January 8, 2017 Specials

Divine Liturgy Specials on Sunday, January 8, 2017 (29^th Sunday after Pentecost)

Tone 4 / Eothinon 7, Sunday After Theophany (Preaching Repentance)

                    George the Chozebite (†7^th c.); Righteous Domnica (†c. 474)

Ἀντίφωνον α´ – Ἦχος β´ 1 Ἐν ἐξόδῳ Ἰσραὴλ ἐξ Αἰγύπτου, οἴκου Ἰακώβ, ἐκ λαοῦ βαρβάρου.  Ἐγενήθη Ἰουδαία ἁγίασμα αὐτοῦ, Ἰσραὴλ ἐξουσία αὐτοῦ. 2 Ἡ θάλασσα εἶδεν καὶ ἔφυγεν, ὁ Ἰορδάνης ἐστράφη εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω. 3 Τί σοί ἐστιν θάλασσα ὅτι ἔφυγες, καὶ σοί Ἰορδάνη ὅτι ἐστράφης εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω;     Ταῖς πρεσβείαις τῆς Θεοτόκου, Σῶτερ, σῶσον ἡμᾶς. Ἀντίφωνον β´ – Ἦχος ὁ αὐτός 1 Ἠγάπησα, ὅτι εἰσακούσεται Κύριος τῆς φωνῆς τῆς δεήσεώς μου.  Ὅτι ἔκλινε τό οὖς αὐτοῦ ἐμοί, καί ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις μου ἐπικαλέσομαι. 2 Περιέσχον με ὠδῖνες θανάτου, κίνδυνοι ᾅδου εὕροσάν με. Θλῖψιν καὶ ὀδύνην εὗρον, καὶ τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου ἐπεκαλεσάμην, ὦ Κύριε ῥῦσαι τὴν ψυχήν μου. 3 Ἐλεήμων ὁ Κύριος καί δίκαιος, καί ὁ Θεός ἡμῶν ἐλεεῖ.     Σῶσον ἡμᾶς, Υἱέ Θεοῦ, ὁ ἐν Ἰορδάνῃ ὑπό Ἰωάννου βαπτισθείς, ψάλλοντάς Σοι· Ἀλληλούϊα. Δόξα... Καὶ νῦν... Ὁ Μονογενὴς Υἱός... Ἀντίφωνον γ´ – Ἦχος α' 1 Ἐξομολογεῖσθε τῷ Κυρίῳ, ὅτι ἀγαθός, ὅτι εἰς τόν αἰῶνα τό ἔλεος αὐτοῦ. 2 Εἰπάτω δή οἶκος Ἰσραήλ.  Εἰπάτω δή οἶκος Ἀαρών ὅτι ἀγαθός, ὅτι εἰς τόν αἰῶνα τό ἔλεος αὐτοῦ. 3 Εἰπάτωσαν δή πάντες οἱ φοβούμενοι τόν Κύριον, ὅτι ἀγαθός, ὅτι εἰς τόν αἰῶνα τό ἔλεος αὐτοῦ. Ἀπολυτίκιον – Ἦχος α' Ἐν Ἰορδάνῃ βαπτιζομένου σου Κύριε, ἡ τῆς Τριάδος ἐφανερώθη προσκύνησις· τοῦ γὰρ Γεννήτορος ἡ φωνὴ προσεμαρτύρει σοι, ἀγαπητὸν σε Υἱὸν ὀνομάζουσα· καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα ἐν εἴδει περιστερᾶς, ἐβεβαίου τοῦ λόγου τὸ ἀσφαλές. Ὁ ἐπιφανεὶς Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, καὶ τὸν κόσμον φωτίσας 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 α' Ἐν Ἰορδάνῃ βαπτιζομένου σου Κύριε, ἡ τῆς Τριάδος ἐφανερώθη προσκύνησις· τοῦ γὰρ Γεννήτορος ἡ φωνὴ προσεμαρτύρει σοι, ἀγαπητὸν σε Υἱὸν ὀνομάζουσα· καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα ἐν εἴδει περιστερᾶς, ἐβεβαίου τοῦ λόγου τὸ ἀσφαλές. Ὁ ἐπιφανεὶς Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, καὶ τὸν κόσμον φωτίσας δόξα σοι. 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' Ἐπεφάνης σήμερον τῇ οἰκουμένῃ, καὶ τὸ φῶς σου Κύριε, ἐσημειώθη ἐφ᾽ ἡμᾶς, ἐν ἐπιγνώσει ὑμνοῦντας σε·  Ἦλθες ἐφάνης τὸ Φῶς τὸ ἀπρόσιτον. Τρισάγιον. Εἰς τό ᾽Εξαιρέτως:  ῎Αξιόν ἐστιν.... Κοινωνικόν: Αἰνεῖτε.... Εἴδομεν τό φῶς... Εἴη τό ὄνομα Κυρίου… Ἀπόλυσις· Ὁ ἐν Ἰορδάνῃ ὑπὸ Ἰωάννου βαπτισθῆναι καταδεξάμενος διὰ τὴν ἡμῶν σωτηρίαν...	DLH, p. 16: ANTIPHON I of Theophany – Tone 2 1 When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language.  Judah became his sanctuary, and Israel his dominion. [Psalm 113:1-2] 2 The sea saw it and fled: Jordan was driven back. [Psalm 113:3] 3 What ailed you, O sea, that you fled? O you Jordan, that you were driven back? [Psalm 113:5]     Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us. DLH, p. 18:  ANTIPHON II of Theophany – Same tone 1 I am well pleased, for the Lord will hear the voice of my prayer. He has inclined His ear unto me; therefore will I call upon Him as long as I live. [Psalm 115:1-2] 2 The pangs of death compassed me, and the perils of the netherworld took hold of me; I encountered trouble and pain, and I called upon the Name of the Lord. O Lord, deliver my soul. [Psalm 115:3-4] 3 Merciful is the Lord, and righteous; yea, our God continues to bestow mercy. [Psalm 115:5]     Save us, O Son of God, Who were baptized by John in the Jordan; who sing to You. Alleluia. Glory… Both now… O, only begotten Son… DLH, p. 24:  ANTIPHON III  of Theophany – Tone 5 1 O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy endures forever. [Psalm 117:1] 2 Let the house of Israel now confess.  Let the house of Aaron now confess that He is good; for His mercy endures forever. [Psalm 117:2-3] 4 Let them who fear the Lord now confess that He is good; for His mercy endures forever.  [Psalm 117:4] APOLYTIKION of Theophany – Tone 1 As You were baptized in the Jordan, O Lord, then was the worship of the Trinity made manifest, for the voice of the Father bore witness to You, naming You the Beloved Son; and the Spirit, in the form of a dove, confirmed the certainty of the word. O Christ God, who appeared and illumined the world, glory to You. 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 women Disciples of the Lord had learned from the Angel the joyful message of the Resurrection and had rejected the ancestral decision, they cried aloud to the Apostles triumphantly: Death has been despoiled, Christ God has risen, granting His great mercy to the world. (FSD) APOLYTIKION of Theophany – Tone 1 As You were baptized in the Jordan, O Lord, then was the worship of the Trinity made manifest, for the voice of the Father bore witness to You, naming You the Beloved Son; and the Spirit, in the form of a dove, confirmed the certainty of the word. O Christ God, who appeared and illumined the world, glory to You. 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 Theophany – Tone 4 You appeared to us on earth today, O Master, and Your light was signed on us who cry aloud to You and say with understanding, O Christ our God: You came and shone forth, O Light unapproachable. 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 deigned to be baptized by John in the Jordan for our salvation….
St. John the Baptist and Christ the Savior came to their first sermon with the same words: Repent, for the kingdom of God… The kingdom of God is the harmony of love, the society that unites God and men under the law of perfect communion. In order to enter this kingdom, we really need to repent. The word repentance does not mean only "remorse"; repentance involves breaking away from something and striving for something else. If we want to heal with God and with other people for the kingdom (where everything is love), we must break away from selfishness, from greedy and cruel love, from cherishing ourselves at the expense of others. We must break away from false notions about ourselves, as if we were at the center of the universe and everything should serve us; instead, we must serve all! We must break away from what is stuck in our hearts, from those attachments that are not love, but enslavement. We need to review all our relations,	retaining only the spirit of freedom and of love. As we give freedom to others, we also obtain it for ourselves.  Love is selfless service to and reverence for others. We need to break away from bondage in order to experience freedom, and only then we can enter into the kingdom of love. There can be no slaves in the realm of love, in which people are free and liberated by God to be available to one another. We must also strive for something else. We must strive after God who is our peace with each other. We must reconcile with Him who is our liberator, who wants each of us to grow up into the full measure of His stature, to be like Him, to recapture what we once were: we must make this our internal law of life, life in His abundance. Repentance is changing direction, tearing off from our eyes, ears, hearts, feelings, thoughts, and flesh everything that is captivity or enslavement, and exiting to the freedom of abundant life.                METROPOLITAN ANTHONY BLOOM OF SOUROZH (1974)
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 – 1/26/17! 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.