Sunday, September 7, 2025

Tone 4

13th Sunday after Pentecost; Forefeast of the Nativity of the Theotokos; Sunday Before the Exaltation of the Cross Martyr Sozón of Cilicia

The Nativity of our Most Holy Lady the Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary

Commemorated on September 8

(OCA) The Nativity of Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary: The Most Holy Virgin Mary was born at a time when people had reached such a degree of moral decay that it seemed altogether impossible to restore them. People often said that God must come into the world to restore faith and not permit the ruin of mankind.

The Son of God chose to take on human nature for the salvation of mankind, and chose as His Mother the All-Pure Virgin Mary, who alone was worthy to give birth to the Source of purity and holiness.

The Nativity of Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary is celebrated by the Church as a day of universal joy. Within the context of the Old and the New Testaments, the Most Blessed Virgin Mary was born on this radiant day, having been chosen before the ages by Divine Providence to bring about the Mystery of the Incarnation of the Word of God. She is revealed as the Mother of the Savior of the World, Our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Most Holy Virgin Mary was born in the small city of Galilee, Nazareth. Her parents were Righteous Joachim of the tribe of the Prophet-King David, and Anna from the tribe of the First Priest Aaron. The couple was without child, since Saint Anna was barren.

Having reached old age, Joachim and Anna did not lose hope in God’s mercy. They had strong faith that for God everything is possible, and that He would be able to overcome the barrenness of Anna even in her old age, as He had once overcame the barrenness of Sarah, spouse of the Patriarch Abraham. Saints Joachim and Anna vowed to dedicate the child which the Lord might give them, to the service of God in the Temple.

Childlessness was considered among the Hebrew nation as a Divine punishment for sin, and therefore the righteous Saints Joachim and Anna had to endure abuse from their own countrymen. On one of the feastdays at the Temple in Jerusalem the elderly Joachim brought his sacrifice to offer to God, but the High Priest would not accept it, considering him to be unworthy since he was childless.

Saint Joachim in deep grief went into the wilderness, and there he prayed with tears to the Lord for a child. Saint Anna wept bitterly when she learned what had happened at the Jerusalem Temple. Never once did she complain against the Lord, but rather she prayed to ask God’s mercy on her family.

The Lord fulfilled her petitions when the pious couple had attained to extreme old age and prepared themselves by virtuous life for a sublime calling: to be the parents of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, the future Mother of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Archangel Gabriel brought Joachim and Anna the joyous message that their prayers were heard by God, and of them would be born a most blessed daughter Mary, through Whom would come the Salvation of all the World.

The Most Holy Virgin Mary surpassed in purity and virtue not only all mankind, but also the angels. She was manifest as the living Temple of God, so the Church sings in its festal hymns: “the East Gate... bringing Christ into the world for the salvation of our souls” (2nd Stikhera on “Lord, I Have Cried”, Tone 6).

The Nativity of the Theotokos marks the change of the times when the great and comforting promises of God for the salvation of the human race from slavery to the devil are about to be fulfilled. This event has brought to earth the grace of the Kingdom of God, a Kingdom of Truth, piety, virtue and everlasting life. The Theotokos is revealed to all of us by grace as a merciful Intercessor and Mother, to Whom we have recourse with filial devotion..

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Because of the UW home game, we will not have Vespers this Saturday (9/6).

We will have prayers for the New School Year, immediately after Liturgy on Sunday (9/7).

Monday, 9/8, is the Feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God. Divine Liturgy will be at 7:00 am.

In Christ,

Fr Gregory

This Week at Ss Cyril & Methodius

Wednesday, September 3

• 11:00 AM-3:00 PM: Office Hours/Confessions

Thursday, September 4

• 1:00 PM-5:00 PM: Office Hours/Confessions

Friday, September 5

• 11:00 AM-3:00 PM: Office Hours/Confessions 

Saturday, September 6

• 3:00 PM: Catechumen Class [canceled]
• 4:00 PM: Confessions [canceled]
• 5:00 PM: Great Vespers  [canceled]
• 6:00 PM: Confessions  [canceled]

Sunday, September 7

• 9:15 AM: Hours
• 9:30 AM: Divine Liturgy & Prayers for the New School Year

Looking Ahead

Monday, September 8 (Nativity of the Mother of God)

• 7:00 AM: Divine Liturgy

Wednesday, September 10

• 11:00 AM-3:00 PM: Office Hours/Confessions

Thursday, September 11

• 1:00 PM-5:00 PM: Office Hours/Confessions

Friday, September 12

• 11:00 AM-3:00 PM: Office Hours/Confessions 

Saturday, September 13

• 3:00 PM: Catechumen Class [canceled]
• 4:00 PM: Confessions
• 5:00 PM: Great Vespers & Veneration of the Holy Corss
• 6:00 PM: Confessions

Sunday, September 14 (Exaltation of the Holy Cross)

• 9:15 AM: Hours
• 9:30 AM: Divine Liturgy

Hymns After the Small Entrance

Tone 4 Troparion (Resurrection)

When the women disciples of the Lord learned from the angel the joyous message of Thy Resurrection, they cast away the ancestral curse and elatedly told the apostles: “Death is overthrown! Christ God is risen,//granting the world great mercy!”

Tone 4 Troparion (Forefeast)

Today from the stem of Jesse and from the loins of David, the handmaid of God Mary is being born for us. Therefore all creation is renewed and rejoices. Heaven and earth rejoice together. Praise her, you families of nations, for Joachim rejoices and Anna celebrates crying out://“The barren one gives birth to the Theotokos, the Nourisher of our life!”

Tone 4 Troparion (Sts. Cyril & Methodius)

Divinely-wise Cyril and Methodius, / equals-to-the-apostles and teachers of the Slavs, / entreat the Master of all / to strengthen all nations in Orthodoxy and unity of mind, / to grant peace to the world and to save our souls.

Tone 4 Troparion (St. Sozón)

Thy holy martyr Sozón, O Lord, through his sufferings has received an incorruptible crown from Thee, our God. For having Thy strength, he laid low his adversaries, and shattered the powerless boldness of demons.//Through his intercession, save our souls!

Tone 4 Kontakion of the Resurrection (Resurrection)

My Savior and Redeemer hath, as God, raised up the earthborn from the grave and from their fetters, and He hath broken the gates of Hades, and, Master, hath risen on the third day.

Tone 3 Kontakion (Sts. Cyril & Methodius)

Let us honor the sacred pair, who translated divine scripture / pouring forth a fountain of divine knowledge from which we still draw today. / Now as you stand before the throne of the Most-high / we call you blessed, Cyril and Methodius, / as you fervently pray for our souls.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,

Tone 2 Kontakion (St. Sozón)

Let us gather today and together sing to Sozón, the true and divinely wise martyr,an expert fighter for the faith, the mystical seer of divine grace, a generous provider of healing,// who prays to Christ God for us all.

now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Tone 3 Kontakion (Forefeast)

Today the Virgin Theotokos Mary, the bridal chamber of the Heavenly Bridegroom, by the will of the God is born of a barren woman, being prepared as the chariot of God the Word.//She was foreordained for this, since she is the divine gate and the true Mother of Life.

Epistle: Galatians 6:11-18

Brethren, see with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand! As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh, these would compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. For not even those who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.

And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.

Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

Gospel: John 3:13-17 

No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

By the age of 25, about 60% of those baptized as infants will no longer consider themselves members of the Orthodox Church. A parish on a university campus is an important witness not only to the surrounding community but also to high school age and younger parishioner. Establishing a parish on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Madison helps remind young people that graduating high school doesn't mean "graduating" from the Church. Please consider joining those who have committed their time, treasure and talent in establishing an Orthodox community on the Isthmus.

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