St. LukeDiocese Orthodox Christian Church of the South, Orthodox Church in America The Rev. Father Basil Henry, Priest 1415 Woodstock Ave. • Anniston, Alabama • www.stlukeanniston.org/ basilncana@yahoo.com • (256) 235-3893 Sunday, February 13, 2011 • 38th Sunday after Pentecost Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee
St. Martinian, monk of Cae sa rea in Palestine (422), and Sts. Zoe of Bethlehem and the virgin Photina (both 5th c.). St. Timothy, archbishop of Alexandria (385). St. Castor of Karden, hieromonk and missionary (Germany) (ca. 400). St. Modomnoc, bishop of Ossory (Ireland) (6th c.). St. Eulogius, patriarch of Alexandria (ca. 607). St. Symeon the Myrrh-gusher, prince of Serbia (1200). St. Joseph, abbot of Volokolamsk (Volotsk) (1515). New Hieromartyr Sylvester, archbishop of Omsk (1920).
Announcements
Please note that Fr. Basil, Matushka Cana and Fr. Stephen will be travelling to Jackson, Miss., this week for the Diocesan Pastoral Conference. As a result, we will have no daily services.
Many Years
Reader Nicholas celebrates his Name Day on Wednesday, Feb. 16.
The cover photo is of the Pochaev Lavra of the Dormition of the Theotokos. Photographed by Florentina M./Romania.
This Week’s Service Schedule & scripture readings Monday, 2/14
No Service
2 Peter 1:20-2:9
Mark 13:9-13
Tuesday, 2/15
No Service
2 Peter 2:9-22
Mark 13:14-23
Wednesday, 2/16
No Service
2 Peter 3:1-18
Mark 13:24-31
Thursday, 2/17
No Service
1 John 1:8-2:6
Mark 13:31-14:2
Friday, 2/18
No Service
1 John 2:7-17
Mark 14:3-9
Great Vespers 4 p.m.
2 Timothy 3:1-9
Luke 20:46-21:4
Divine Liturgy 10 a.m.
1 Cor. 6:12-20
Luke 15:11-32
St. Nicholas of Japan
Saturday, 2/19 Sunday, 2/20
Sunday of the Prodigal Son
Hours 9:40 a.m.
Service times are subject to change. Please check with Fr. Basil if in any doubt.
This Week’s Fasts Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Fast Free Week
Friday
Saturday
“Lord, I Call”
Great Vespers
From the morning watch even to the night, let Israel hope in the Lord!
sunday (Tone 5)
O Lord, Who hast captured hell and trampled on By Thy precious Cross, O Christ, Thou hast put the death, Thou hast enlightened the world by Thy predevil to shame. By Thy Resurrection, Thou hast blunt- cious cross! O Savior, have mercy on us. Sunday of the ed the sting of sin and saved us from the gates of death! Publican & Pharisee (Tone 1) We glorify Thee, O Only begotten One. For with the Lord there is mercy and with Him is plenteous Lead forth my soul from prison, that I may confess Thy name!
The righteous await me, till Thou shalt reward me.
redemption, and He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
Christ was led as a sheep to the slaughter in order to Brothers, let us not pray like the Pharisee! He who grant Resurrection to the human race! The princes of exalts himself will be humbled. Let us prepare to hell were frightened by this, for the gates of sorrow humble ourselves by fasting; let us cry aloud with the were lifted. Christ the King of glory had entered, say- voice of the Publican: “O God, forgive us sinners!” O praise the Lord, all ye nations, praise Him, all ye people! ing to those in chains: “Go forth!” And to those in Brothers, let us not pray like the Pharisee… darkness: “Come to the light!” Out of the depths have I cried unto Thee, O Lord; O Lord, hear my voice!
For His mercy hath been confirmed upon us and the truth of the Lord remaineth forever.
O, great wonder! The Creator of the invisible suffered The Pharisee went up to the temple with a proud and in the flesh in His love for man and rose again immor- empty heart; the Publican bowed down in repentance. tal! Come, O sons of nations, let us worship Him! De- They both stood before Thee, O Master: the one, livered from error by His compassion, we have learned through boasting, lost his reward, but the other, with to sing of one God in three Persons! tears and sighs, won Thy blessing: Strengthen me, O Christ our God, as I weep in Thy presence, since Thou Let Thine ears give heed to the voice of my prayer! We offer Thee our evening worship, O never setting art the Lover of man! Light, Who came in these last days to the world in the Sunday of the Publican & Pharisee (Tone 8) flesh; Who even descended to hell to dispel its darkGlory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit… ness. Who hast revealed the light of Resurrection to I know the value of tears, O Almighty Lord: they dethe nations. Glory to Thee, O Lord and Giver of light! livered Hezekiah from the gates of death, and rescued If Thou observest transgression, Lord, O Lord, who shall stand? For with Thee is propitiation.
the harlot from repeated sins. Tears justified the Publican instead of the Pharisee. I pray Thee, O Lord: We glorify the Leader of our salvation; by His Resurrec- “Number me with the former, and have mercy on me!” tion from the dead, the world was saved from deceit. Dogmatikon (Tone 5) The assembly of Angels rejoices as the deceit of demons Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. is overthrown. Fallen Adam rises as the devil falls. In the Red Sea of old, a type of the Virgin Bride was For Thy name’s sake have I waited upon Thee, O Lord; my soul prefigured. There Moses divided the waters. Here Gahath waited upon Thy word; my soul hath hoped in the Lord. The guards were instructed by the lawless ones: “Hide briel assisted in the miracle. There Israel crossed the the rising of Christ, take money and say: ‘The body sea without getting wet. Here the Virgin gave birth to was stolen from the tomb while we were asleep.’” But Christ without seed. After Israel’s passage, the sea rewho has heard of a body being stolen, a body em- mained impassable. After Emmanuel’s birth, the Virbalmed and naked, with its grave clothes left behind gin remained a Virgin. O ever-existing God, Who in the tomb? Do not be deceived, O Jews, study the appeared as Man, O Lord, have mercy on us! words of the Prophets and understand: Christ is the Redeemer of the world and all powerful! ~3~
Aposticha
Sunday of the
Publican & Pharisee (Tone 5)
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit…
sunday (Tone 5)
We magnify Thee in songs of praise, O Incarnate Christ and Savior. By accepting the Cross and death for our sake, as the Lord and Lover of man, Thou didst overthrow the gates of hell, and didst arise on the third day, saving our souls.
My eyes are weighed down by my transgressions, I cannot lift them up and see the height of heaven, O Lord. Accept me in repentance, as Thou accepted the Publican; have mercy on me, O Savior!
The Lord hath become King; with beauty hath he clothed himself.
Theotokion (Tone 5)
Bothnow and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
By being pierced in the side, O Lover of man, Thou O Most precious Virgin! Thou art the Gate, the Temple, hast poured out drops of life and salvation for all. By the Palace, and the Throne of the King! From thee, my accepting death in the flesh, Thou hast granted us im- Redeemer, Christ the Lord, appeared to those asleep in mortality. Thou hast freed us by being placed in the darkness! He is the Sun of Righteousness Who desired to tomb, and hast resurrected us with Thyself in glory, as enlighten His image, Whom He had created! Since thou dost possess motherly boldness before Him O All-praised God! Glory to Thee, O Lord and Lover of man! Lady, pray unceasingly that our souls may be saved! For He hath established the world, which shall not be moved.
Thy crucifixion and descent into hell are awesome, O Troparia sunday (Tone 5) Lover of man! Thou hast captured it, releasing the ancient prisoners. Thou hast opened Paradise and given The Word who with the Father and the Spirit hath no it to us! Grant us purification of sins, who glorify Thy beginning, and for our salvation was born of a Virgin, Resurrection on the third day! Make us worthy of let us faithful hymn and worship, for He was pleased to ascend the Cross in the flesh, and to endure death Paradise and save us, O Lover of man! and to raise the dead by His glorious resurrection. Holiness belongeth to Thy house, O Lord, unto length of days! For our sake, Thou didst accept death in the flesh, to Resurrectional Dismissal Theotokion (Tone 5) rise from the dead on the third day! Heal us from our Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. earthly passions, and restore us from our evil transRejoice, Impassable Gate of the Lord! Rejoice, Wall and gressions; and save us, O Lover of man! Protection of those who run to thee! Rejoice, Unshakable Refuge! Rejoice, thou who knewest not wedlock, who gavest birth in the flesh to thy Creator and God! Do not cease praying for those who praise and worship thy Son!
Let’s not stone our fellow-man in a so-called “Christian manner.” The person who – in the presence of others – checks someone for having sinned (or speaks in an impassioned manner about a certain person), is not moved by the Spirit of God; he is moved by another spirit. The way of the Church is LOVE; it differs from the way of the legalists. The Church sees everything with tolerance and seeks to help each person, whatever he may have done, however sinful he may be. Elder Paisios (Eznepidis) of Mount Athos (1924–1994) ~4~
Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom Beatitude Verses
Troparia
sunday
Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy.
sunday (Tone 5)
The Word who with the Father and the Spirit hath no The thief on the cross believing Thee to be God con- beginning, and for our salvation was born of a Virgin, fessed Thee earnestly from his heart, crying aloud: ‘O let us faithful hymn and worship, for He was pleased Lord, remember me in Thy kingdom.’ to ascend the Cross in the flesh, and to endure death and to raise the dead by His glorious resurrection. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Let us with one accord praise as Savior and Creator Him St. Luke the Evangelist (Tone 5) Who made life flower for our kind by the wood of the The Holy Apostle, the all-hymned Luke, who is accross and Who withered the curse coming from the tree. knowledged by the Church of Christ as the recorder of Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. the Acts of the Apostles and the splendid author of the By Thy death, O Christ, Thou hast destroyed the might Gospel of Christ, let us praise with sacred hymns as a of death and hast raised with Thyself those dead from Physician who healeth the infirmities of man and the the ages praising Thee as our true God and Savior. ailments of nature, who cleanseth spiritual wounds Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, and prayeth unceasingly for our souls. for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
The holy women having come to the tomb, O Christ, Kontakia sunday (Tone 5) sought to anoint Thee, giver of life, with myrrh, and an Into hell, O my Savior, didst Thou descend; and Thou angel appeared to them crying aloud: The Lord is risen. didst break down its gates as All-Powerful; and as CreSunday of the Publican & Pharisee ator Thou didst raise the dead with Thee; and the Blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. sting of death, O Christ, didst Thou destroy; and The Publican and Pharisee both ran in the race of life, Adam from the curse didst Thou deliver, O Lover of but the one was overcome by foolish pride: He was man. Wherefore, we all cry: Save us, O Lord. brought to a shameful shipwreck, while the other was saved by humility.
St. Luke the Evangelist (Tone 4)
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit…
Thou becamest a disciple of God the Word, with Paul Changing to a righteous course of life, let us emulate the thou didst enlighten all the world, casting out its darkwisdom of the Publican: Let us run from the hateful ness by composing the Holy Gospel of Christ. conceit of the Pharisee, so letting ourselves attain to life. Sunday of the Publican & Pharisee (Tone 4) Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven.
Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit…
The Pharisee spent his life in virtue, and the Publican Let us flee from the pride of the Pharisee! Let us learn in sin; but the one was foolishly brought low through humility from the Publican’s tears! Let us cry to our his pride, while the other in his humility of mind was Savior: “Have mercy on us, O only merciful One!” raised up to the heights. Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Prokeimenon
Sunday (Tone 5)
I was created naked in innocence and simplicity; then Thou, O Lord, shalt keep us, and guard us from the the enemy clothed me with the garment of sin and pas- generation and forevermore. sionate flesh. But now I am saved, Maiden, through Vs: Save me, O Lord, for there is not one holy man left. your intercession. ~5~
Epistle Reading
my mouth I will proclaim Thy Truth from generation to generation.
Sunday
2 Timothy 3:10-15
My son Timothy, thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner oflife, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Vs: Thou hast said: Mercy will be established forever; Thy truth will be prepared in the heavens.
Gospel Reading
Sunday
Luke 18:10-14
The Lord said this parable, “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified Alleluia Verses rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himSunday (Tone 5) self will be humbled, but he who humbles himself Vs: I will sing of Thy mercies, O Lord, forever; with will be exalted.” Please note Holy Communion is reserved for Orthodox Christians who have prepared themselves beforehand. All are welcome to receive the blessed bread and Father’s blessing after services.
T ~6~
O
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Theology of Lay Ministries - Volume II, 1996
Finding One’s Vocation in Life By Fr. Thomas Hopko
All are called to be saints, but each person is called to do so in his or her own unique way. No two persons are the same. Each one is different. All are called to partake of God’s being and life. All are called to love as He loves, know as He knows, serve as He serves, live as He lives. But each will do it in his or her own specific manner, according to the concrete conditions and means that God provides. Some will sanctify their lives being married; others will be single. Some will do it in clerical orders; others as lay people. Some will be monastic; most will live in the everyday secular world. Some will work primarily in a physical way, others will work intellectually. Some will be artists, scientists, business people, professionals. Others may have no particular job or profession. And some may be called simply to suffer, while others, in terms of this world, will hardly suffer at all. Some will have many temptations, and will bear heavy burdens because of the sins of the world and their particular inheritance of a fallen, broken, distorted humanity. And some may have to fight destructive memories, imaginations, and passions that seem at times impossible to bear. While others will be greatly blessed by receiving a highly purified humanity, for which they will especially have to answer before God. For, as Jesus taught, “to whom much is given, of him much will be required.” (Lk 12:48) But each person will have his or her own life to sanctify. And each will answer for what he or she has done. In the eyes of God none is better than the other. None is higher or more praiseworthy. But each must find his or her own way, and glorify God through it. This is all, ultimately, that matters. The rest is details.
The Will To Find God’s Will Is Essential
All that is needed to discover the will of God and to do it is the pure desire to see, to hear, to understand and to obey. God does the rest. When people saw Jesus on earth, and yet did not accept and obey Him in love, the Lord Himself gave the reason, quoting the Prophet Isaiah. He said that the people had eyes but did not see; had ears but did not want to hear; had minds, but refused to understand and be saved. (Is 6:9-10; Mt. 13:13-14, Mk. 8:18; Jn 12:36-41) To find one’s vocation demands that one really wants to do
so. It sounds simple. And it is. But, to quote the Lord once more, “Few there be who find it.” (Mt. 7:14) The reason is that it takes courage to allow the Lord to speak, or rather, to hear the Lord when He speaks, and to follow Him. It is also quite painful. Our own will has to go. Our egocentric desires have to be denied. Our ideas about ourselves have to be abandoned. Our personal plans and projects have to be discarded. Our agendas of action have to be thrown away. We have to say to God: Speak Lord, your servant is ready! We have to respond to God: Let it be to me according to Your word! And we have to mean it. If we do, we will find our way. But if we fight it, and keep craving the things that we want, we will be miserable and unhappy. We will realize, as the song says, that we “can’t get no satisfaction.” For the heart of the human person is made for God - for truth, for love, for life itself, and not for mere “existence” - and is inevitably unsatisfied, frustrated, confused, distressed, angered, bored...until it comes to rest in Him.
We Need Help On The Way
To will God’s will is essential. Without this, nothing can happen. With it, everything. One saint of the desert even dared to say that if a person would will God’s will without wavering from sunrise to sunset, by the end of the day he would be “to the measure of God.” But to will God’s will we need help. We need, first of all, the help of God Himself. This means that we have to pray and to participate in the mystical life of God’s Church. Jesus said, “Ask, and you will receive.” (Mt. 7:7) And the apostle James reminds us that if we do not ask rightly, we will not receive. “You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and you do not receive because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” ( Jm. 4:2-3) To find our vocation in life we have to pray to God to show it to us, and to guide us into it for His Name’s sake, and ultimately, for our own. To Be Continued Next Week
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The Orthodox Faith > Doctrine > The Symbol of Faith
Nicene Creed The Nicene Creed should be called the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed since it was formally drawn up at the first ecumenical council in Nicea (325) and at the second ecumenical council in Constantinople (381). The word creed comes from the Latin credo which means “I believe.” In the Orthodox Church the creed is usually called The Symbol of Faith which means literally the “bringing together” and the “expression” or “confession” of the faith.
now called the first ecumenical council, and this is what it said: We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the onlybegotten, begotten of the Father before all ages. Light of Light; true God of true God; begotten, not made; of one essence with the Father, by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man. And He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried. And the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead; whose Kingdom shall have no end.
In the early Church there were many different forms of the Christian confession of faith; many different “creeds.” These creeds were always used originally in relation to baptism. Before being baptized a person had to state what he believed. The earliest Christian creed was probably the simple confession of faith that Jesus is the Christ, i.e., the Messiah; and that the Christ is Lord. By publicly confessing this belief, the person could be baptized into Christ, dying and rising with Him into the New Life of the Kingdom of God in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. As time passed different places had different credal statements, all professing the identical faith, yet using different forms and expressions, with different degrees of detail and emphasis. These credal forms usually became more detailed and elaborate in those areas where questions about the faith had arisen and heresies had developed.
Following the controversy about the Son of God, the Divine Word, and essentially connected with it, was the dispute about the Holy Spirit. The following definition of the Council in Constantinople in 381, which has come to be known as the second ecumenical council was added to the Nicene statement:
And [we believe] in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver In the fourth century a great controversy developed in of Life, who proceeds from the Father; who with the FaChristendom about the nature of the Son of God (also ther and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; called in the Scripture the Word or Logos). Some said who spoke by the prophets. In one Holy, Catholic, and that the Son of God is a creature like everything else Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remade by God. Others contended that the Son of God mission of sins. I look for the resurrection of the dead, and is eternal, divine, and uncreated. Many councils met and the life of the world to come. Amen. made many statements of faith about the nature of the Son of God. The controversy raged throughout the enThis whole Symbol of Faith was ultimately adopted tire Christian world. throughout the entire Church. It was put into the first It was the definition of the council which the Emper- person form “I believe” and used for the formal and ofor Constantine called in the city of Nicea in the year ficial confession of faith made by a person (or his spon325 which was ultimately accepted by the Orthodox sor-godparent) at his baptism. Church as the proper Symbol of Faith. This council is To Be Continued Next Week
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Crossword Puzzle–Love
Across
2. Matthew 5:44 But I say to you, ______ your enemies, bless those who curse you 4. Colossians 3:14 But above all these things put on love, which is the ____ of perfection. 5. John 13:35 “By this all will know that you are My _________, if you have love for one another.”
Down
8. 2 Corinthians 9:7 God loves a ________ giver
1. Luke 6:32 “if you love those ____ _____ ______, what credit is that to you?”
9. Mark 12:30 “You shall love your _________ as yourself.’
3. John 14:15 If you love Me, keep My ____________.
10. Romans 8:28 all things work together for ____ to those who love God
6. John 12:25 __ who loves his life will lose it
7. John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s ____ for his friend’s.”xxxx
13. Ephesians 4:2 bearing with one _______ in love
7. Luke 6:35 “love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return”
14. John 3:35 “The Father _____ ___ ___, and has given all things into His hand.”
8. Romans 8:37 we are more than __________ through Him who loved us.
15. Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the ______ is love
11. 1 Corinthians 16:14 Let all that you do be ____ with love 12. Matthew 22:37 Jesus said to him, “”You shall love the _______ ______ ____ with all your heart
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Romanian child kneeling during Divine Liturgy.
St. Luke Orthodox Christian Church 1415 Woodstock Ave. Anniston, AL 36207