Sunday, November 19, 2023

Tone 7

24th Sunday after Pentecost (9th of Luke)

Prophet Obadiah; Martyr Barlaam of Caesarea

Prophet Obadiah (Abdia)

Commemorated on November 19

(OCA) The holy Prophet Obadiah [or Abdia] is the fourth of the Twelve Minor Prophets, and he lived during the ninth century B.C. He was from the village of Betharam, near Sichem, and he served as steward of the impious Israelite King Ahab. In those days the whole of Israel had turned away from the true God and had begun to offer sacrifice to Baal, but Obadiah faithfully served the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in secret.

When Ahab’s wife, the impious and dissolute Jezebel, hunted down all the prophets of the Lord (because of her quarrel with the Prophet Elias), Obadiah gave them shelter and food (3/1 Kgs 18:3 ff). Ahab’s successor King Okhoziah [Ahaziah] sent three detachments of soldiers to arrest the holy Prophet Elias (July 20). One of these detachments was headed by the holy Prophet Obadiah. Through the prayer of the Prophet Elias, two of the detachments were consumed by heavenly fire, but Obadiah and his detachment were spared by the Lord (4/2 Kgs 1).

From that moment Obadiah resigned from military service and became a follower of the Prophet Elias. Afterward, he himself received the gift of prophecy. The God-inspired work of the Prophet Obadiah is the fourth of the Books of the Twelve Minor Prophets in the Bible, and contains predictions about the future salvation of the Gentiles (Vs. 15) and that the Savior would come forth from Sion (Vs. 17). The holy Prophet Obadiah, whose name means servant (or worshipper) of the Lord, was buried in Samaria.

In iconography, the Prophet Obadiah is depicted as a grey-haired old man with a rounded beard. His scroll reads: “In that day, saith the Lord, I shall destroy the wise men out of Idumea.”(Obadiah 8).

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Pre-Christmas Fast begins this Wednesday (11/15).

The Coptic students will celebrate Midnight Praises at 6:00 PM this Wednesday (11/15), everyone is invited!

OCF Friendsgiving this Thursday (11/16).

And, once again, no Vespers or Catechumen class this coming Saturday (11/18) because of the UW home game.

In Christ,

Fr Gregory

This Week at Ss Cyril & Methodius

Wednesday, November 15 (Pre-Christmas Fast begins)

• 2:00-6:00 PM: Office Hours/Confessions 
• 6:00-8:00 PM: Midnight Praises (Coptic)

Thursday, November 16

• 1:00-5:00 PM: Office Hours/Confessions
• 6:00-8:00 PM: OCF Meeting

Saturday,  November 18 (UW Homegame)

• 3:30 PM: Catechumen Class [canceled]
• 4:30 PM: Confessions [canceled]
• 5:00 PM: Great Vespers [canceled]
• 6:00 PM: Confessions [canceled]

Sunday, November 19

• 9:00 AM: Hours & Precommunion Prayers
• 9:30 AM: Divine Liturgy

Looking Ahead

Monday, November 20

• 6:30-8:00 PM: Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service at City Church, 4909 E. Buckeye Rd, Madison

Wednesday, November 22

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

Thursday, November 23: Happy Thanksgiving!

• 1:00-5:00 PM: Office Hours/Confessions [canceled]
• 6:00-8:00 PM: OCF Meeting [canceled]

Saturday,  November 25 

• 3:30 PM: Catechumen Class [canceled]
• 4:30 PM: Confessions [canceled]
• 5:00 PM: Great Vespers [canceled]
• 6:00 PM: Confessions [canceled]

Sunday, November 26

• 9:00 AM: Hours & Precommunion Prayers
• 9:30 AM: Divine Liturgy

Hymns After the Small Entrance

Tone 7 Troparion (Resurrection)

By Thy Cross Thou didst destroy death. To the thief Thou didst open Paradise. For the Myrrhbearers Thou didst change weeping into joy, and Thou didst command Thy disciples, O Christ God,to proclaim that Thou art risen,//granting the world great mercy.

Tone 4 Troparion (Ss 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. Barlaam)

Armed with youthful fervor, thou didst endure martyrdom in old age and didst glorify Christ. Thou didst offer Him thy right hand as a whole burnt offering and thy holy soul as a blameless sacrifice.//Intercede that all that be granted forgiveness, Great-martyr Barlaam.

Tone 7 Kontakion (Resurrection)

The dominion of death can no longer hold men captive, for Christ descended, shattering and destroying its powers. Hell is bound, while the Prophets rejoice and cry: “The Savior has come to those in faith;//enter, you faithful, into the Resurrection!”

Tone 3 Kontakion (Ss 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 3 Kontakion (St. Barlaam)

Though weak with old age thou didst vanquish the Evil One in thy mighty contest, O Barlaam. Thou didst endure the rack like one without a body, and didst steadfastly endure the burning of thy hand.//Therefore, God the Word has crowned thee with a crown of glory.

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

Tone 6 Theotokion

O protection of Christians that cannot be put to shame, mediation unto the Creator most constant, O despise not the suppliant voices of those who have sinned; but be thou quick, O good one, to come unto our aid, who in faith cry unto thee: Hasten to intercession, and speed thou to make supplication, thou who dost ever protect, O Theotokos, them that honor thee.

Epistle: Ephesians 2:14-22

Brethren,  He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.

Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Gospel: Luke 12:16-21

Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” ’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’

“So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

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.