May-03-2015 - Nativity of Our Lord Orthodox Church

Nativity of Our Lord Orthodox Church
http://nativityorthodox.com/
8911 Weems Road
Manassas, Virginia 20110
Fr. Nectarios Trevino
[email protected]
703.629.0414
May 3rd, 2015
Let all who enter our Holy Church heed the words of the Cherubic Hymn:
“Let us now lay aside all earthy cares”
The reason why God has accorded us this present life is to give us a place for repentance.
Were this not the case,
a person who sinned would at once be deprived of this life.
For otherwise of what use would it be to him?
St. Gregory Palamas
Sunday of the Paralytic
The Holy Martyrs Timothy and Maura
Peter the Wonderworker
Xenia of Kalamata the Great Martyr
Prayer Before Reading Holy Scripture
O Master Who loves mankind, illuminate our hearts with the pure light of Your divine knowledge
and open the eyes of our mind to understand the teachings of Your Gospel. Instill in us also the
fear of Your blessed commandments, that we may overcome all carnal desires, entering upon a
spiritual life and understanding and acting in all things according to Your holy will. For You are
the enlightenment of our souls and bodies, O Christ God, and to You we give glory together with
Your eternal Father and Your all-holy, gracious and life-giving Spirit, now and ever and forever.
Amen.
The Epistle Reading:
Acts of the Apostles 9:32-42
Prokeimenon. Mode 3.
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Psalm 46.6,1
Sing praises to our God, sing praises.
Verse: Clap your hands, all you nations.
IN THOSE DAYS, as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints
that lived at Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years
and was paralyzed. And Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your
bed." And immediately he rose. And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they
turned to the Lord. Now there was at Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which means Dorcas. She
was full of good works and acts of charity. In those days she fell sick and died; and when they
had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples,
hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him entreating him, "Please come to us without
delay." So Peter rose and went with them. And when he had come, they took him to the upper
room. All the widows stood beside him weeping, and showing tunics and other garments which
Dorcas made while she was with them. But Peter put them all outside and knelt down and prayed;
then turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, rise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw
Peter she sat up. And he gave her his hand and lifted her up. Then calling the saints and widows
he presented her alive. And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the
Lord.
The Gospel Reading for the Sunday of the Paralytic
The Gospel of John 5:1-15
At that time, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in
Hebrew called Bethesda which has five porticoes. In these lay a multitude of invalids, blind,
lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water; for an angel of the Lord went down at
certain seasons into the pool, and troubled the water; whoever stepped in first after the troubling
of the water was healed of whatever disease he had. One man was there, who had been ill for
thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew that he had been lying there a long time, he said
to him, "Do you want to be healed?" The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no man to put me
into the pool when the water is troubled, and while I am going another steps down before me."
Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your pallet, and walk." And at once the man was healed, and he
took up his pallet and walked.
Now that day was the sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who was cured, "It is the sabbath, it is
not lawful for you to carry your pallet." But he answered them, "The man who healed me said to
me, 'Take up your pallet, and walk.' "They asked him, "Who is the man who said to you, 'Take up
your pallet, and walk'?" Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus
had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple, and
said to him, "See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse befall you." The man went away
and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him.
Post-Communion Prayer
Prayer Of Saint Basil
I thank you, Christ and Master our God, King of the ages and Creator of all things, for all the
good gifts you have given me, and especially for the participation in your pure and life-giving
mysteries. I, therefore, pray to you, good and loving Lord: keep me under your protection and
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under the shadow of your wings. Grant that to my last breath I may with a pure conscience
partake worthily of your gifts for the forgiveness of sins and for eternal life. For you are the bread
of life, the source of holiness, the giver of all good things, and to you we give glory, with the
Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Sixth Hour Prayers
O You Who on the sixth day and hour
Nailed to the cross the sin which rebellious Adam committed in Paradise,
Tear asunder also the bond of our iniquities,
O Christ our God, and save us.
Prayer of St. Basil
God, Lord of hosts and Maker of all creation, who in Your great compassion and mercy sent
down Your Only-Begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, for the redemption of mankind and by His
precious Cross destroyed the record of our sins, triumphing over the source and power of
darkness: O Lord and Lover of mankind, accept also the thanksgiving and fervent prayers of us
sinners. Deliver us from every dark and harmful transgression and from all the visible and
invisible enemies that seek to destroy us. Nail our flesh to the fear of You, and do not incline our
hearts to deceitful words or thoughts, but wound our souls with love for You, that always looking
to You, guided by Your light, and seeing You, the eternal and ineffable Light, we may give You
unceasing praise and thanksgiving: to the Father without beginning, with Your Only-Begotten
Son and Your all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
1.
THE HOLY MARTYRS TIMOTHY AND MAURA (*)
The fate of these two wonderful martyrs, husband and wife, is amazing! Because of their
Christian Faith and only twenty days following their marriage, they were brought to court before
Arrianus, the governor of Thebaid, during the reign of Diocletian. Timothy was a lector in his
local church. The governor questioned him: "Who are you?" To that Timothy responded: "I am a
Christian and a lector of God's Church." The governor further said to him: "Do you not see these
instruments prepared for torture surrounding you?" Timothy replied: "And, do you not see all the
angels of God who strengthen me?" Then the governor ordered an iron rod be pierced through his
ears so that the pupils of his eyes protruded from pain. After that, they hung him upside down and
placed a piece of wood in his mouth. At first, Maura was frightened because of Timothy's
sufferings, but when her husband encouraged her, she also confessed her steadfast faith before the
governor. The governor then ordered all the hairs of her head pulled out and after that severed the
fingers from her hands. After many other tortures, from which they would have succumbed had
not the Grace of God strengthened them, they were both crucified facing each other. Thus,
hanging on the cross, they lived for nine days counseling and encouraging each other in
perseverance. On the tenth day, they gave up their souls to their Lord for Whom they endured
death on a cross and so were made worthy of His kingdom. They suffered honorably for Christ in
the year 286 A.D.
2.
THE VENERABLE THEODOSIUS OF THE CAVES IN KIEV
From his early youth, Theodosius shunned laughter and rejoicing and dedicated himself to godlythoughts and prayers. Because of this, he was often abused by his mother, especially one day,
when his mother noticed an iron belt around his naked body from which his shirt was bloodied.
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Having once read the words of the Savior in the Gospel "He who loves father or mother more
than Me is not worthy of Me" (St. Matthew 10:37), Theodosius left the home of his parents and
fled to the Monastery of the Caves in Kiev to see the Venerable Anthony. Anthony received him
and, shortly afterwards, tonsured him a monk. When his mother found him and asked him to
return home, he counseled his mother and she also entered a convent and was tonsured a nun.
Theodosius shortly surpassed all the monks by his mortification, meekness and goodness, and
became very dear to Anthony who installed him as abbot of the monastery. During the time that
he was abbot, the brotherhood of the monastery greatly increased, churches and cells were built
and the Constitution [the Rule] of the Studite Monastery was introduced in its entirety. God
endowed Theodosius with abundant grace because of his virginal purity, great labor in prayer,
love toward his fellow man and so this man of God possessed great power over unclean spirits,
healed diseases and discerned the fate of men. Along with St. Anthony, Theodosius is considered
the founder and organizer of monasticism in Russia. He died peacefully in the year 1074 A.D. His
healing relics repose next to the relics of Anthony.
HYMN OF PRAISE
SAINT TIMOTHY AND SAINT MAURA
Timothy and Maura, crucified and pale,
Through the Lord Christ, looked at one another,
And by the spirit see each other better than with the eyes,
By pain exalted, above all things.
And Timothy speaks: Maura, my sister,
You are of a female nature, and your pain is greater!
By prayer be encouraged, do not despair sister,
All of your thoughts, affix to Christ.
Maura replied: Brother Timothy,
The Spirit of God I feel, in my soul it waves
He keeps me strong, and helpless, He strengthens me,
And the Sweet Jesus, my pains alleviates,
But, about you, my glorious pride, I am concerned,
What kind of pains, with yours can be similar?
But just a little while, a little while, my sweet brother,
From the thorns of sufferings, then the roses will blossom,
To the entire heavenly host, the darling you will be,
Only endure, endure without sound and sobbing
Let us be alert brother, let us not fall asleep,
Perhaps the Lord might come, that we not be ashamed.
Behold, the entire heavens opened, I see
Unseen treasures for us prepared.
Then Timothy to Maura: O sister, wonderful,
Bride of Christ, glorious martyr,
For His glorious mercy, let us glorify God,
That such an honorable death, He permitted upon us.
O glory to You O Savior, Who for us suffered;
Our spirit, we now commend into Your hands.
REFLECTION
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The Abba John the Short asked the monks: "Who sold Joseph?" One monk replied: "His
brothers." To that, the elder replied: "No brethren, rather his humility. Joseph could have said that
he is their brother and could have protested to being sold but he remained silent. His humility,
therefore, sold him. Afterward, this same humility made him master over Egypt." In surrendering
ourselves to the will of God, we defend ourselves too much from external unpleasantness, that is
why we lose the good fruits which is harvested at the end of unpleasantness endured with
humility. Abba Pimen wisely spoke: "We have abandoned the easy yoke, i.e., self-reproach and
we have burdened ourselves with a heavy yoke, i.e., self-justification." The Christian accepts
every unpleasantness as deserving of their present or their past sins; seeking in all, the will of God
with faith and awaiting the end with hope.
CONTEMPLATION
To contemplate the ascended Lord Jesus:
1.
How He began His saving work on earth as an ordinary humble worker;
2.
How He completed His saving work by His miraculous and glorious ascension into
heaven.
HOMILY
About how the idol-worshippers will be put to shame
"As the thief is ashamed when caught, so shall the house of Israel be ashamed: They who say to a
piece of wood, 'You are my father' and to a stone 'You gave me birth:' They turn to Me their
backs, not their faces; yet in time of trouble they cry out, `Rise up and save us !' " (Jeremiah 2:
26-27).
In truth brethren, they will all be put to shame who do not see beyond wood and stone and, who
in their ignorance, say that man is composed entirely of plants and minerals and the same thing
occurs to him as with plants and minerals. With their backs turned to the Creator, they are unable
to see anything other than creation and, forgetting the Creator, they proclaim creation the Creator.
They say that nature created and gave birth to man, that is why man is lesser than nature, lower
than nature, the servant in the lap of nature, a slave on the chain of nature and a dead man in the
grave of nature. They who speak like that will be shamed when they fall into misfortune and cry
out to God: "Rise up and save us!"
Why do they cry out to God "Rise up" as though God is lying down? God is not lying down, but
stands; stands and waits to be of service to everyone who, with faith and humility, request a favor
from Him. But those who have become enamored with wood and stone, while they have trusted
in their own power, have overturned Him in their lives and excluded Him from their lives. That is
why when they are pressured by difficulties, they cry out to Him: "Rise up!"
But the Lord is meek and rises and comes to the aid of every penitent. Let the sinner truly repent
and casting off his sinful love, return to God in love and God will help him. Let him turn his back
on dead wood and stone and turn his face to the Living God and God will redeem him. For the
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Almighty is not vengeful and vindictive. Neither did He create man for death, but for life.
O brethren, let us not seek help in the helpless nor life in the lifeless. Let us turn our heads toward
our living Creator Who gave us a face more radiant than the face of every earthly thing. Let us
turn from the western ways to the eastern path, for on this path is salvation. Just let us hasten
before our last day on earth is sunk into the darkness of the west.
O ascended Lord, raise our minds to heaven. Cleanse them from the darkness and unburden them
of the earth, O our Light-bearing Creator.
To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.
(*) The name Maura [Mavra] means black. Therefore, in Macedonia, the feast day of these two saints is
referred to as Black's Day or Black Day. On the island of Zacynthus, there exists a church dedicated to
Saints Timothy and Maura in which many miracles of healing took place.
O LORD, SAVE THY PEOPLE AND BLESS THINE INHERITANCE.
GRANT VICTORY OVER THEIR ENEMIES TO ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS,
AND PROTECT THY PEOPLE WITH THY CROSS.
DIVINE LITURGIES
Sunday English Divine Liturgy – 10:00 A.M.
Fr. Patrick Viscuso
Wednesday – 6:00 P.M.
OFFICE OF PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION
FOR THE VICTIMS OF ABORTION
6:00 P.M.
Thursday – 6:00 P.M.
AKATHIST TO ST. PANTELEIMON
VESPERS
Cancelled this week
PRAYER SERVICES
Monday – 6:00 P.M.
STEWARDSHIP MOLEBEN
Tuesday – 6:00 P.M
AKATHIST TO THE SWEETEST LORD
JESUS CHRIST
CONFESSIONS
Before Sunday Liturgy
ORTHODOX WORKER MEALS
TUESDAYS & FRIDAYS – 11:30 A.M TO 1:00
P.M
Either the demons tempt us themselves or they equip those who do not fear the Lord to act
against us: themselves, when we are alone, away from others, just as they tempted the Lord in
the desert; through others, when we associate with them, as they tempted the Lord through the
Pharisees. It is for us to look to our model and beat them back on both fronts.
St. Maximus the Confessor
ΛΩ
For all that we have –
That so many nations and people do not have…
We should all say…
GOD BLESS AMERICA
&
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GOD BLESS HIS GRACE BISHOP GREGORY
Father Nectarios' Schedule
April – May 2015
April 30-May 8
Havana, Cuba
NOTE:
Given Father's Travel,
In The Event of An Emergency,
Please Contact Either:
Jeanette Pate, 703.889.7643
or
Pani Diane, 571.379.0409
and they will contact either
Fr. Joseph Edgington or Fr. Peter Zarynow
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