man in total quietude, humility and obscu- fore us, we have the opportunity to critically com- rity. No one knew what was happening that night, pare our lives in terms of all the things that our except for some shepherds and the wise men from Lord has accomplished for our deliverance, par- Persia. This event took place in absolute poverty ticularly since we know that He did not leave any- and humility. Therefore, every time we are both- thing to chance but guided all things as the Master ered by various demands and desires, we should of history that He is. He is the One Who wished place ourselves in front of the Cave of the Nativ- all events to take place in the way they did, even to ity, stand before Word’s incarnation, and see how the smallest detail. He was the One Who wished to our actions compare with what the Lord’ did that be born in the specific year, at the specific place, as night. In this way we are passing judgement on our well as all the other elements which constitute the actions. In the same manner we ought to critically great event of His incarnation. examine our entire life. All the Saints used to critically compare the par- Ever since God became Man and the angels sang ticular events happening in their lives with the life ‘peace on earth’, the Word of God is saying to us: ‘I of Christ and passed judgement on themselves. We did not come to bring peace, but to bring a sword’. would like to believe that a Christian is the one who Why did the Lord bring a sword while the angels imitates the life of Christ as far as humanly pos- were singing about peace? Christ was the Peace sible. He then replenishes any deficiencies through which came to the world and became man so that repentance and humility. And this constitutes his we would be able to love Him. He showed us that inner spiritual work. our relationship with the Lord is not a relationship with an ideology, because nobody can love an idea. One may be devoted to some philosophical ideol- When we are celebrating the feast days for the ogy, but no one can love it, because it will not recip- Saints and the martyrs, we are not just commem- rocate one’s love. orating certain events of their lives. We are com- In the life of the Church quite the opposite is memorating the days when they passed judgement happening. We have nothing to do with a philo- on themselves. They had critically looked at them- sophical ideology and the Word of God did not be- selves in line with the life of the Lord. They did not come any such idea. Word became flesh. The Word take such days lightly. The saints delved deeply into of God incarnated so that we could love Him. And the true meaning of their lives, critically examining as soon as we begin to love Him, we will be able to and passing judgement on their own actions. On understand that He was the One Who loved us first the one hand, they thought about Christ in His in a manner which cannot be comprehended. The manger, His humility and obscurity, His silence Apostle says that ‘we love Him, since He first loved and poverty, His rejection and wretchedness and us’. This is the kind of mystery which takes place in on the other, they compared their own actions and the Church. It is for this reason that Christ, as the examined them critically. peace of the world, became the subject of love and The Lord revealed, through the lives of the not of faith. One ought to transcend faith and hope Apostles and of all the Saints, that it is not possible in order to remain in love. As the Apostle says, for the Holy Spirit to reside in us without us bear- ‘eventually hope and faith will be abandoned and ing Its fruit. He expressly stressed that the fruits of only love will remain’, since love is an experiential the Holy Spirit are ‘love, joy, peace, patience, kind- fact, an existential event which makes man realize ness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self-con- that he is truly united with God. This is the path trol’. Therefore, we ought to look for such fruit in- walked by all those who loved Him unto the end. side ourselves, which indicates the presence of the Stephen, the first martyr, sealed his love for the Holy Spirit. Then we may assess where we stand Lord by imitating Him. It is written in the Acts, that spiritually. Such critical assessment is necessary when he was arrested because he was preaching and lifesaving. If we embark on this exercise during about Christ, his face lit up like the face of an angel this festive season, then it will be truly lifesaving for while standing trial. They condemned him to death us because it will give rise to the spiritual struggle by stoning as if he was a great sinner because this of repentance and humility and will change our was what the Law of Moses stipulated. Yet, filled by ways. the Holy Spirit, Stephen was praying not for him- At the same time it will lead us to seek the Lord’s self but for the whole world, despite his awful pre- mercy in a loving way. As soon as we recognise that dicament. Thus he imitated Christ, Who had been we are indeed people who live in the dark, we too praying for those who crucified Him while dying will declare: ‘where would your light shine, Lord, on the Cross. if not on those who live in the dark?’ As soon as Therefore, ever since Christ came into the we recognize that we live in the dark, we will im- world and brought peace, millions of martyrs gave mediately seek the light. Yet, if we think that we are up their lives because of their faith in Him and be- living in the light, then we will never see the true cause they truly loved Him and had tasted His love. light, since we only possess the light which we can The love of Christ spoke into their hearts. see.