Click above to send names of those to be commemorated at Liturgy.

September 11, 2022

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 this weekend, Vespers and confessions are canceled on Saturday 9/10.

This Thursday, September 8, is the Nativity of the Mother of God. We will have Vespers, Wednesday (9/7) at 5:00 PM and Divine Liturgy, Thursday (9/8) at 7:00 AM.

This Sunday after Liturgy, there will be a memorial service for those killed in the terrorist attack on 9/11.

Finally, toward the top of the bulletin, you may have noticed this graphic:

Clicking on it here or above will take you to an online form to submit names to be remembered at Liturgy. ll the members of the parish are remembered every week but please take a moment every week to ask Fr Christopher and me to pray for those in need.

In Christ,

+Fr Gregory

This Week at Ss Cyril & Methodius

Wednesday, September 7

• 3:00-5:00 PM: Office Hours
• 5:00 PM: Vespers

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

• 7:00 AM: Divine Liturgy

Saturday, September 10

• 4:00 PM: Confessions [canceled]
• 5:00 PM: Vespers [canceled]
• 6:00 PM: Confessions [canceled]

Sunday, September 11

• 9:00 AM: Hours/Pre-Communion Prayers
• 9:30 AM: Divine Liturgy
• 10:45 AM: Memorial for those killed in 9/11 Terrorist Attack

Looking Ahead

Tuesday, September 13

• 5:oo PM: Vespers (Elevation of the Cross)

Wednesday, September 14

• 7:00 AM: Divine LIturgy
• 3:00-5:00 PM: Office Hours [canceled]

Thursday, September 15

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

Saturday, September 17

• 4:00 PM: Confessions [canceled]
• 5:00 PM: Vespers [canceled]
• 6:00 PM: Confessions [canceled]

Sunday, September 18

• 9:00 AM: Hours/Pre-Communion Prayers
• 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 (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 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 Kontakion (Resurrection)

 Having raised all the dead from the valleys of darkness by His life-giving hand, Christ our God granted resurrection to the human dough. For He is the Saviour of all, the Resurrection and Life and God of all.

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

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.

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

Tone 4 Kontakion (Feast)

My Savior and Redeemer as God rose from the tomb and delivered the earth-born from their chains. He has shattered the gates of hell, and as Master,//He has risen on the third day!

Sunday Readings

Epistle: Galatians 6:11-18//1 Corinthians 16:13-24

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.

Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love.

I urge you, brethren—you know the household of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints— that you also submit to such, and to everyone who works and labors with us.

I am glad about the coming of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, for what was lacking on your part they supplied. For they refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge such men.

The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house. All the brethren greet you.

Greet one another with a holy kiss.

The salutation with my own hand—Paul’s.

If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O Lord, come!

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Gospel: John 3:13-17/Matthew 21:33-42

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.

The Lord said, “Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.

“Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?”

They said to Him, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.”

Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

‘The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone.

This was the Lord’s doing,

And it is marvelous in our eyes’?

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

(Instead of “It is truly meet…,” we sing:)

Tone 8

Magnify, O my soul, the most glorious birth of the Mother of God!

Virginity is foreign to mothers; childbearing is strange for virgins. But in thee, O Theotokos, both were accomplished.//Therefore all we nations of the earth unceasingly magnify thee.

Communion Hymn

Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest!

I will receive the cup of salvation and call on the Name of the Lord. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

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.