Weekly Diocesan Bulletin - Sunday, May 20, 2018
SEVENTH SUNDAY OF PASCHA: THE HOLY FATHERS OF THE FIRST ECUMENICAL COUNCIL; APPEARANCE OF THE PRECIOUS CROSS OVER JERUSALEM IN 351
RESURRECTIONAL TROPARION - TONE SIX:
The angelic powers were at Thy tomb; the guards became as dead men. Mary stood by Thy grave, seeking Thy most pure Body. Thou didst capture hell, not being tempted by it. Thou didst come to the Virgin, granting life. O Lord who didst rise from the dead: Glory to Thee!
ASCENSION TROPARION - TONE FOUR:
Thou hast ascended in glory, O Christ our God, granting joy to Thy disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit. Through the blessing they were assured that Thou art the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world!
TROPARION TO THE HOLY FATHERS OF THE FIRST ECUMENICAL COUNCIL - TONE EIGHT:
You are most glorious, O Christ our God! You have established the Holy Fathers as lights on the earth! Through them You have guided us to the true faith! O greatly Compassionate One, glory to You!
TROPARION TO THE APPEARANCE OF THE PRECIOUS CROSS – TONE ONE:
The image of Your cross has shown more brightly than the sun, extending from the holy mountain to the place of the skull. In it, You have shown Your strength, O Savior, and confirmed all Orthodox Christians in the True Faith. Through the prayers of the Theotokos, save us, O Christ our God.
RESURRECTIONAL KONTAKION - TONE SIX:
When Christ God, the Giver of Life, raised all of the dead from the valleys of misery with His mighty hand, He bestowed resurrection on the human race. He is the Savior of all, the Resurrection, the Life, and God of all.
KONTAKION TO THE HOLY FATHERS OF THE FIRST ECUMENICAL COUNCIL - TONE EIGHT:
The Apostles’ preaching and the Fathers’ doctrines have established one faith for the Church. Adorned with the robe of truth, woven from heavenly theology; it defines and glorifies the great mystery of piety.
KONTAKION TO THE APPEARANCE OF THE PRECIOUS CROSS – TONE FOUR:
The pure and Life-giving Cross which opened paradise appeared in splendor above the earth, extending its brilliant rays to the heavens. Today we faithful accept its radiance as our guide to the eternal light. We bear it in our struggles as an assurance of victory and triumph!
ASCENSION KONTAKION - TONE SIX:
When Thou didst fulfill the dispensation for our sake, and unite earth to heaven: Thou didst ascend in glory, O Christ our God, not being parted from those who love Thee, but remaining with them and crying: ‘I am with you and no one will be against you!’
INSTEAD OF “IT IS TRULY MEET…”:
Magnify, O my soul, Christ the Giver of Life, who has ascended from earth to heaven! We magnify you, the Mother of God, who beyond reason and understanding gave birth in time to the Timeless One!
INSTEAD OF “WE HAVE SEEN THE TRUE LIGHT…”
ASCENSION TROPARION - TONE FOUR:
Thou hast ascended in glory, O Christ our God, granting joy to Thy disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit. Through the blessing they were assured that Thou art the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world!
EPISTLE READING
THE PROKEIMENON IN TONE FOUR:
Blessed are You, O Lord God of our Fathers, and praised and glorified is Your name forever!
SEVENTH SUNDAY OF PASCHA: ACTS 20: 16-18; 28-36
In those days, it happened that Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the Day of Pentecost. From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church. And when they had come to him, he said to them, “You know, from the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you; therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me. I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.
THE ALLELUIA VERSES:
The Lord, the God of gods, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting! Gather to me my venerable ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.
GOSPEL READING
SEVENTH SUNDAY OF PASCHA: JOHN 17: 1-13
At that time, Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me. I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.”
FROM THE PROLOGUE:
MAY 7/20, BY SAINT NIKOLAI VELIMIROVIC:
Commemoration of the Appearance of the Honorable Cross over Jerusalem in a.d. 351.
During the time of St. Constantine’s son, Emperor Constantius, and Patriarch Cyril of Jerusalem, the Honorable Cross appeared about 9:00 a.m., stretching from Golgotha to above the Mount of Olives. This Cross was brighter than the sun and more beautiful than the most beautiful rainbow. All the people, both believing and unbelieving, left their work and observed this heavenly sign in fear and amazement. Many unbelievers converted to the Christian Faith, and many Arian heretics abandoned their evil heresy and returned to Orthodoxy. About this sign, Patriarch Cyril wrote a letter to Emperor Constantius, who had inclinations toward Arianism. This occurred on May 7, 357. Thus, even on this occasion it was demonstrated that the Christian Faith is not worldly theorizing, according to the sensual understanding of man. Rather it is God’s power, demonstrated through numerous miracles and signs.
The Holy Martyr Acacius
St. Acacius was a Roman officer during the reign of Emperor Maximian. Answering at his trial for his faith in Christ, he said that he inherited this devout Faith from his parents and was strengthened in it by witnessing the many miraculous healings wrought by the relics of Christian saints. After courageously en- during great tortures in the Thracian city of Pyrrinthus, Acacius was taken to Byzantium. There he endured new tortures until he was finally beheaded. He suffered honorably and took up his habitation in the Eternal Kingdom of joy in the year 303.
The Venerable Fathers of Georgia (St. John of Zedazeni in Georgia, and 12 disciples, 6th c.)
In the sixth century, two hundred years after St. Nina preached the Gospel in Georgia, the Most-holy Mother of God appeared to John, an Antiochian ascetic, and commanded that he select twelve of his disciples and go to Georgia to strengthen the Orthodox Faith. And so he did. Arriving in Georgia, these twelve missionaries were solemnly received by the prince of that country and the Catholicos Eulalius and immediately began their work with zeal. The people gathered around them in masses, and they strengthened the people in the Faith with great wisdom and many miracles. The head of these Christ-loving missionaries was St. John of Zedazeni and the names of the others were: Abibus, Anthony, David, Zenon, Thaddaeus, Jesse, Isidore, Joseph, Michael, Pyrrus, Stephen and Shio. With apostolic zeal they all confirmed the Christian Faith in Georgia, established many monasteries, and left many disciples after them. Thus, they were made worthy of glory in heaven and power on earth.
St. Lydia of Philippi (1st c.).
Uncovering of the relics of St. Euthymius the Great (473).
St. Domitianus, bishop of Maastricht (560).
St. John of Beverley, bishop of York (721).
Repose of St. Nilus, founder of Sora Skete (Belozersk) (1508).
New Martyr Pachomius the Russian, of Usaki, near Philadelphia (1730).
Uncovering of the relics (1815) of St. Nilus the Myrrh-gusher, of Mt. Athos (1651).
(Greek cal.: St. John the Confessor, of Psycha on the Bosphorus [ca. 825]).
“Zhirovits” (1470) and “Lyubech” (11th c.) Icons of the Most Holy Theotokos.
HYMN OF PRAISE: The Holy Martyr Acacius
Acacius, soldier of the King Most-high,
Prepares for death,
His soul filled with the incense of prayer.
The godless judge asks him:
“Why does not Christ deliver the faithful?
Why does He not punish your tormentors,
When you call Him Almighty God?”
The martyr meekly replies to him:
“The Lord Christ is great in mercy,
Long-suffering in mercy and in patience.
He awaits repentance from the sinner,
And patient suffering from the faithful.
If He immediately punished sinners
How would He reveal His mercy?
And the righteous—if they would not suffer,
By what would they show the power of God?
By what would they shine before the world?”
Having said these words, Acacius is beheaded,
And his soul ascends to Paradise.
REFLECTION
“I recognize that my debt was greater, and that more was forgiven me. I was called to the priesthood from juridical and public offices; and that is why I show myself ungrateful if I love less than the measure to which I am forgiven.” These are the words of St. Ambrose, who was unexpectedly called by God to change vocations and, having been a secular judge, to become an archbishop of Christ’s Church. With these words the saint demonstrated how the priestly calling is greater than the secular calling, how he came to the priestly vocation by God’s calling, and how he who is called owes thanksgiving to God. All the saints considered the debt of thanksgiving to God as their main debt. Without thanksgiving to God there can be no progress in the spiritual life. Ceaseless thanksgiving to God is noble seed from which, if it is watered by the tears of unceasing repentance, a beautiful fruit grows—love for God.
HOMILY
on how good is taken away from man by sin
Your sins have turned back these blessings from you
(Jeremiah 5:25).
If you do not possess good in abundance O people, that means you have sin in abundance. Your sins have turned your good from you. O people, if you wish good for yourselves, reject sin and sin no more. Then you will move toward good, good will come to you, and good will not depart from you.
O man, if you do not have good it means that you have sin. Good cannot dwell in the same house with sin, just as light and darkness cannot exist in the same place at the same time. When light departs, darkness settles in, and when the darkness departs, the light shines. Thus, sin and good can be interchanged, but they cannot dwell together.
O my brethren, your sins have turned back these blessings from you. These words were not spoken by just one prophet to just one nation; rather, every true prophet spoke these words to his people. False prophets flatter their people with sins, and thus they assist even more in turning back good from their people. The true prophets oppose the sins of the people, for they consort with good and cry out against sin, so as to intro- duce the good from God into their people’s souls. If the beehive begins to stink, will the honey-bees enter and deposit their honey in it? No! And when irrational bees refuse to enter a putrid and smoke-ridden beehive, then how will the rational Spirit of God enter a soul that is putrid and smoke-ridden from sin? And the Spirit of God is the possessor and the dispenser of all good gifts.
O Lord, Holy Spirit, help Thy people by Thine irresistible power to drive away sin from their souls; so that Thou wouldst be able to enter in- side with Thy life-creating gifts.
To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.
Source: Western American Diocese
