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SS.

kosmas & damianos Orthodox Church (goa)


703 W. Center Street, Rochester, MN (507) 282-1529 http://www.rochesterorthodoxchurch.org
office@rochesterorthodoxchurch.org Rev. Fr. Mark Muñoz, Proistamenos
ΑΠΟΛΥΤΙΚΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΗΜΕΡΑΣ/APOLYTIKIA FOR TODAY

Oτε κατήλθες πρός τόν θάνατον, η Ζωή η αθάνατος, τότε τόν


Άδην ενέκρωσας τή αστραπή τής θεότητος, ότε δέ καί τούς
τεθνεώτας εκ τών καταχθονίων ανέστησας, πάσαι αι Δυνάμεις
τών επουρανίων εκραύγαζον, Ζωοδότα Χριστέ ο Θεός ημών δόξα
σοι.

O life immortal, when you descended unto death, you destroyed


Hades with the splendor of your divinity, and when you raised the
dead from the depths of darkness, all the heavenly powers shouted:
O Giver of life, Christ our God, glory to you.

Mετεμορφώθης ἐν τῷ ὄρει Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, δείξας τοῖς Μαθηταῖς


σου τὴν δόξαν σου, καθὼς ἠδυναντο. Λάμψον καὶ ἡμῖν τοῖς
ἁμαρτωλοῖς, τὸ φῶς σου τὸ ἀΐδιον, πρεσβείαις τῆς Θεοτόκου,
φωτοδότα δόξα σοι.

You were transfigured on the Mount, Christ God revealing Your


glory to Your disciples, insofar as they could comprehend. Illuminate us sinners also with Your
everlasting light, through the intercessions of the Theotokos. Giver of light, glory to You.

ΚΟΝΤΑΚΙΟΝ ΤΗΣ ΗΜΕΡΑΣ/KONTAKION FOR TODAY


Ἐπὶ τοῦ ὄρους μετεμορφώθης, καὶ ὡς ἐχώρουν οἱ Μαθηταί σου τὴν δόξαν σου, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἐθεάσαντο,
ἵνα ὅταν σε ἴδωσι σταυρούμενον, τὸ μὲν πάθος νοήσωσιν ἑκούσιον, τῷ δὲ κόσμῳ κηρύξωσιν, ὅτι σὺ
ὑπάρχεις ἀληθῶς, τοῦ Πατρὸς τὸ ἀπαύγασμα.

You were transfigured upon the mount, O Christ our God, and Your disciples, in so far as they could bear,
beheld Your glory. Thus, when they see You crucified, they may understand Your voluntary passion, and
proclaim to the world that You are truly the effulgence of the Father.

11th Sunday of matthew


St. Maximos the Confessor, Holy Martyrs Photius and Anicetus of Nicomedia, Soldier-martyrs of Crete, Sergios,
Stephen and Kastor, Afterfeast of the Transfiguration of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
Palamon, Elder of Saint Pachomius the Great
August 12th, 2018
++DORMITION FAST++
Today’s scripture readings
Epistle reading
St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 9:2-12
The Lord is my strength and my song.
Verse: The Lord has chastened me sorely.

Brethren, you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. This is my defense to those who would examine
me. Do we not have the right to our food and drink? Do we not have the right to be accompanied by a
wife, as the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? Or is it only Barnabas and I who
have no right to refrain from working for a living? Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who
plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? Do
I say this on human authority? Does not the law say the same? For it is written in the law of Moses, "You
shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain." Is it for oxen that God is concerned? Does he not
speak entirely for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and
the thresher thresh in hope of a share in the crop. If we have sown spiritual good among you, is it too
much if we reap your material benefits? If others share this rightful claim upon you, do not we still more?
Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in
the way of the gospel of Christ.
Gospel pericope
Matthew 18:23-35

The Lord said this parable: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle
accounts with his servants. When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten
thousand talents; and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and
all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, 'Lord, have
patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released
him and forgave him the debt. But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow
servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, 'Pay what you owe.' So
his fellow servant fell down and besought him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' He refused
and went and put him in prison till he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken
place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place.
Then his lord summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because
you besought me; and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?'
And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailors, till he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly
Father will do to everyone of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."
Announcements
Mon. Aug. 13th: Paraklesis, 6:00pm
Wed. Aug. 15th: Dormition of the Holy Theotokos, Orthros/Divine Liturgy/Artoklasia, 8:30am
Sat. Aug. 18th: GOYA canoeing on the Zumbro, 1pm

HOW TO RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION—Only Orthodox Christians in good standing are


encouraged to receive Holy Communion frequently, provided they have prepared themselves
spiritually, mentally and physically. They must be on time for the Divine Liturgy, and be in a Christ-
like, humble state of mind. They should be in a confession relationship with their priest or spiritual
father, have observed the fasts of the Church, and they should have self-examined their conscience.
On the day of receiving Holy Communion, it is not proper to eat or drink anything before coming to
church. When you approach to receive Holy Communion, state your Christian (baptismal) name
clearly, and hold the red communion cloth to your chin. After receiving, wipe your lips on the cloth,
step back carefully, hand the cloth to the next person and make the sign of the Cross as you step
away. Please do not be in a rush while communing! Please take special care not to bump the
Holy Chalice.

SAVE THE DATE: SUNDAY, SEPT. 9TH!


A parish-wide BBQ is planned for after Liturgy on
Sunday, Sept. 9th @ Slatterly Park (10th ST & 11th
Ave SE). Come enjoy Johnny’s Chicken, Fr.
Mark’s BBQ Ribs, Hamburgers, Hotdogs! Please
bring a side dish or dessert to share; beverages will
be provided! Let’s celebrate “Back-to-School” and the end of summer
together!
Today’s liturgical commemorations
1. THE HOLY MARTYRS ANICETAS AND PHOTIUS

Emperor Diocletian once visited the city of Nicomedia with the


evil intention to completely exterminate the Christians. But when
he began his merciless torture of Christians, St. Anicetas, one of
the high ranking officials of the city, boldly confessed before the
emperor his faith in Christ the Lord, God incarnate in the flesh for
our salvation. Along with this, Anicetas also denounced the idols
as deaf and dumb stones and the worship of which is unworthy of
a rational man. The emperor ordered his tongue to be severed but
Anicetas, by the power of God, continued to speak. They then
released a lion against him but the lion cuddled around him. At
that moment the temple of Hercules collapsed. Photius, a kinsman
of Anicetas, seeing the miracles and endurance of Anicetas,
kissed him, declared himself a Christian and cried out to the
emperor: " O idolator, be ashamed, your gods are nothingness!"
The emperor then ordered that Anicetas immediately be
beheaded. However, the executioner, raising his hand against holy
Photius, struck himself with the sword and died. After prolonged
tortures, both Anicetas and Photius were cast into prison where
they languished for three years. Then they were brought out, a fire
was lighted in an enormous furnace and they cast them into the
fire. Many other Christians, men, women and children, willingly
followed them into the fire. From the fire was heard the prayer of
the Christians who were praising God for the death of martydom.
They all suffered about the year 305 A.D. "Saint Anicetas and Saint Photius are invoked in the prayers in the
Sacrament of Anointing with Oil [Holy Unction] and in the Blessing of Water."

2. MAXIMOS THE CONFESSOR

The divine Maximus, who was from Constantinople, sprang from an illustrious family. He was a lover of wisdom
and an eminent theologian. At first, he was the chief private secretary of the Emperor Heraclius and his grandson
Constans. But when the Monothelite heresy became predominant in the royal court, out of hatred for this error the
Saint departed for the Monastery at Chrysopolis (Scutari), of which he later became the abbot. When Constans tried
to constrain him either to accept the Monothelite teaching, or to stop speaking and writing against it - neither of
which the Saint accepted to do - his tongue was uprooted and his right hand was cut off, and he was sent into exile,
where he reposed in 662. At the time only he and his few disciples were Orthodox in the East.
Sunday School Registration
The purpose of the registration is to ascertain the number of children
in each class to ensure that the proper materials are ordered. Loredana
is in charge of the registration and would like everyone to know that if
you have children between the ages of 3-18 she will be contacting you. If you have
any questions regarding registration please email her at loredanaj@yahoo.com First
day of Sunday School is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 16th.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Pearls from the desert…


“A dog is better than I am, for he has love and does not judge.” + St. Xanthias

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
What is the mark of the true Christian?

-A response from St. Anastasios the Sinaite

Some say correct faith and pious works. Jesus, however does not define the
true Christian in these terms. It is possible for one to have faith and good
works, and to be conceited over these and not to be a perfect Christian. A
Christian is a veritable dwelling place of Christ, held together by good
works and pious beliefs. True faith, without works is dead, as are works
without faith. We must, therefore, use every effort to keep ourselves clean
from foul deeds so that it may not be said of us They profess that they know
God, but in works they deny Him (Titus 1:16), wherefore the Lord says If a man loves Me, he will keep My words, and My Father
will love Him, and We will come unto him and make Our home with him (John 14:23). Do we not learn from this that the house
of the soul is built through correct belief and good works, and thus God dwells within us. I will dwell in them, He says, and walk
in them (II Cor. 6:16). The Apostle also points this out when he says Know you not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in
you, except ye be reprobates (II Cor. 13:5)? Will not the devil then know whether or not the Master of the house, Christ, is inside
your mind? When he sees you angry, or shouting, or using oaths, or foul language, or blaming someone, or abusing him, or
finding fault, or reproaching someone, or condemning, or hating, or treating someone unjustly, or being conceited, or boasting, or
laughing a lot, or being elated, or not praying habitually and remembering death, then he knows that God, your protector and
provider is not inside your soul. And so, the evil one enters like a thief, not finding the divine light in your heart, and he loots the
house of your soul, and your last state becomes worse than your first.
Greek fest notes

• A special thanks to all the Fest Committee members for their hard work
and planning this far to ensure another successful festival!

• Our Greek Festival is August 24th, 25th, 26th and we need all parishioners
involved in working towards a successful Festival. A donation list has recently
been sent out to all parishioners and we strongly encourage you to consider a
donation(s) to offset our product cost.

• In addition, as in years past we will also be relying on our parishioners to


supply their time and talents during the weekend. Along with the online sign
up there wilL also be a signup board in the Narthex. Please talk to Calli in
regards to volunteering at Greek Festival. Thank you!

• We will also have important baking dates on Mon-Thurs the week leading
up to Greek Fest, beginning at 10am. All are invited to help out.

• Notwithstanding the financial benefits of the Festival, this is also our


biggest outreach ministry to the local non-Orthodox community wherein
literally hundreds of guests pass through the doors of our church to hear the
informative tours and speak with our outreach volunteers. This is a
momentous weekend for our parish family on many levels…come and be a
part of the excitement!
“About How our Salvation is in the Hands
of God”

-St. Nikolai Velimirovitch

“The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but salvation is in the
Lord” (Proverbs 21:31 ).

We are obligated to prepare ourselves but our success depends on God.


All of our preparation is only a proposal to God but the proposal does
not decide, but God decides. That is why people wisely say according
to their experience: man proposes and God disposes. O Soldier of
Christ, prepare your mind as a good horse, arm your heart with virtues,
temper your will with mortifications, but know – that “salvation is in
the Lord.”

O Merchant of Christ, practice good trade every day, exchanging the material for the spiritual, the earthly
for the heavenly and mortality for immortality, but know – that “salvation is in the Lord.”

O Plowman of Christ, plow and re-plow your soul, sow the good evangelical seed on it every day, weed
out the field of your soul from weeds, watch over it, but know that “salvation is in the Lord.” A horse did
not help the pharaoh in the Red Sea. Neither did the riches of Babylon help in the day of reckoning with
God. A person can prepare all but, nevertheless, in that decisive moment can lose everything. For
salvation is not in preparation, but in the Lord.

That is why the saints, even though most prepared for the Kingdom of God and, in their hour of death,
sighed not knowing whether they will be received into the Kingdom. O how well they remember the
words of the Lord:

“When you have done everything that was commanded you, say: ‘We are unprofitable servants!’ ” (St.
Luke 17:10 ).

Brethren, let us be prepared for the day of temptation, well girded and armed but let us not hope in our
own preparation, but in the Lord.

O Lord our Savior, help us and save us.


FEAST OF THE DORMITION

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15TH

Concerning the Dormition of the Theotokos,


this is what the Church has received from
ancient times from the tradition of the Fathers.
When the time drew nigh that our Savior was
well-pleased to take His Mother to Himself, He
declared unto her through an Angel that three
days hence, He would translate her from this
temporal life to eternity and bliss. On hearing this, she went up with haste to the Mount of Olives, where she prayed
continuously. Giving thanks to God, she returned to her house and prepared whatever was necessary for her burial. While
these things were taking place, clouds caught up the Apostles from the ends of the earth, where each one happened to be
preaching, and brought them at once to the house of the Mother of God, who informed them of the cause of their sudden
gathering. As a mother, she consoled them in their affliction as was meet, and then raised her hands to Heaven and prayed
for the peace of the world. She blessed the Apostles, and, reclining upon her bed with seemliness, gave up her all-holy spirit
into the hands of her Son and God.

With reverence and many lights, and chanting burial hymns, the Apostles took up that God-receiving body and brought it
to the sepulchre, while the Angels from Heaven chanted with them, and sent forth her who is higher than the Cherubim.
But one un believing Hebrew, moved by malice, audaciously stretched forth his hand upon the bed and immediately
received from divine judgment the wages of his audacity. Those daring hands were severed by an invisible blow. But when
he repented and asked forgiveness, his hands were restored. When they had reached the place called Gethsemane, they
buried there with honor the all-immaculate body of the Theotokos, which was the source of Life. But on the third day after
the burial, when they were eating together, and raised up the artos (bread) in Jesus' Name, as was their custom, the
Theotokos appeared in the air, saying "Rejoice" to them. From this they learned concerning the bodily translation of the
Theotokos into the Heavens.

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