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SAINT GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH

september 24, 2017—first sunday of luke

he Holy Protomartyr and Equal of the Apostles Thekla was born in the city of Iconium. She was the daughter of rich and illustrious parents, and she was distinguished by extraordinary beauty. At eighteen years of age they betrothed her to an eminent youth. But after she heard the preaching of Tthe holy Apostle Paul about the Savior, Saint Thekla with all her heart came to love the Lord , and she steadfastly resolved not to enter into marriage, but rather to devote all her life to preaching the . Saint Thekla’s mother was opposed to her daughter’s plans and insisted that she marry her betrothed. Saint Thekla’s fiancé also complained to the prefect of the city about the Apostle Paul, accusing him of turn- ing his bride against him. The prefect locked up Saint Paul in prison. During the night Saint Thekla secretly ran away from her house, and she bribed the prison guards, giving them all her gold ornaments, and so made her way into the prison to the prisoner. For three days she sat at the feet of the Apostle Paul, listening to his fatherly precepts. Thekla’s disappearance was discovered, and servants were sent out everywhere looking for her. Finally, they found her in the prison and brought her home by force. At his trial Saint Paul was sentenced to banishment from the city. Again they urged Saint Thekla to con- sent to the marriage, but she would not change her mind. Neither the tears of her mother, nor her wrath, nor the threats of the prefect could separate Saint Thekla from her love for the Heavenly Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus Christ. Her mother in a insane rage demanded from the judges a death sentence against her unyielding daugh- ter, and Saint Thekla was sentenced to be burned. Without flinching, the holy martyr went into the fire and made the Sign of the Cross over herself. At this moment the Savior appeared to her, blessing her present deed, and inexpressible joy filled her holy soul. The flames of the fire shot up high, but the martyr was surrounded by a light and the flames did not touch her. Thunder boomed, and a strong downpour of rain and hail extinguished the fire. The torturers scat- tered in fear. Saint Thekla, kept safe by the Lord, left the city and with the help of a certain Christian youth, searched for the Apostle Paul. The holy apostle and his companions, among whom was Saint , were hidden in a cave not far from the city, praying fervently, that the Lord would strengthen Saint Thekla in her sufferings.

1510 audubon drive 0 columbia, missouri, 65201 0 tel. 573.817.0050 / fax 573.449.8452 email: [email protected] 0 web: www.saintlukecolumbia.org the hymns of the third antiphon Today is Mode Varys Before the Entrance… Apolytikion for St. Thekla. Resurrectional Apolytikion. mode 4. mode varys. ll aflame with love for your Creator, * from the teachings of the sacred preacher, * you disre- y means of Your Cross, O Lord, You abolished A garded as fleeting all things mundane. * And being death. To the robber You opened Paradise. B bold in the face of the penalties, * you gave yourself The lamentation of the myrrh-bearing women You as a beautiful gift to God. * Thekla, glorious com- transformed, and You gave Your Apostles the order panion of the Apostle Paul, * we pray you entreat to proclaim to all that You had risen, O Christ our your Bridegroom, Christ, * and ask Him to grant us God, and granted the world Your great mercy. (x2) His great mercy. After the Entrance… Apolytikion for the Church. Resurrectional Apolytikion. mode pl. 1. mode varys. he holy Apostle, the All-hymned Luke, * who is y means of Your Cross, O Lord, You abolished acknowledged by the Church of Christ * as the death. To the robber You opened Paradise. T B recorder of the , * and the splen- The lamentation of the myrrh-bearing women You did author of the Gospel of Christ. * Let us praise transformed, and You gave Your Apostles the order with sacred hymns as a physician, * who heals the to proclaim to all that You had risen, O Christ our infirmities of man,* and the ailments of nature, * God, and granted the world Your great mercy. who cleanses spiritual wounds, and prays unceas- Apolytikion for the Theotokos. ingly for our souls. mode 4. Kontakion. come, all you people, and let us in faith clap mode 2. Oour hands * and sing sacred songs to her who Protection of Christians unshamable, media- is the Mother of God, * and longingly cry aloud: * Otion with the Creator immovable, we sinners “Rejoice, O protection of all those who entreat you; beg you, do not despise the voices of our prayers, * rejoice, the salvation of those who honor you with but anticipate, since you are good, and swiftly come longing; * rejoice, O Lady who restored * the para- unto our aid as we cry out to you with faith: Hurry lyzed man to health.” to intercession, and hasten to supplication, O The- otokos who defend now and ever those who honor you. the readings of the day reading gospel reading The Second Letter of Paul to Timothy 3:10-15 Luke (5: 1–11)

imothy my son, you, have paid close atten- t that time, Jesus was standing by the lake tion to my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, of Gennesaret. He saw two boats standing patience, love, steadfastness, persecutions, by the lake, but the fishermen had gone Tand sufferings. You know what happened to me at A out of them and they were washing their nets. Jesus Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. I endured those per- entered into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, secutions and the Lord delivered me out of them and asked him to put out a little from the land. He all! Yes, all those who desire to lead godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. But wicked impos- sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. tors will go from bad to worse, deceiving others, be- When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ing themselves deceived. As for you, remain in what “Put out into the deep, and let down your nets for you have learned, which is what you firmly believe, a catch.” Simon answered him, “Master, we worked knowing from whom you have learned them. From all night and took nothing! But at your word, I infancy, you have known the Holy Scriptures which will let down the net.” When they had done this, are able to make you wise for salvation through they caught a great multitude of fish, and their net faith, which is in Christ Jesus.. was breaking. They beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They came and filled both boats, so [much] that they began to If we want to be delivered from sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for a evil and to avoid temptation, let sinful man, Lord!” He and all who were with him “us believe in God and forgive those were amazed at their catch of fish; and so also were who’ve offended us in any way. James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were part- —st. Maximos the Confessor ners with Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid! From now on, you will be catching people ” alive.” When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him. announcements upcoming church services: NO GREAT VESPERS THIS WEEK

Welcome Fr. Anastasios! Parish Feast Day Pot Luck Please welcome Fr. Anastasios, associate pastor There will be a Parish Feast day Pot Luck held on of Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in Town Sunday, October 15. Please sign up on the form in & Country, MO, who is substituting for Fr. the Narthex so that we know what food items ev- today. eryone plans to bring. Bookstore Church Attire Spiritual reading is part of Orthodox Christian There is no allowance for Church “summer-wear.” living — visit the Bookstore today! An Orthodox Christian should always dress for Altar Server Robes Church in modest attire (in every season), so as not to draw attention to him/herself, becoming a Thank you to all who donated towards the altar distraction to others. Traditionally women wear boy robes. Donations are still needed for additional dresses or skirts of at least knee length; dresses, sizes. Please see Father if you would like to help. blouses / tops should, at minimum, include short September Buddy Pack Supply Drive sleeves and cover the shoulder. Women should not Please join Philoptochos as we bring in dona- wear lipstick or lip gloss to Church - it leaves a residue tions for the local Buddy Pack Program for at-risk on the icons and on the Communion spoon. Men school children to have access to kid-friendly nutri- should dress in pants and polo or button-down tious food on weekends. Please bring non-perish- shirts. Shorts should never be worn in Church. Ad- able healthy items from the detailed list found in ditionally, tight-fitting clothing is not appropriate for the narthex. If preferred, checks can be written to women or men. Philoptochos and given to Becky Windle or Donna Hoffman. Hope and Joy Hope and Joy children are invited to go Lazer Bowling on Saturday, October 21 at 3pm. Please see Calin Chindris to register. After this, Saint Thekla went with them preach- Thekla cried out for help to Christ the Savior, and a ing the Gospel in Antioch. In this city she was pur- rock split open and hid the holy virgin, the bride of sued by a certain dignitary named , who Christ. Thus did Saint Thekla offer up her holy soul was captivated by her beauty. Saint Thekla refused to the Lord. his offer of marriage, and so she was condemned The holy Church glorifies the Protomartyr Thekla to death for being a Christian. Twice they set loose as “ the glory of women and guide for the suffering, hungry wild animals upon her, but they would not opening up the way through every torment.” From touch the holy virgin. Instead, they lay down meek- of old many churches were dedicated to her, one ly and licked her feet. of which was built at Constantinople by the holy The Providence of God preserved the holy martyr Equal of the Apostles Constantine (May 21). The unharmed through all her torments. Finally, they Protomartyr Thekla, a prayerful intercessor for as- tied her to two oxen and began to chase her with cetics, is also invoked during the tonsure of women red-hot rods, but the strong cords broke asunder into monasticism. like cobwebs, and the oxen ran off, leaving Saint The Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Of the Thekla unharmed. The people began shouting, Myrtle Tree” (Myrtidiotissa) is in the monastery “Great is the God of the Christians!” The prefect church of Myrtides on the Greek island of Kythera. himself became terrified, realizing that the holy It derives its name from the fact that it was found martyr was being kept safe by the Almighty God, in a myrtle bush in the fourteenth century. Whom she served. He then gave orders to set free At that time, a shepherd was tending his sheep the servant of God Thekla. in a deserted valley which was filled with myrtle With the blessing of the Apostle Paul, Saint Thek- bushes. On September 24, forty days after the Dor- la then settled in a desolate region of Isaurian Se- mition, the Mother of God appeared to him and leucia and dwelt there for many years, constantly told him to seek her icon which had been brought preaching the Word of God and healing the sick to that place many years before. through her prayer. Saint Thekla converted many The shepherd fell to the ground in amazement, pagans to Christ, and the Church appropriately praying to the Theotokos. As soon as he got up and names her as “Equal- to-the-Apostles.” Even a pagan turned around, he saw the icon in the branches of priest, trying to assault her purity and punished for a myrtle bush. Weeping for joy, he brought the icon his impudence, was brought by her to holy Baptism. home and told his friends and relatives about how More than once the Enemy of the race of man tried he had found it. to destroy Saint Thekla through people blinded by When he awoke the next morning, the shepherd sin, but the power of God always preserved this found the icon missing, and thought that perhaps faithful servant of Christ. someone had stolen it during the night. With a When Saint Thekla was already a ninety-year-old heavy heart, he led his sheep back to the spot where woman, pagan sorcerers became incensed at her he had found the icon. To his amazement, he saw for treating the sick for free. They were unable to the icon once again in the branches of the myrtle comprehend that the saint was healing the sick by bush. Glorifying God, the man took the icon home the power of the grace of Christ, and they presumed with him once more. The next morning, it had dis- that the virgin-goddess Artemis was her special appeared just as it had before. When this happened helper. Envious of Saint Thekla, they sent their fol- a third time, the shepherd realized that the Mother lowers to defile her. When they came near her, Saint of God wanted her icon to remain where it had first appeared. How to Hear the Gospel A small church was built to house the icon, and by Metropolitan ANTHONY of Sourozh was called “Of the Myrtle Tree,” after the icon. The building was replaced and enlarged over the years, have been asked more than once ‘How should we and many miracles took place there. Iread the Gospel so that it reaches not only our At the end of the sixteenth century Theodore mind but our heart, and that it should not always Koumprianos, a descendant of the shepherd who stand before the eyes of our mind as an accusa- found the icon, lived in the village of Kousoumari. tion, in which every act and word of Christ, every He was a paralytic, and had an unshakeable faith commandment condemns us; because we are not that the Mother of God would heal him. Each year the kind of people who will act like Him, think and on September 24 he sent a family member to the feel as He does, or who can accomplish what He church to light candles for him. One year he asked commands’. Out of fear, out of discouragement, to be carried there by his family so that he might we can achieve nothing; we must read the Gospel venerate the icon himself. During the Vigil, a great as though the Lord Jesus Christ comes to us as our noise was heard coming from the direction of the closest friend, as someone who cares for us more sea. People fled the church, thinking that pirates than anyone else, who not only vaguely wishes for were attacking. The paralytic remained in the our good, but who is prepared to do all for us — and church by himself, entreating the Mother of God I say all — that is possible, not only humanly, but for protection. Suddenly, he heard a voice from the as God. icon telling him to get up and flee. He stood up, and Humanly, we know that Christ gave His life and then walked out of the church. Soon he was able to His death for us, and divinely, that He opens to us run and catch up with his relatives, who rejoiced the gates of eternity: ‘I am the door, who¬ever en- upon seeing this miracle. As it turned out, there ters through Me will also enter into life eternal’. was no pirate attack, and the noise was regarded The first thing we must do when we approach the as a sign of God’s providence so that the paralytic Gospel is to take it with reverence, with the sense could remain alone in church with the icon. Since that we are not only handling a book, not only going that time the Koumprianos family has celebrated to read the words, but that this book, and the words the icon’s Feast Day with a special reverence, since which we read are THE Word, God speaking, speak- Theodore had been healed on that day. ing through human words; and it is important that Some of the other miracles associated with the it should be through human words, because we can- Most Holy Theotokos and her icon “Of the Myrtle not enter into the mysterious mind of God. Did He Tree” include protection of the island from the not say through Isaiah the Prophet ‘My thoughts plague, ending the barrenness of a Jewish woman are above your thoughts, and my ways above your from Alexandria, saving people from death, and ways’? But in Christ, it is in human words that He many other great wonders. addresses us. Pilgrims come to venerate the icon on the Feast of And then we must listen to what He says and the Dormition (August 15), and also on the day of its look into what He does, look in to all the situations discovery (September 24). which are depicted in one or another passage of the Gospel with reverence, with interest, with devotion- al awe, because it is He Who speaks to us; it is Him we see moving, acting, saving. And we must try to find our place in the crowd that surrounds Him, listen as though we were present when He actually the best that we can be: and to that, other passages spoke, listen as though we stood in the crowd while of the Gospel will respond, saying to us, ‘Beware, He was healing, saving, calling to repentance the beware — if you accept this temptation or another, people who came to Him, and listening as though if you follow this course of life or thought, you are the words He spoke, as puts it in the ruining yourself, because the commandments of Gospel, were words of life — not words of death; Christ are not orders that He gives us but a descrip- words capable of awakening in us all that is alive, tion of what we should feel, wish and be, if we truly both humanly and eternally, divinely; words of life became human, worthy of our human nature and and not the words of death, in the sense that His our human vocation which is to become the likes of words are meant to bring us to life, not condemn us Christ and partakers of His Divine Nature.’ even before our death. And if we do this, if we begin looking for every- This is a very important thing because out of fear, thing that is beauty in us, already the image of God out of the sense of condemnation we will never in us, revealing itself, like the sun shine dawns in achieve anything. And so, let us read the Gospel, the morning; it may not yet be bright midday, but it looking for all those passages which reach us — not is always light, beyond the horizon perhaps — but it those which pass us by; passages which, to use the is light! — then we will get inspiration, and courage words of the pilgrims to Emmaus, make our hearts to face also the twilight and darkness in us; but cre- burn within us while He speaks to us. Read those atively, in order to build and not in order to destroy. passages which, having set our heart afire, can also One does not destroy evil — one builds the good, bring — or do also bring life to our mind, move our in the same way in which one does not dispel dark- will, stir us up for a new life. ness otherwise than by letting in the light. Remember, or realise for the first time, that those So let us try, in the future, to read the Gospel, lis- passages show us that God and we at that point — it ten to it with reverence, with joy: God has come to may be a very minute one — are of one mind, of one me, He is speaking to me personally; He is revealing heart, that we have touched upon a point at which to me the beauty there is in me, and also warns me we are already, however germinally the likes of God. of what can kill this beauty: but He is on my side, He It is a revelation of God to us, to discover that He is is my friend, my brother in humanity, and also my like us and we — like Him; it is a revelation also of God and my Saviour. ourselves: at this point, God and I are akin, we are Amen! alike; it is already a glimpse we have of the Divine Image within us, and having discovered this we can add: Let me be faithful to that, because by being On Listening and Hearing faithful to that, I will also be faithful to myself and by Metropolitan ANTHONY of Sourozh faithful to God. If we keep as a treasure, as a holy treasure, these glimpses which we have of our most wonderful di- In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. vine self and the wonderful human self of God — then we can move on with joy, with inspiration; we here are certain passages in the which can move on trying to become what we truly are. Of Tcontain a serious warning for us. Several times course, on this journey, we will feel that we have in- Christ says, “He who has ears, let him hear” — be ner resistances, that we do not always want to be careful how you listen. In another place He reminds us that we shall answer for what we have heard, how we have listened, how we have reacted and what we answer for them. Let us then listen to the words of have made of it in life. There are millions of people, the Gospel, even to the words of a sermon, in such a and throughout the history of the Church there way that they should penetrate not only our minds have been millions who would have given much to and hearts but our whole lives, so that what we have hear a fraction of what we hear constantly and re- heard may become living, that through us some- peatedly. one may see the light of Christ’s light, may feel the At every liturgy we listen to the Gospel, to the warmth of Christ’s love, and everything be renewed words of Christ Himself, or of His disciples, and we around us because we have felt the renewal of the are faced with the question — how do we listen and life of Christ. what do we hear? Perhaps we listen attentively, our Amen! hearts may even be stirred, for a moment we may be inspired, but then, having admired the beauty and wisdom of Christ’s sayings, we may leave the church and not put them into practice. We may, on …Unbelievers being diseased in their the other hand, retain these words in our memory heart cannot look upon the radiance and repeat them to others, admire their good sense, but still remain unfruitful. Our words, the words of “of the Godhead. Nor did the Lord say, Christ through us, may even reach their target, may ‘He has blinded their thoughts, that perhaps touch another person’s heart but miss our they should not hear the Gospel:’ but, own. They may leave our will unmoved, our life un- that the light of the glory of the Gos- changed. Sometimes, however, a word strikes at the heart pel of our Lord Jesus Christ should and kindles a flame that gives heat and light not not shine unto them. For to hear the only for ourselves but for others. Christ says that Gospel is permitted to all: but he glory when someone lights a lamp he does not cover it of the Gospel is reserved for Christ’s with a bushel nor lay it aside where it is unseen, but on the contrary, puts it on a stand so that it can true children only. Therefore the Lord shine for all who come to the house. Are we capa- spoke in parables to those who could ble of listening to Christ’s words in this way? Are not hear: but to the Disciples he ex- we capable of hearing them, receiving them in our plained the parables in private: for hearts, making an effort of will and incorporating the brightness of the glory is for those them into our lives? Or are we not? Therefore Christ warns us to take care how we listen and how we care, who have been enlightened, the blind- because a time will come when the words we have ing for them that believe not. heard will judge us — not because we have heard —st. cyril of jerusalem the word of truth, God’s word, but because having responded to it as truth and beauty and inspiration and having admired it we have put it aside in order ” to attend to it sometime later, at leisure. And that is exactly how such words become the empty, inert words of which our lives are so full. And we shall