December 28, 2014 Specials

Divine Liturgy Specials on Sunday, December 28, 2014

Tone 2 / Eothinon 5, Sunday After Nativity (Evading Herod)

Joseph the Betrothed; David, Prophet-King; James, Lord’s Brother; 14,000 Infants

Ἀντίφωνον α´ – Ἦχος β´ 1  Ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι Κύριε ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ μου, διηγήσομαι πάντα τὰ θαυμάσιά σου. 2  Ἐν βουλῇ εὐθέων καὶ συναγωγῇ, μεγάλα τὰ ἔργα Κυρίου. 3  Ἐξεζητημένα εἰς πάντα τὰ θελήματα αὐτοῦ. Ἐξομολόγησις καὶ μεγαλοπρέπεια τὸ ἔργον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἡ δικαιοσύνη αὐτοῦ μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος.      Ταῖς πρεσβείαις τῆς Θεοτόκου, Σῶτερ, σῶσον ἡμᾶς. Ἀντίφωνον β´ – Ἦχος ὁ αὐτός 1 Μακάριος ἀνήρ, ὁ φοβούμενος τὸν Κύριον, ἐν ταῖς ἐντολαῖς αὐτοῦ θελήσει σφόδρα. 2 Δυνατὸν ἐν τῇ γῇ ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα αὐτοῦ.  Δόξα καὶ πλοῦτος ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἡ δικαιοσύνη αὐτοῦ μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος. 3  Ἐξανέτειλεν ἐν σκότει φῶς τοῖς εὐθέσιν.        Σῶσον ἡμᾶς Υἱὲ Θεοῦ, ὁ ἐκ Παρθένου τεχθείς, ψάλλοντάς σοι· Ἀλληλούϊα. Δόξα... Καὶ νῦν... Ὁ Μονογενὴς Υἱός...  Ἀντίφωνον γ´ –  Ἦχος δ' 1 Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τῷ Κυρίῳ μου· Κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου, ἕως ἂν θῶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν σου. 2 Ῥάβδον δυνάμεως ἐξαποστελεῖ σοι Κύριος ἐκ Σιών. 3 Μετὰ σοῦ ἡ ἀρχὴ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ τῆς δυνάμεώς σου, ἐν ταῖς λαμπρότησι τῶν Ἁγίων σου. Ἀπολυτίκιον –  Ἦχος δ' Ἡ γέννησίς σου Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, ἀνέτειλε τῷ κόσμῳ, τὸ φῶς τὸ τῆς γνώσεως· ἐν αὐτῇ γὰρ οἱ τοῖς  ἄστροις λατρεύοντες, ὑπὸ ἀστέρος ἐδιδάσκοντο, σὲ προσκυνεῖν, τὸν Ἥλιον τῆς δικαιοσύνης, καὶ σὲ γινώσκειν ἐξ ὕψους ἀνατολήν, Κύριε δόξα σοι. Εἰσοδικόν – Ἦχος β´ Δεῦτε προσκυνήσωμεν καὶ προσπέσωμεν Χριστῷ. Σῶσον ἡμᾶς, Υἱὲ Θεοῦ, ὁ ἀναστὰς ἐκ νεκρῶν, ψάλλοντάς σοι· Ἀλληλούϊα. Ἀπολυτίκιον – Ἦχος δ' Τὸ φαιδρὸν τῆς Ἀναστάσεως κήρυγμα, ἐκ τοῦ Ἀγγέλου μαθοῦσαι αἱ τοῦ Κυρίου μαθήτριαι, καὶ τὴν προγονικὴν ἀπόφασιν ἀπορρίψασαι, τοῖς Ἀποστόλοις καυχώμεναι ἔλεγον· Ἐσκύλευται ὁ θάνατος, ἡγέρθη Χριστὸς ὁ Θεός, δωρούμενος τῷ κόσμῳ τὸ μέγα ἔλεος. Ἀπολυτίκιον –  Ἦχος δ' Ἡ γέννησίς σου Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, ἀνέτειλε τῷ κόσμῳ, τὸ φῶς τὸ τῆς γνώσεως· ἐν αὐτῇ γὰρ οἱ τοῖς  ἄστροις λατρεύοντες, ὑπὸ ἀστέρος ἐδιδάσκοντο, σὲ προσκυνεῖν, τὸν Ἥλιον τῆς δικαιοσύνης, καὶ σὲ γινώσκειν ἐξ ὕψους ἀνατολήν, Κύριε δόξα σοι. Ἀπολυτίκιον –  Ἦχος β' Εὐαγγελίζου Ἰωσήφ, τῷ Δαυῒδ τὰ θαύματα τῷ Θεοπάτορι· Παρθένον εἶδες κυοφορήσασαν· μετὰ Μάγων προσεκύνησας· μετὰ Ποιμένων ἐδοξολόγησας· δι' Ἀγγέλου χρηματισθείς. Ἱκέτευε Χριστὸν τὸν Θεόν, σωθῆναι τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν. Ἀπολυτίκιον – Ἦχος πλ. δ' Εὐλογητὸς εἶ, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, ὁ πανσόφους τοὺς ἁλιεῖς ἀναδείξας, καταπέμψας αὐτοῖς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, καὶ δι' αὐτῶν τὴν οἰκουμένην σαγηνεύσας, φιλάνθρωπε, δόξα σοι. Ἀπολυτίκιον – Ἦχος δ' Κανόνα πίστεως καὶ εἰκόνα πραότητος, ἐγκρατείας διδάσκαλον, ἀνέδειξέ σε τῇ ποίμνῃ σου, ἡ τῶν πραγμάτων ἀλήθεια· διὰ τοῦτο ἐκτήσω τῇ ταπεινώσει τὰ ὑψηλά, τῇ πτωχείᾳ τὰ πλούσια, Πάτερ Ἱεράρχα Νικόλαε· πρέσβευε Χριστῷ τῷ Θεῷ, σωθῆναι τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν. Κοντάκιον – Ἦχος γ' Ἡ Παρθένος σήμερον, τὸν ὑπερούσιον τίκτει, καὶ ἡ γῆ τὸ Σπήλαιον, τῷ ἀπροσίτῳ προσάγει. Ἄγγελοι μετὰ Ποιμένων δοξολογοῦσι. Μάγοι δὲ μετὰ ἀστέρος ὁδοιποροῦσι· δι' ἡμᾶς γὰρ ἐγεννήθη, Παιδίον νέον, ὁ πρὸ αἰώνων Θεός. Τρισάγιον. Εἰς τό ᾽Εξαιρέτως:  ῎Αξιόν ἐστιν.... Κοινωνικόν: Αἰνεῖτε.... Εἴδομεν τό φῶς... Εἴη τό ὄνομα Κυρίου… Ἀπόλυσις· Ὁ ἐν σπηλαίῳ γεννηθεὶς καὶ ἐν φάτνῃ ἀνακληθεὶς διὰ τὴν ἡμῶν σωτηρίαν, Χριστὸς...	Divine Liturgy Hymnal, p. 16:  ANTIPHON I – Tone 2 1 I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart: I will speak of all Your marvelous works. [Psalm 110:1] 2 In the assembly of the upright and in the congregation, the works of the Lord are great. [Psalm 110:2] 3 His purposes are treasured in every way.  His work is honorable and majestic, and His righteousness endures unto the ages of ages. [Psalm 110:3]     Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us. Divine Liturgy Hymnal, p. 18:  ANTIPHON II – Same tone 1 Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who delights greatly in His commandments.  [Psalm 111:1] 2 His seed shall be mighty upon the earth.  Glory and riches shall be in his house, and his righteousness endures unto the ages of ages.  [Psalm 111:2] 3 A light has dawned in the darkness, upon the upright. [Psalm 111:3]     Save us, O Son of God, Who of the Virgin is born; who sing to You.  Alleluia. Glory… Both now… O, only begotten Son… Divine Liturgy Hymnal, p. 24:  ANTIPHON III – Tone 3 1 The Lord said unto my Lord: sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies the footstool at Your feet.  [Psalm 109:1] 2 The Lord shall send You a rod of strength out of Zion.  [Psalm 109:2] 3 With You is dominion in the day of Your power, in the beauties of Your saints.  [Psalm 109:3] APOLYTIKION of Christ’s Nativity (Christmas) – Tone 4 Your Nativity, Christ our God, has made the light of knowledge dawn on the world, for by it those who adored the stars were taught by a star to worship you, the Sun of justice, and to know you the Dayspring from on high. Lord, glory to you!                                                                           (FEL) EISODIKON –Tone 2 Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ. Save us, O Son of God, Who are risen from the dead; who sing to You. Alleluia. APOLYTIKION resurrectional of the Tone of the day – Tone 4 When the tidings of the resurrection from the glorious angel was proclaimed unto the women disciples, and our ancestral sentence also had been abolished, to the Apostles with boasting did they proclaim that death is vanquished ever more and Christ our God has risen from the dead, and granted to the world the great mercy.  (DLH, p. 84) APOLYTIKION of Christ’s Nativity (Christmas) – Tone 4 Your Nativity, Christ our God, has made the light of knowledge dawn on the world, for by it those who adored the stars were taught by a star to worship you, the Sun of justice, and to know you the Dayspring from on high. Lord, glory to you!                                                                           (FEL) APOLYTIKION of Christ’s Relatives – Tone 2 Annunciate the miracles to David the ancestor of God, O Joseph. You saw the Virgin pregnant. You glorified with the shepherds. You worshipped with the Magi. And you were warned by an Angel. Entreat Christ God to save our souls.                                                                                       (FSD) APOLYTIKION of our Church (Holy Trinity) – Tone 8 O Blessed are you, O Christ our God, who by sending down the Holy Spirit upon them, made the fishermen wise and through them illumined the world.  And unto you, the universe was ever drawn, all glory to you, O God. (DLH, p. 115) APOLYTIKION of our Church (St. Nicholas) – Tone 4(DLH, p. 110) As a yardstick of faith and an icon of gentleness; as a teacher of temperance, your actual deeds have declared you as being among your flock.  In this manner you gained by humility, things most sublime, and through poverty earned true wealth.  Father and our hierarch St. Nicholas intercede with Christ our God that our souls may be saved. KONTAKION of Christ’s Nativity (Christmas)  – Tone 3 Lo, the Virgin now gives birth to the Transcendent in essence, to the unapproachable, the earth is giving the cavern. Angels sing and with the shepherds do glorify him. Following a star the Magi are on their way; He was born to us a new child, yet He is eternally God. Divine Liturgy Hymnal, p. 26:  TRISAGION. DLH, p. 54: AT THE Especially…,  It is truly meet… DLH, p. 66: KOINONIKON:  Praise the Lord… DLH, p. 70: After Communion, We have seen the true light… DLH, p. 74: Blessed be the Name of the Lord… Divine Liturgy Hymnal, p. 78:  THE DISMISSAL: May He Who was born in a cave and lay in a manger for our salvation, Christ...
Matthew recounts the flight into Egypt, the massacre of the innocents, and the return of the holy family to Nazareth some time later. Egypt is the obvious choice, for it has already served as a place of refuge for the people of Israel. Out of Egypt will come Israel's redemption, just as in the days of the Exodus under Moses. Herod orders the execution of all boys under two years old. Matthew quotes Jeremiah who speaks of Israel being overwhelmed by a foreign power, devastated and about to be taken into exile. Rachel's weeping, however, will be short-lived. Jesus is to return to save his people. The family returns to their	hometown, Nazareth, and Matthew gives the prophetic picture of a rejected and humiliated messiah. The town was partly Gentile, and of little value to "righteous" Jews. Yet, there dawns the new age of the kingdom. In Jesus, we are a redeemed people: "out of Egypt". God will save his people against all odds. In Jesus, we are a persecuted people: "Rachel weeping for her children." Yet trouble leads to glory. In Jesus, we are no people: "Nazarenes". We can claim no standing before the world, other than our standing before God. With such standing, who needs the acclamation of the world?   Rev. Bryan Findlayson (Anglican)
This insert is a gift from our Byzantine School.  We invite you to join us on the last Thursday of each month at 6 pm, as we explore the selection of liturgy “specials” for each week, and other issues related to the liturgical services of our Church. Next mtg – 1/29/15. Please consult the Sunday Bulletin for our regular announcements, or contact Tasos Ioannides, ioanniam@uc.edu or (513)556-3137.  Translation Sources: DLH= Divine Liturgy Hymnal; FSD=Fr Seraphim Dedes; KL=Kevin Lawrence; FEH =Fr Edward Hughes; FEL=Fr Ephraim Lash.