Sunday, October 19, 2025

Tone 2; 19th Sunday after Pentecost (4th of Luke); Prophet Joel; Martyr Varus, and with him six Monk Martyrs

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Gregg and I will be Sobor (see above) from Wednesday, October 15-18, so there will be no class on Wednesday evening. Confessions and Vespers are also canceled this coming Saturday (10/18). 

The most recent "No Free Pizza" lecture is available below.

Please remember the Sobor participants in your prayers.

In Christ,

Fr Gregory

This Week at Ss Cyril & Methodius

Wednesday, October 15

• 2:00 PM-6:00 PM: Office Hours/Confessions [canceled]
• 6:00 PM: No Free Pizza [canceled]

Thursday, October 9

• 1:00 PM-5:00 PM: Office Hours/Confessions [canceled]
• 6:00 PM: OCF

Friday, October 17

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

Saturday, October 18

• 5:00 PM: Great Vespers [canceled]
• 6:00 PM: Confessions [canceled]

Sunday, October 19

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

Looking Ahead

Wednesday, October 22

• 2:00 PM-6:00 PM: Office Hours/Confessions 
• 6:00 PM: No Free Pizza: Confession & Unction

Thursday, October 23

• 1:00 PM-5:00 PM: Office Hours/Confessions 
• 6:00 PM: OCF

Friday, October 24

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

Saturday, October 25

• 5:00 PM: Great Vespers
• 6:00 PM: Confessions

Sunday, October 26

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

Hymns After the Small Entrance

Tone 2 Troparion (Resurrection)

When Thou didst descend to death, O Life immortal, Thou didst slay hell with the splendor of Thy Godhead. And when from the depths Thou didst raise the dead, all the powers of heaven cried out:// “O Giver of life, Christ our God, glory to Thee!”  

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. Varus)

Thy holy martyr Varus, 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 2 Kontakion (Resurrection)

Hell became afraid, O almighty Savior, seeing the miracle of Thy Resurrection from the tomb! The dead arose! Creation, with Adam, beheld this and rejoiced with Thee,// and the world, my Savior, praises Thee forever. 

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 4 Kontakion (St. Varus)

Following Christ, O Martyr Varus, thou didst drink of His chalice; thou didst receive the crown of martyrdom and now rejoicest with the Angels.// Pray for our souls unceasingly!

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

Tone 6 Kontakion

Steadfast protectress of Christians, / most constant advocate before the Creator, / do not despise the voices of us who have sinned, / but in your goodness come speedily to help us, who cry to you in faith: / “Hasten to intercede for us, O Theotokos, / and speedily make supplication, for you always protect those who honor you.”

Epistle: 2 Corinthians 11:31-12:9

Brethren, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. In Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me; but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands.

It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me.

And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Gospel: Luke 8:5-15

Jesus told this parable, “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it. Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold.” When He had said these things He cried, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

Then His disciples asked Him, saying, “What does this parable mean?”

And He said, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that

‘Seeing they may not see,

And hearing they may not understand.’

“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.

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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