September 11, 2016 Specials

Divine Liturgy Specials on Sunday September 11, 2016

Tone 3 / Eothinon 1, Pre-Elevation (God So Loved the World)

  Euphrosynos the Cook (†9^th c.); Ven. Theodora (†491); Chrysostomos of Smyrna (†1922)

Ἀντίφωνον α´ – Ἦχος β´ 1 Μνήσθητι Κύριε τοῦ Δαυῒδ καὶ πάσης τῆς πραότητος αὐτοῦ. 2 Ἰδοὺ ἠκούσαμεν αὐτὴν ἐν Ἐφραθᾷ, εὕρομεν αὐτὴν ἐν τοῖς πεδίοις τοῦ δρυμοῦ. Δεδοξασμένα ἐλαλήθη περὶ σοῦ ἡ πόλις τοῦ Θεοῦ. 3 Ὁ Θεὸς ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῆς καὶ οὐ σαλευθήσεται.     Ταῖς πρεσβείαις τῆς Θεοτόκου, Σῶτερ, σῶσον ἡμᾶς. Ἀντίφωνον β´ – Ἦχος ὁ αὐτός 1 Ὤμοσε Κύριος τῷ Δαυῒδ ἀλήθειαν καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀθετήσει αὐτήν.  Ἐκ καρποῦ τῆς κοιλίας σου θήσομαι ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου σου. 2 Ἐκεῖ ἐξανατελῶ κέρας τῷ Δαυΐδ, ἡτοίμασα λύχνον τῷ Χριστῷ μου. 3 Ὅτι ἐξελέξατο Κύριος τὴν Σιών, ᾑρετίσατο αὐτὴν εἰς κατοικίαν ἑαυτῷ.     Σῶσον ἡμᾶς, Υἱὲ Θεοῦ, ὁ ἀναστὰς ἐκ νεκρῶν, ψάλλοντάς σοι· Ἀλληλούϊα. Δόξα... Καὶ νῦν... Ὁ Μονογενὴς Υἱός... Ἀντίφωνον γ´ –  Ἦχος δ´ 1 Ὧδε κατοικήσω, ὅτι ᾑρετισάμην αὐτήν. 2 Ἡγίασε τὸ σκήνωμα αὐτοῦ ὁ Ὕψιστος.  Ἅγιος ὁ ναός σου, θαυμαστὸς ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ. Ἀπολυτίκιον –  Ἦχος δ´ Ἡ γέννησίς σου Θεοτόκε, χαρὰν ἐμήνυσε πάσῃ τῇ οἰκουμένῃ· ἐκ σοῦ γὰρ ἀνέτειλεν ὁ ἥλιος τῆς δικαιοσύνης, Χριστὸς ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, καὶ λύσας τὴν κατάραν, ἔδωκε τὴν εὐλογίαν, καὶ καταργήσας τὸν θάνατον, ἐδωρήσατο ἡμῖν ζωὴν τὴν αἰώνιον. Εἰσοδικόν – Ἦχος β´ Δεῦτε προσκυνήσωμεν καὶ προσπέσωμεν Χριστῷ. Σῶσον ἡμᾶς, Υἱὲ Θεοῦ, ὁ ἀναστὰς ἐκ νεκρῶν, ψάλλοντάς σοι· Ἀλληλούϊα. Ἀπολυτίκιον –  Ἦχος γ' Εὐφραινέσθω τὰ οὐράνια, ἀγαλλιάσθω τὰ ἐπίγεια, ὅτι ἐποίησε κράτος ἐν βραχίονι αὐτοῦ ὁ Κύριος, ἐπάτησε τῷ θανάτῳ τὸν θάνατον, πρωτότοκος τῶν νεκρῶν ἐγένετο, ἐκ κοιλίας Ἅδου ἐρρύσατο ἡμᾶς, καὶ παρέσχε κόσμῳ τὸ μέγα ἔλεος. Ἀπολυτίκιον – Ἦχος δ'   Ἡ γέννησίς σου Θεοτόκε, χαρὰν ἐμήνυσε πάσῃ τῇ οἰκουμένῃ· ἐκ σοῦ γὰρ ἀνέτειλεν ὁ ἥλιος τῆς δικαιοσύνης, Χριστὸς ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, καὶ λύσας τὴν κατάραν, ἔδωκε τὴν εὐλογίαν, καὶ καταργήσας τὸν θάνατον, ἐδωρήσατο ἡμῖν ζωὴν τὴν αἰώνιον. 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 δ'  Αὐτόμελον Ἰωακεὶμ καὶ Ἄννα ὀνειδισμοῦ ἀτεκνίας, καὶ Ἀδὰμ καὶ Εὔα, ἐκ τῆς φθορᾶς τοῦ θανάτου, ἠλευθερώθησαν, Ἄχραντε, ἐν τῇ ἁγίᾳ γεννήσει σου· αὐτὴν ἑορτάζει καὶ ὁ λαός σου, ἐνοχῆς τῶν πταισμάτων, λυτρωθεὶς ἐν τῷ κράζειν σοι· Ἡ στεῖρα τίκτει τὴν Θεοτόκον, καὶ τροφὸν τῆς ζωῆς ἡμῶν. Τρισάγιον. Εἰς τό ᾽Εξαιρέτως:  ῎Αξιόν ἐστιν.... Κοινωνικόν: Αἰνεῖτε.... Εἴδομεν τό φῶς... Εἴη τό ὄνομα Κυρίου… Ἀπόλυσις·   Ὁ ἀναστάς ἐκ νεκρῶν....	DLH, p. 16:  ANTIPHON I for Nativity of Theotokos– Tone 2 1 Lord, remember David and all his meekness.  [Psalm 131:1] 2 Lo we heard of her in Ephratha, we found her in the plains of the forest.  Most glorious things have been said, O City of God.  [Psalm 131:6] 3 The Lord is within her, and she shall not be perturbed.   [Psalm 45:6]                                                                                             save us.     Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Savior, DLH, p. 18:  ANTIPHON II for Nativity of Theotokos – Tone 2 1 The Lord has sworn the truth to David and He shall not abrogate it.  From the fruit of your belly I shall put on your throne.  [Psalm 131:11] 2 There I shall make the horn of David to bud, I have prepared a lamp for Christ, my anointed one.  [Psalm 131:17] 3 For the Lord has chosen Sion, He has selected her for his abode.  [Psalm 131:13]     Save us, O Son of God, Who is risen from the dead; who sing to You.  Alleluia. Glory… Both now… O, only begotten Son… DLH, p. 24:  ANTIPHON III for Nativity of Theotokos – Tone 4 1 There I shall dwell, for I have selected her.  [Psalm 117:24] 2 The most High has sanctified His tabernacle.  Your temple is Holy indeed, most wondrous in her righteousness.  [Psalm 45:5; 64:5-6] APOLYTIKION for Nativity of Theotokos – Tone 4 Your nativity, O Theotokos, brought great joy to the whole world, for from you dawned the sun of Righteousness, Christ who is our God. Dismantling the ancient curse, He gave us His blessings. Abolishing death by death, He granted us eternal life. 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 3 Let all things above in heav’n rejoice, and let all things below on earth be glad.  With all the might and strength of His arm, and eternal deed the Lord did perform, beneath His feet He has trampled down death by death, and first born of the dead has He become.  From the womb of Hades has He delivered us and to all the world has granted His great redeeming mercy.               (DLH, p. 83) APOLYTIKION of the Nativity of the Theotokos – Tone 4 Your nativity, O Theotokos, has proclaimed joy to the whole universe; for from you shone forth the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God; annulling the curse and bestowing the blessing, abolishing death and granting us life everlasting!                                                                      (FEH) 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 the Nativity of the Theotokos – Tone 4 Joakim and Anna from their anguish of barrenness, just as Adam and Eve from the corruption of death, were freed O Immaculate upon your holy nativity.  This is what your people now celebrate, released from the burden of our sins as we cry to you: The barren gives birth to Theotokos, the sustainer of our lives. 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 is risen from the dead, Christ...
A prototype of the Holy Cross is found in the Book of Numbers. Moses, in order to save his people from the deadly bites of poisonous snakes, received instructions from God to lift up a bronze serpent, and "it shall come to pass that whenever a serpent shall bite a man, every one so bitten that looks upon it shall live" [Num 21:8]. Christ himself uses this prefiguration as an example of Himself being lifted up on the Cross. As all those Israelites who looked upon the bronze serpent were saved from the deadly bites of the viper snakes; likewise, whoever turns to Christ with faith as his own Savior and beholds His Crucifixion, will be saved from the deadly bites of Satan. The bite of sin and death is cured through the wounds of Christ, as this was foretold by the Prophet Isaiah saying, "He was wounded on account of our sins, and was bruised because of our iniquities" [Is 53:5]. Through our Lord's death, death has been conquered and life has been granted to the world. With the New Covenant, man becomes a member of God's Kingdom through Holy Baptism, and receives the Gift of the Holy Spirit through Holy Chrismation. Christ becomes the center of our life, and we are called to become imitators of Christ. When man is baptized in the Orthodox Church, he becomes a Christ-bearer, a vessel through whom Christ's	life is shown to the world. St. Paul emphasizes this teaching in his Epistle to the Galatians saying, "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ" [Gal 3:27]. Baptism in Christ means that an Orthodox Christian participates in Christ's death and resurrection [Rom 6:3]. The Holy Cross is the power of God for overcoming sin [1 Cor 1:18], and baptism is our Cross! This is the reason why the Bishop or Priest after the baptism hangs around the neck of the newly baptized the Cross, to remind us the words of Christ saying, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take u his cross daily, and follow Me" [Lk 9:23]. Faith in the Cross of Christ is a living, dynamic and continuous condition, which Orthodox Christians must experience in their life by taking up their cross on a daily basis. Orthodoxy is not something which one exercises only at one's critical moments of life. It is not just a decision which one has the choice to follow or not, but it is the Way of Life in Christ Jesus. We as Orthodox Christians have been saved, by being baptized into Christ. We are being saved, as we grow in Christ participating in the sacramental life of the Church, and we will be saved, by the mercy and love of God at the Last Judgment.       METROPOLITAN PANTELEIMON OF ANTINOE, EGYPT (b. 1955)
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: 9/29/16. Please consult the Sunday Bulletin for our regular announcements, or contact Tasos, ioanniam@yahoo.com or (937)232-9665.  Translation Sources: DLH= Divine Liturgy Hymnal; FSD=Fr Seraphim Dedes; KL=Kevin Lawrence; FEH =Fr Edward Hughes; FEL=Fr Ephraim Lash.