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2015.08.02 - 9th Sunday of Matthew
2015.08.02 - 9th Sunday of Matthew
2015.08.02 - 9th Sunday of Matthew
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From on high You did descend, O Compassionate One; You
submitted to burial of three days that You might free us from our
passions. O our Life and Resurrection, O Lord, glory be to You.
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For the struggles you endured for Christ God, a royal diadem crowns
your head, O First Champion of Martyrs. For you refuted the folly of the Jews and beheld your
Savior on the right of the Father. Ever beseech Him, therefore, for our souls.
/KONTAKION FOR TODAY
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Upon the mountain were You transfigured, and Your disciples beheld Your glory as far as
they were able, O Christ our God; so that when they would see You crucified they might
understand that Your Passion was deliberate, and declare to the world that in truth You are
the Father's radiance.
+Dormition Fast+
Matthew 14:22-34
At that time, Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the
crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. When evening came, he
was there alone, but the boat by this time was many furlongs distant from the land, beaten by the waves; for the wind
was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples
saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. But immediately he
spoke to them, saying "Take heart, it is I; have no fear." And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, bid me come to
you on the water." He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus; but when
he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me." Jesus immediately reached out his
hand and caught him, saying to him, "O man of little faith, why did you doubt?" And when they entered the boat, the
wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God." And when they had
crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret.
Announcements
Liturgical/Program Schedule:
Mon. August 3rd: GOYA Canoeing
Mon. August 3rd: Paraklesis to the Holy Theotokos 6pm
Tues. August 4th: Holy Unction Service 6pm
Wed. August 5th: NO Paraklesis, Ordination to Deaconate of Herman Klarr in MSP
Thurs. August 6th: Feast of the Transfiguration, Orthros/Divine Liturgy 8:30am
Fri. August 7th: Paraklesis to the Holy Theotokos, 6pm
Greek Festival Volunteers: Please join us all in working together for the benefit of our parish by
being a volunteer for our Greek Festival: August 28, 29, and 30. Sign up your times by going to
this website: http://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/10c0945a4ab29a6f49-holy2/17693561
HOW TO RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNIONOrthodox 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.
The devil does not hunt after those who are lost; he hunts after those who are aware, those
who are close to God. He takes from them trust in God and begins to afflict them with selfassurance, logic, thinking, criticism. Therefore we should not trust our logical minds. St.
Paisios of Mt. Athos
TODAYS COMMEMORATIONS
1. THE FINDING AND THE TRANSLATION OF THE RELICS OF ST. STEPHEN, THE ARCHDEACON
AND PROTO-MARTYR
When the wicked Jews slew St. Stephen by stoning, they left his body for the dogs to consume. However, God's
Providence intended otherwise. The martyr's body lay in an open place at the foothill of the city for one night and
two days. The second night Gamaliel, Paul's teacher and secretly a disciple of Christ, came and removed the body
and took it to Caphargamala on his estate and there he honorably buried it in a cave. Gamaliel also buried his friend
Nicodemus who died weeping over the grave of Stephen in the same cave. Gamaliel also buried his baptized son
Abibus there and according to his will, was buried there also. Since that time, many centuries passed and no one
living knew where the body of St. Stephen was buried. However, in the year 415 A.D. during the reign of John, the
Patriarch of Jerusalem, Gamaliel appeared three times in a dream to Lucian, the priest at Caphargamala and, at
length, related everything to him concerning the burial of all the afore-mentioned showing him the exact spot of
their forgotten graves. Excited by this dream Lucian informed the patriarch and with his blessing went with a group
of men and exhumed the four graves. Gamaliel had already told him in the dream whose grave was which. A strong
sweet-smelling fragrance from the relics of the saints permeated the entire cave. The relics of St. Stephen were then
solemnly translated to Zion and honorably buried there and the relics of the remaining three were moved to a hill
above the cave and were placed in a church. That day, many healings of the sick occurred by the relics of St.
Stephen. Later on, St. Stephen's relics were translated to Constantinople. Thus the Lord crowned him with much
glory who, for His Name, shed his blood.
2. THE PRIESTLY-MARTYR STEPHEN, THE POPE OF ROME AND OTHERS WITH HIM
Stephen was Pope of Rome between the years 253-257 A.D. He struggled against the heretic Novatian. He cured
Lucilla, the daughter of Nemesius, the tribune and baptized them both. Stephen, with twelve of his clerics, suffered
during the reign of Valerian. He was beheaded during the celebration of the Liturgy.
3. THE HOLY AND BLESSED BASIL, "FOOL FOR CHRIST" OF
MOSCOW
Basil's father was named Jacob and his mother Anna. At age sixteen, he
dedicated himself to a life of asceticism as a "Fool for Christ" and in this
difficult mortification persevered for seventy-two years. Altogether, he
lived to be eighty-eight years old. He traveled barefooted, bareheaded and
in rags. He did not have any permanent dwelling place. He admonished
sinners, reprimanded the noblemen, prophesied the truth and had visions
of distant places. Having suffered greatly from hunger, frost and from the
insults of men, Blessed Basil presented his holy soul to God. Tsar Ivan,
with the Metropolitan, attended his funeral. He is buried in Moscow in
the Church of the Most-holy Birth-giver of God, later named after him.