Holy anargyroi Greek Orthodox Church

703 W. Center Street, Rochester, MN (507) 282-1529 http://www.holyanargyroi.org

church@holyanargyroi.org Rev. Fr. Mark Muñoz, Proistamenos
ΑΠΟΛΤΣΙΚΙΑ ΣΗ΢ ΗΜΕΡΑ΢/APOLYTIKIA FOR TODAY

Τό φαιδρόν τής Αναστάσεως κήρυγμα, τού Αγγέλου μαθούσαι αι

τού Κυρίου Μαθήτριαι, καί τήν προγονικήν απόφασιν
απορρίψασαι, τοίς Αποστόλοις καυχώμεναι έλεγον, Εσκύλευται
ο θάνατος, ηγέρθη Χριστός ο Θεός, δωρούμενος τώ κόσμω τό
μέγα έλεος.

The joyful news of your resurrection was told to the women

disciples of the Lord by the angel. And throwing off the ancestral
curse, they boastingly told the Apostles: death has been vanquished,
Christ our God is risen, bestowing great mercy on the world.

ΚΟΝΤΑΚΙΟΝ ΤΗΣ ΗΜΕΡΑΣ/KONTAKION FOR TODAY

Προστασία τών Χριστιανών ακαταίσχυντε, μεσιτεία πρός τόν

Ποιητήν αμετάθετε, Μή παρίδης αμαρτωλών δεήσεων φωνάς,
αλλά πρόφθασον, ώς αγαθή, εις τήν βοήθειαν ημών, τών πιστώς
κραυγαζόντων σοι. Τάχυνον εις πρεσβείαν, καί σπεύσον εις
ικεσίαν, η προστατεύουσα αεί, Θεοτόκε, τών τιμώντων σε.
O Protection of Christians that cannot be put to shame, mediation unto the Creator most
constant: despise not the suppliant voices of those who have sinned; but be quick, O good one,
to come unto our aid who in faith cry unto you: Hasten to intercede, and speed to make
supplication, you who ever protect, O Theotokos, them that honor you.

5th Sunday of matthew

St. Sampson the Innkeeper, St. Ioanna the Myrrhbearer
June 27th, 2010

╬ The Fast of the Holy Apostles ╬

 Today’s scripture readings

Epistle reading
St. Paul's Letter to the Romans 10:1-10

BRETHREN, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. I bear
them witness that they have a zeal for God, but it is not enlightened. For, being ignorant of the
righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to
God's righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law, that every one who has faith may be
justified. Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on the law
shall live by it. But the righteousness based on faith says, Do not say in your heart, "Who will
ascend into heaven?" (that is, to bring Christ down) or "Who will descend into the abyss?" (that
is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? The word is near you, on your lips
and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preach); because, if you confess with your
lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be
saved. For man believes with his heart and so is justified, and he confesses with his lips and so
is saved.

Gospel pericope
Matthew 8:28-34; 9:1

At that time, when Jesus came to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, two
demoniacs met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one would pass that way. And
behold, they cried out, "What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to
torment us before the time?" Now a herd of many swine was feeding at some distance from
them. And the demons begged him, "If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of swine."
And he said to them, "Go." So they came out and went into the swine; and behold, the whole
herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and perished in the waters. The herdsmen fled,
and going into the city they told everything, and what had happened to the demoniacs. And
behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to leave
their neighborhood. And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city.
 COMMUNION PRAYERS
I believe and confess, Lord, that You are truly the Christ, the Son of
the living God, Who came into the world to save sinners, of whom I
am the first. I also believe that this is truly Your pure Body and that
this is truly Your precious Blood. Therefore, I pray to You. Have
mercy upon me, and forgive my transgressions, voluntary and
involuntary, in word and deed, known and unknown. And make me
worthy without condemnation to partake of Your pure Mysteries for
the forgiveness of sins and life eternal. Amen.

Behold, my Maker, I approach Holy Communion. Burn me not as I partake, for You are fire
which burns the unworthy, but cleanse me from every stain.

Receive me today, Son of God, as a partaker of Your mystical Supper. I will not reveal Your
mystery to Your enemies, nor will I give You a kiss as did Judas. But as the thief I confess to
You: Lord, remember me in Your kingdom.

Seeing the Divine Blood, have fear, O man, for it is coal that burns the unworthy. It is God’s
Body that deifies and nourishes me; it deifies the spirit and nourishes the mind mystically.

You have smitten me with yearning, O Christ, and with Your divine love You have changed me.
Burn away my sins with spiritual fire and make me worthy to be filled with Your joy, that
rejoicing in Your goodness, I may magnify Your two Comings.

How shall I, who am unworthy, enter into the splendor of Your saints? If I dare to enter the bridal
chamber, my clothing will accuse me, since it is not a wedding garment; and being bound up, I
shall be cast out by the angels. In Your love, Lord, cleanse the vileness of my soul and save me.

Loving Master, Lord Jesus Christ, my God, let not these holy Gifts be to my condemnation
because of my unworthiness, but for the cleansing and sanctification of soul and body and the
pledge of the future life and kingdom. It is good for me to cling to God and to place in Him the
hope of my salvation.

Receive me today, Son of God, as a partaker of Your mystical Supper. I will not reveal Your
mystery to Your enemies. Nor will I give You a kiss as did Judas. But as the thief I confess to
You: Lord remember me in Your kingdom.
 Announcements
Liturgical/Program Schedule:
Mon. June 28th: Festival Baking: Cookies 9:30am
Mon. June 28th: Adult Religious Ed. 6pm- Church Library
Mon. June 28th: Greek Fest Committee, 7pm
Tues. June 29th: SS. Peter & Paul, Orthros/Liturgy 8:30am (Apostles’ Fast ends)
Wed. June 30th: Parish Council Meeting, 6pm
***No Saturday Eve Vespers for the entire month of July***

Today’s Memorial: Mrs. Angeliki Sageotis (40days)

Eternal be his memory: it is with great sadness that we inform the parish that Mr. Berhe Buru
fell asleep in the Lord last week while visiting family in Ethiopia. He was an instrumental figure
in our church and one of the founders of our sister Ethiopian Orthodox parish. He will be sorely
missed, please pray for the repose of his soul and for the family he left behind.

Greek Fest ’10: is quickly approaching! Our festival has grown over the years which translates into
more work and more workers needed. Presbytera Michelle is the volunteer coordinator and will be
contacting parishioners to solicit assistance. Please consider your availability for working shifts on the
weekend of Aug. 27th-29th. Thank you to all who are anticipating lending a hand this year!

HOW TO RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION—Only Orthodox Christians in good standing are encouraged
to receive Holy Communion frequently, provided they have prepared themselves spiritually, mentally and
physically. They must be on time for the Divine Liturgy, and be in a Christ-like, humble state of mind. They should
be in a confession relationship with their priest or spiritual father, have observed the fasts of the Church, and they
should have self-examined their conscience. On the day of receiving Holy Communion, it is not proper to eat or
drink anything before coming to church. When you approach to receive Holy Communion, state your Christian
(baptismal) name clearly, and hold the red communion cloth to your chin. After receiving, wipe your lips on the
cloth, step back carefully, hand the cloth to the next person and make the sign of the Cross as you step away.
Please do not be in a rush while communing! Please take special care not to bump the Holy Chalice.

ETIQUETTE REMINDER: The summer months are now upon us and that means enjoying warm
weather and “fun in the sun”. While shorts, capris, flip-flops, tank tops, ‘spaghetti’ straps, etc. are
practical and acceptable at the pool or the lake front they are not appropriate attire inside the Divine
Services of the Church. At every Eucharistic celebration we are spiritually and physically brought in the
awesome presence of Jesus Christ Himself, and when we commune He comes to dwell within us in a
miraculous way. Therefore the sanctity, solemnity, and dignity of the Divine Liturgy must be preserved
for the wellbeing of all.
 Today’s liturgical commemorations

1. St Sampson the Hospitable.

This saint was born of rich and eminent parents in ancient Rome, where he studied all the secular
wisdom of that time, devoting himself in particular to the study of medicine. Sampson was a
compassionate and liberal physician, and gave the sick medicine for both soul and body, counselling
each man to fulfill the requirements of the Christian faith. He moved to Constantinople, where he lived in
a tiny house from which he distributed alms, comfort, advice, hope, medicine and all possible aid to those
suffering in spirit and in body. The Patriarch heard of Sampson's great virtue and ordained him priest. At
that time the Emperor Justinian the Great became ill with what his doctors believed to be an incurable
disease. The Emperor prayed with great fervour, and God revealed to him in his sleep that Sampson
would heal him. When the Emperor summoned Sampson to court, the old man had only to put his hand
on the diseased place and the Emperor was healed. When Justinian offered him an immense sum of
money, Sampson thanked him but would accept nothing, saying to the Emperor: 'O Emperor. I had silver
and gold and other riches, but I left it all for the sake of Christ, that I might gain heavenly and eternal
wealth.' When the Emperor insisted on doing something for him, Sampson asked him to build a home for
the poor. In that home, Sampson cared for the poor as a father cares for his children. His compassion for
the poor and weak was second nature to him. This holy man, filled with heavenly power and goodness,
entered peacefully into rest on June 27th. 530. He was buried in the Church of the Holy Martyr Mocius,
his kinsman. After his death, Sampson appeared many times to those who called upon him for aid.

2. St Severus the Priest.

He lived in central Italy. A man of rare holiness, he was once called to hear the confession of,
and give Communion to, a man at the point of death. He tarried, working in his vineyard, and the
news was brought to him there that the sick man had died. Stricken with grief, as if he had
himself killed the man, he wept bitter tears over the corpse, and God raised the dead man to life
again in response to his fervent prayer. Then Severus confessed him and gave him
Communion, preparing him for a Christian leaving of this world, and on the eighth day the man
died again.

3. St Joanna the Myrrh-Bearer.

She was the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward (Lk. 8:3). When Herod had John the Baptist
beheaded, he cast his head out into an unclean place. Joanna took the head and buried it with
honour on the Mount of Olives, on Herod's land. Later, in the reign of Constantine the Great, the
head was found. St Joanna is also remembered because she was present at both the Passion
and Resurrection of Christ. She died peacefully.
 The Origins of Christianity
By Archbishop CHRYSOSTOMOS of Etna

Question: I am sorry to bother you with this, but our son came home from college with this challenge to
our Orthodox view of the Church: His professor told him that there were "many Christianities" at the
time of the early church and that the first ecumenical council in Nicea invented Christianity by
choosing what books of the Bible agreed with the Emperor and the bishops and rejected what didn't.
He said that Constantine was a pagan and that the bishops were imperial officials who followed his
whim and who were probably pagans and not believers in Christ. Can you comment a little on this, in
a very simple way, for our son?

Reply:

1. The term "many Christianities" is essentially meaningless from an historical standpoint. It is an

historiographical construct with little support.
2. The Synod of Nicea did not determine the canon of Scripture.
3. That the historical record is not entirely clear as to the time of the Emperor
Constantine's conversion. (Eusebius claims that he was baptized just before his death, though it was not
unusual for confessing Christians to put off Baptism, as did St. John Chrysostomos, for example).
4. The Bishops at the first Oecumenical Synod met to counter a specific Christological
heresy (Arianism), and not to invent Christianity. To claim that they were pagans is inane.

I want to contrast basic historical fact with this "New Age" view of early Christianity that your son's
professor put forth. Such a view reflects at the professorial level the same appalling mediocrity in
scholarship that we hear about in contemporary education at the student level. To offer a traditionalist
commentary on what your son was told, the early Church had an established notion of Christianity that
was well enough defined, and so consistently shared, that already in the Apostolic Age and in the second
century there existed a notion of the Patristic consensus and of orthodox (correct) belief and theology. The
existence of beliefs and scripture at odds with the common experience of the majority of Christians was
also a matter of concern in Apostolic times and in the very earliest centuries of Christianity. Heresy and
deviation from the consensus of that which Christ taught and the Apostles and Fathers preached and
preserved were well known things and were defined as heresies and deviations. Indeed, one can argue
that such a sensitivity to orthodoxy and cacodoxy can be very clearly found, and in a reasonably
developed form,as early as the Epistles of St. Paul. By the time of the First Oecumenical Synod, the self-
identity of the Church had been made manifest in practice and writing; orthodoxy of doctrine was clearly
the outgrowth of a commonality of Christianity experience; and heresy was obviously easily enough
identified for someone like Arios (Arius), who had deviated from the Christian consensus, to be called to
repentance before the body of the Church. It would be absurd, in view of the abundance of extant
historical evidence and Patristic writings, to argue that "many Christianities" existed at the time of Nicea
(325) and that the First Oecumenical Synod put together some contrived Christianity of its own making.
This view is artificial and is unworthy of a real scholar, even if, today, such positions are treated
seriously. The Orthodox Church, in its claims to catholicity, sees herself as embodying the Christianity
which emerged from the common experience and "general consciousness" of the Church established by
Christ. The Church understands itself to be the continuator of the Church delivered by Christ, the Word,
in a complete form and in its fullness. As St. Athanasios the Great describes the Church, it was "from the
very beginning" what "the Logos gave, the Apostles preached, and the Fathers preserved." It is on this
monolithic truth, the Saint tells us, that "the Church is established." Church history, then, is not for us
something that brought together dispersed elements and defined itself by a process of testing and
selection from such elements. It is the living presence of Christ in the Church which He was and which
He revealed. Church history, in short, is the action of the Holy Spirit in time: Holy Tradition. And the
content of history is always the preservation of what was delivered by Christ in perfect form. This is why
the Oecumenical Synods were not gatherings that defined Christianity, but were always, as Father
Florovsky has pointed out, convened to defend an extant Faith—just as the First Oecumenical Synod
gathered, not to define the Church, but to defend the existent revelation of Christ against the sophistry
and deviant teachings of Arios' corrupted understanding of Christ . In order to understand the Orthodox
Faith, one has no need of reading secular histories of the Faith; no need of scholastic speculation about
matters theological; and no need to compile, in some artificial fashion, a set of doctrines about everything
under the sun as it is revealed by Scripture, or by the Fathers, or by some "canonical" standard. Rather,
we are called to that "standard of Faith" which brings together history, ecclesiology, Christology,
anthropology, confession, canonical order, and every aspect of the Church in a single experience with
Christ, in Whom all Truth is contained; we are called to an ineffable encounter with the transcendent
Mystery of God.
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