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Sunday, September 10, 2023
Tone 5
14th Sunday after Pentecost
Sunday Before the Exaltation of the Cross; Afterfeast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos; Martyrs Menodora, Metrodora, and Nymphodora, at Nicomedia
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!
Vespers and Divine Liturgy for This week we celebrate the Feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God. Vespers, 5:30 PM, Thursday, September 7, and Divine Liturgy, 7:00 AM, Friday, September 8.
There is a parish council meeting after Liturgy on Sunday, September 10. If you are interested in running for council please speak to me ASAP.
Looking at the calendar, you'll notice we've had to cancel all our events on Saturday, September 16 because of the UW home game. We're getting large enough and stable enough to need our own building and parking lot. Moving to a more permanent place of our own is something we need to start thinking and praying about now.
In Christ,
Fr Gregory
Remember to support our friends at Assumption Greek Orthodox Church! Go grab lunch, dinner, or maybe a snack at Greek Fest!
August Ukrainian Orthodox Word
This Week at Ss Cyril & Methodius
Wednesday, September 6
1:00-5:00 PM: Office Hours/Confessions
Thursday, September 7
1:00-5:00 PM: Office Hours/Confessions
5:30 PM: Great Vespers (Nativity of the Mother of God)
Friday, September 8
7:00 AM: Divine Liturgy (Nativity of the Mother of God)
Saturday, September 9
3:30 PM: Catechumen Class
4:30 PM: Confessions
5:00 PM: Great Vespers
6:00 PM: Confessions
Sunday, September 10
9:00 AM: Hours/Pre-Communion Prayers
9:30 AM: Divine Liturgy
11:00 AM: Parish Council Meeting
Looking Ahead
Wednesday, September 13
1:00-5:00 PM: Office Hours/Confessions
5:30 PM: Great Vespers & Veneration of the Cross
Thursday, September 14
7:00 AM: Divine Liturgy
1:00-5:00 PM: Office Hours/Confessions [canceled]
Saturday, September 16
3:30 PM: Catechumen Class [canceled]
4:30 PM: Confessions [canceled]
5:00 PM: Great Vespers [canceled]
6:00 PM: Confessions [canceled]
Sunday, September 17
9:00 AM: Hours/Pre-Communion Prayers
9:30 AM: Divine Liturgy
Hymns After the Small Entrance
Tone 5Troparion(Resurrection)
Let us, the faithful, praise and worship the Word, co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit, born for our salvation from the Virgin; for He willed to be lifted up on the Cross in the flesh, to endure death, and to raise the dead//by His glorious Resurrection.
Tone 4Troparion(Feast)
Thy nativity, O Virgin, has proclaimed joy to the whole universe! The Sun of righteousness, Christ our God, has shone from thee, O Theotokos. By annulling the curse, He bestowed a blessing.//By destroying death, He has granted us eternal life.
Tone 4Troparion (Ss Cyril and 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 1Troparion(Martyrs)
Let all who rejoice at their triumph honor those three virgin martyrs, who are united to God as^ sisters and who pour forth fair streams of grace: Menodora, Metrodora, and Nymphodora,who were in all things ^courageous;//they ever pray to the Trinity for us.
Tone 5Kontakion(Resurrection)
Thou didst descend into hell, O my Savior, shattering its gates as Almighty, resurrecting the dead as Creator, and destroying the sting of death. Thou hast delivered Adam from the curse, O Lover of man,//and we cry to Thee: “O Lord, save us!”
Tone 3Kontakion(Ss Cyril and 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 4Kontakion(Martyrs)
Invincible in your struggles for the Holy Trinity, and through your love for each other as sisters, you defeated the foe of the spiritual life, and with the five virgins, entered victoriously into the heavenly mansions //where you ever rejoice with the angels in the presence of the King of all!
now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Tone 4Kontakion(Feast)
By thy nativity, O most pure Virgin, Joachim and Anna are freed from barrenness, Adam and Eve — from the corruption of death. And we, thy people, freed from the guilt of sin, celebrate and sing to thee://“The barren woman gives birth to the Theotokos, the nourisher of our Life.”
Epistle:Galatians 6:11-18/2 Corinthians 1:21-2:4
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.
Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.
Moreover I call God as witness against my soul, that to spare you I came no more to Corinth. Not that we have dominion over your faith, but are fellow workers for your joy; for by faith you stand.
But I determined this within myself, that I would not come again to you in sorrow. For if I make you sorrowful, then who is he who makes me glad but the one who is made sorrowful by me?
And I wrote this very thing to you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have joy, having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all. For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you.
Gospel:John 3:13-17/Matthew 22:1-14
“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.”
And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.” ’ But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.
“But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
“For many are called, but few are chosen.”
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. Help us reach your children and grandchildren with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
