SAINT LUKE THE EVANGELIST GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH february 12, 2017 the sunday of the prodigal son The Sunday after the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee is the Sunday of the Prodigal Son. This parable of God’s forgiveness calls us to come to ourselves” as did the prodigal son, to see ourselves as being “in a far country” far from the Father’s house, and to make the journey of return to God. We are given every assurance by the Master that our heavenly Father will receive us with joy and gladness. We must only “arise and go,” confessing our self-inflicted and sinful separation from that “home” where we truly belong (Luke 15:11-24). Saint Meletius, Archbishop of Antioch, was Bishop of Sebaste in Armenia (ca. 357), and afterwards he was summoned to Antioch by the emperor Constantius to help combat the Arian heresy, and was appoint- ed to that See. Saint Meletius struggled zealously against the Arian error, but through the intrigues of the heretics he was thrice deposed from his cathedra. Constantius had become surrounded by the Arians and had accepted their position. In all this Saint Meletius was distinguished by an extraordinary gentleness, and he constantly led his flock by the example of his own virtue and kindly disposition, supposing that the seeds of the true teaching sprout more readily on such soil. Saint Meletius was the one who ordained the future hierarch Saint Basil the Great as deacon. Saint Mele- tius also baptized and encouraged another of the greatest luminaries of Orthodoxy, Saint John Chrysostom, who later eulogized his former archpastor. After Constantius, the throne was occupied by Julian the Apostate, and the saint again was expelled, hav- ing to hide himself in secret places for his safety. Returning under the emperor Jovian in the year 363, Saint Meletius wrote his theological treatise, “Exposition of the Faith,” which facilitated the conversion of many of the Arians to Orthodoxy. In the year 381, under the emperor Theodosius the Great (379-395), the Second Ecumenical Coun- cil was convened. In the year 380 the saint had set off on his way to the Second Ecumenical Council at Constantinople, and came to preside over it. 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 chant αναστ. Ἀπολυτίκιον. Ἦχος Α. resurr. apolytikion. Mode 1. οῦ λίθου σφραγισθέντος ὑπὸ τῶν Ἰουδαίων, καὶ he stone had been secured with a seal by the Ju- Tστρατιωτῶν φυλασσόντων τὸ ἄχραντόν σου Tdeans, * and a guard of soldiers was watching Your Σῶμα, ἀνέστης τριήμερος Σωτήρ, δωρούμενος immaculate body. * You rose on the third day, O Lord τῷ κόσμῳ τὴν ζωήν· διὰ τοῦτο αἱ Δυνάμεις τῶν * and Savior, granting life unto the world. * For this οὐρανῶν ἐβόων σοι ζωοδότα. Δόξα τῇ Ἀναστάσει reason were the powers of heaven crying out to You, σου Χριστέ, δόξα τῇ βασιλείᾳ σου, δόξα τῇ οἰκονο- O Life-giver: * Glory to Your resurrection, O Christ; μίᾳ σου, μόνε φιλάνθρωπε. * glory to Your kingdom; * glory to Your dispensa- tion, only One who loves mankind.. Ἀπολυτίκιον του ναου. πλ. α. Apolytikion for the Church. Mode 5. ουκάν τον πανύμνητον καὶ ἅγιον ἀπόστο- he holy Apostle, the All-hymned Luke, * who is Λλον, τὸν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας γνωστὸν συνθέτην Tacknowledged by the Church of Christ * as the re- τῶν Πράξεων τῶν Ἀποστόλων, τόν τε σεμνὸν τοῦ corder of the Acts of the Apostles, * and the splendid Εὐαγγελίου Χριστοῦ ὑπομνηματιστήν, ἀξίως τιμή- author of the Gospel of Christ. * Let us praise with sa- σωμεν ὕμνοις ὁσίοις, ὡς νοσημάτων ἀνθρωπίνων cred hymns as a physician, * who heals the infirmities καὶ φυσικῶν ἀσθενειῶν θεραπευτήν, τὸν καθαίρο- of man, * and the ailments of nature, * who cleanses ντα πληγὰς τοῦ πνεύματος, καὶ ἀδιαλείπτως πρε- spiritual wounds, and prays unceasingly for our souls. σβεύοντα ὑπὲρ τῶν ψυχῶν ἡμῶν. Κοντάκιον. Ἦχος γ. Kontakion. Mode 3. ῆς πατρῴας, δόξης σου, ἀποσκιρτήσας ἀφρό- revolted senselessly * out of Your fatherly glory; * Tνως, ἐν κακοῖς ἐσκόρπισα, ὅν μοι παρέδωκας II have squandered sinfully * all of the riches You πλοῦτον· ὅθεν σοι τὴν τοῦ Ἀσώτου, φωνὴν κραυ- gave me.* Hence to You, using the Prodigal’s words, γάζω· Ἥμαρτον ἐνώπιόν σου Πάτερ οἰκτίρμον, I cry out,* I have sinned before You, merciful loving δέξαι με μετανοοῦντα, καὶ ποίησόν με, ὡς ἕνα τῶν Father.* O receive me in repentance, * I pray, and treat μισθίων σου. me * as one of Your hired hands. hat will you give if you haven’t got and how will you have Wanything unless you ask it of God? Work hard at prayer and study and you’ll be strengthened. “ —Elder Ieronymos, Aegina ” THE READINGS OF THE DAY epistle reading dered his property, living immorally. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place in that country, the first Letter of st. paul to the and he began to be in need. He went and hired himself to corinthians 6:12-20 one of the citizens of that country who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. He wanted to feed himself with the rethren, “All things are lawful for me,” but not husks that the pigs ate, but no one gave him anything. all things are beneficial. “All things are lawful But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my Bfor me,” but I will not be brought under the father’s hired servants have bread enough to spare, and power of anything. “Food is for the stomach, and I am dying with hunger! I will get up, go to my father, the stomach is for food,” but God will bring to and tell him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and nothing both of these. However, the body is not for before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son! sexual immorality, but for the Lord; and the Lord is Make me as one of your hired servants.”’ So he set off [made] for the body. Now God raised up the Lord, and went to his father. But while he was still at a distance, and he will also raise us up by his power. Do you his father saw him and was moved with compassion. He not know that your bodies are members of Christ? ran, and embraced his son, and kissed him. Then the son Shall I then take the members of Christ and make said, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you! I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But them members of a prostitute? May it never be! Or the father said to his slaves, ‘Bring out the first robe and do you not know that whoever is joined to a pros- put it on him! Put a ring on his hand and shoes on his titute is one body? For God says, “The two will be- feet! Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and cel- come one flesh.” But whoever who is joined to the ebrate; for this, my son, was dead, and he is alive again! Lord is one spirit. Flee sexual immorality! “Every He was lost and [now he] is found!’ And they began to sin that a person can do is outside the body,” but celebrate. Now his elder son was in the field. As he came whoever commits sexual immorality sins against near to the house, he heard music and dancing. Calling his own body. Or do you not know that your body one of the servants, he asked what was going on. The is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit which dwells in servant replied, ‘Your brother has returned! Your father you, and which you have from God? You are not has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him your own! You were bought with a price! There- back safe and healthy.’ However, the elder son became fore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, angry and he would not go in. Therefore, his father came out and begged him. But he answered his father, ‘Look, which belong to God. for so many years I have served you, and I have never dis- gospel reading obeyed a commandment of yours. Yet, you never gave me a goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But luke 15: 11–32 when this, your son, arrived, he who has devoured your living with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for he Lord said this parable: “A certain man had two him.’ The father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Fa- me, and all that is mine is yours! But it was fitting to cel- Tther, give me the share of the estate that will come ebrate and to rejoice, for this, your brother, was dead, to me.’ So the father divided his livelihood between and is alive again. He was lost and is found!’” them. A few days later, the younger son gathered all that he had and traveled to a far country. There, he squan- announcements Saturday, January 25, Great Vespers, 5pm upcoming church services: Saturday, February 18, Saturday of the Souls, Orthros / Divine Liturgy, 8:30am Great Vespers, 5pm philoptochos save the dates Souper Bowl of Caring: We collected $388.54 Dinner Dance: February 19, 2017. for IOCC and 116 food items for the Food Bank. saturday of souls Reports are still being tallied, but nationwide $6.3 Saturday of the Souls will be commemorated this million in cash and food items has already been re- year on February 18, 25 and March 4.