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ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE
ARCHDIOCESE OF
THYATEIRA & GREAT BRITAIN

BULLETIN OF SPIRITUAL EDIFICATION
SUNDAY OF THE HOLY FATHERS OF
THE 7th ECUMENICAL COUNCIL
13th October 2013
Grave Mode. No. 1305

13 2013
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Feast Day of the Holy Martyrs of Thyateira: Carpus, Papylus, Agathoniki and Agathodorus




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RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION
ou abolished death by your Cross,
you opened Paradise to the Thief,
you transformed the Myrrhbearers
lament, and ordered your Apostles to
proclaim that you had risen, O Christ
God, granting the world your great
mercy.

EPISTLE READING

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hild Titus, the word is sure. I desire

that you insist on these things, so
that those who have come to believe in
God may be careful to devote themselves
to good works; these things are excellent
and profitable to everyone. But avoid
stupid
controversies,
genealogies,
dissensions, and quarrels about the law,
for they are unprofitable and worthless.
After a first and second admonition, have
nothing more to do with anyone heretical,
since you know that such a person is
perverted and sinful, being selfcondemned. When I send Artemas to you,
or Tychikos, do your best to come to me at
Nikopolis, for I have decided to spend the
winter there. Make every effort to send
Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their
way, and see that they lack nothing. And
let people learn to devote themselves to
good works in order to meet urgent needs,
so that they may not be unproductive. All
who are with me send greetings to you.
Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace
be with all of you. Amen.

(. 8-15)

(Tit. 3:8-15)

GOSPEL READING

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he Lord told this parable: A sower

went out to sow his seed; and as he
sowed, some fell on the path and was
trampled on, and the birds of the air ate
it up. Some fell on the rock; and as it
grew up, it withered for lack of
moisture. Some fell among thorns, and
the thorns grew with it and choked it.
Some fell into good soil, and when it
grew, it produced a hundredfold. Then
his disciples asked him what this
parable meant. He said, To you it has
been given to know the mysteries of
the kingdom of God; but to others I
speak in parables, so that seeing they
may not see, and hearing they may not
understand. Now the parable is this:
The seed is the word of God. The ones
on the path are those who have heard;
then the devil comes and takes away
the word from their hearts, so that they
may not believe and be saved. The ones
on the rock are those who, when they
hear the word, receive it with joy. But
these have no root; they believe only
for a while and in a time of temptation
they fall away. As for what fell among
the thorns, these are the ones who have
heard; but as they go on their way, they
are choked by the cares and riches and
pleasures of life, and their fruit does
not mature. But as for that in the good
soil, these are the ones who, when they
hear the word with an honest and good
heart, hold it fast, and bear fruit with
patient endurance. As he said this, he
called out, Let anyone with ears to
hear, hear!

(. 5-15)

(Luke 8:5-15)

KONTAKION OF THE FATHERS OF THE 7TH ECUMENICAL COUNCIL

he Son Who shone from the Father was ineffably born in two natures of a woman.
We do not deny the image of His form, but depict it piously and revere it. For this
cause the Church, holding the true Faith, kisses the icon of Christs Incarnation.

Let it be assured that to do no wrong is superhuman and belongs to God alone

St Gregory the Theologian



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I heard many discourses which were good for the soul, but I could not discover in the case of any
one of the teachers that his life was worthy of his words. (St Basil the Great)

SERMON ON THE GOSPEL READING

ur Lord Jesus Christ, Who is Himself The Way, went throughout the land preaching
and teaching Gods People about the Kingdom of Heaven. And as was the case
with John the Baptist, the people heard him gladly. They followed Him, even into
desert places, to listen to His teaching. They sensed that He spoke with authority,
unlike the scribes and Pharisees. The wonders that He performed: healing the sick,
giving sight to the blind, cleansing lepers of their malady, all testified to His divine
authority, and "no man spoke as this Man.
As Our Lord makes His way, He teaches the crowds. All hear, but each hears
differently, just as the heart and mind of each person is unique. Attending the Divine
Liturgy, or any other service at which the Gospel is read, we hear the words of Our Lord.
Our God is speaking to us. The transcendent and unattainable God, immortal and
infinite, become man in our time, speaks to us directly now and in the place where we
are. Christ Himself says that His words are spirit and Life for us, and St Peter affirms
this also (John 6:64,68).
We are told explicitly to pay attention, at several points in the Divine Service:
"Let us Attend!"
This is proclaimed immediately before the reading of the Gospel. Under normal
conditions, physically we do hear the Gospel, the words Our Lord speaks, His teaching
and example which His Church gives us at this moment. However, what impression
have His words made on my mind? What thoughts arise from this impression? And
what is their effect on my heart, and on my will?
We are now the people walking with Jesus as He preaches and teaches, and His
words fall on us now, as then: - on the path, on rocky ground, among thorns and weeds,
and some on good, fertile soil, in which the words will, like seed that is sown, sprout,
take root, and grow to bear fruit.
Our Lord, explains this story to the disciples, and says, "He who has ears to
hear, let him hear. "
This is the lesson we must learn today. If we would be part of the Kingdom of
Heaven, we must be "doers of the Word, not hearers only." This will not happen if we
allow our passions, love of this world, or public opinion to stand between us and our
reaction to the Word of God. If, after receiving the Word initially with joy, our pride,
resentments, and selfishness have turned our heart into stony ground on which the
seed of the Word of God cannot take root or grow, then in this parable we see what we
are. By the fruit that the Gospel bears in our lives, by the change it works in us to make
us like Christ, we know whether our heart the core of our being, the real me is a
public path, stony ground, or overgrown with unproductive weeds, or good, fertile, soil.
If we are choked by thorns and weeds, let us ask Gods Grace, to root them out. If we
find our hearts are stone, let us beg God to give us a heart of flesh. Let us do this
generously; for to break up stone, grind it to dust and make fertile soil, is slow work and
painful for us. In our patient endurance, may we bear fruit a hundredfold. Amen.

Having fulfilled a commandment, expect temptations; because love toward Christ is

tested by difficulties. (St Mark the Ascetic)
Archdiocese of Thyateira & Great Britain, 5 Craven Hill, London W2 3EN
Tel.: 020 7723 4787. Fax: 020 7224 9301. E-mail: mail@thyateira.org.uk . Website: www.thyateira.org.uk
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