Holy anargyroi Greek Orthodox Church

703 W. Center Street, Rochester, MN (507) 282-1529 http://www.holyanargyroi.org

church@holyanargyroi.org Rev. Fr. Mark Muñoz, Proistamenos
ΑΠΟΛΤΣΙΚΙΑ ΣΗ΢ ΗΜΕΡΑ΢/APOLYTIKIA FOR TODAY
Ότε 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.

Ἡ ἀμνάς σου Ἰησοῦ, κράζει μεγάλη τῇ φωνῇ· Σὲ Νυμφίε μου ποθῶ,

καὶ σὲ ζητοῦσα ἀθλῶ, καὶ συσταυροῦμαι καὶ συνθάπτομαι τῷ
βαπτισμῶ σου· καὶ πάσχω διὰ σέ, ὡς βασιλεύσω σὺν σοί, καὶ θνῄσκω
ὑπὲρ σοῦ, ἵνα καὶ ζήσω ἐν σοί, ἀλλ' ὡς θυσίαν ἄμωμον, προσδέχου τὴν
μετὰ πόθου τυθεῖσάν σοι· Αὐτῆς πρεσβείαις, ὡς ἐλεήμων, σῶσον τὰς
ψυχὰς ἡμῶν.

O Lord Jesus, unto Thee Thy lamb doth cry with a great voice: O my Bridegroom, Thee I love; and seeking
Thee, I now contest, and with Thy baptism am crucified and buried. I suffer for Thy sake, that I may
reign with Thee; for Thy sake I die, that I may live in Thee: accept me offered out of longing to Thee as a
spotless sacrifice. Lord, save our souls through her intercessions, since Thou art great in mercy.

ΚΟΝΤΑΚΙΟΝ ΤΗΣ ΗΜΕΡΑΣ/KONTAKION FOR TODAY

Προστασία τών Χριστιανών ακαταίσχυντε, μεσιτεία πρός τόν Ποιητήν αμετάθετε, Μή παρίδης
αμαρτωλών δεήσεων φωνάς, αλλά πρόφθασον, ώς αγαθή, εις τήν βοήθειαν ημών, τών πιστώς
κραυγαζόντων σοι. Τάχυνον εις πρεσβείαν, καί σπεύσον εις ικεσίαν, η προστατεύουσα αεί, Θεοτόκε,
τών τιμώντων σε.
O Protection of Christians that cannot be put to shame, mediation unto the Creator most constant:
despise not the suppliant voices of those who have sinned; but be quick, O good one, to come unto our
aid who in faith cry unto you: Hasten to intercede, and speed to make supplication, you who ever
protect, O Theotokos, them that honor you.
3rd Sunday of matthew
St. Aquilina of Syria, St. Tryphillios Bishop of Nicosia, St. Antonina of Nicea
June 13th, 2010
╬ The Fast of the Holy Apostles ╬
 Today’s scripture readings

Epistle reading
St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans 5:1-11

BRETHREN, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ. Through him we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in
our hope of sharing the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that
suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces
hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us. While we were still weak, at the right time
Christ died for the ungodly. Why, one will hardly die for a righteous man -- though perhaps for
a good man one will dare even to die. But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet
sinners Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we are now justified by his blood, much more shall
we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to
God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his
life. Not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we
have now received our reconciliation.

Gospel pericope
St. Matthew 6:22-33
The Lord said, "The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is sound, your whole body will
be full of light; but if your eye is not sound, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the
light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! No one can serve two masters; for either he
will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You
cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what
you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life
more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow
nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more
value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? And
why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they
neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of
these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown
into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? Therefore do not be
anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear? For the
Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows you need them all. But seek first
his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.”
 COMMUNION PRAYERS
I believe and confess, Lord, that You are truly the Christ, the Son of
the living God, Who came into the world to save sinners, of whom I
am the first. I also believe that this is truly Your pure Body and that
this is truly Your precious Blood. Therefore, I pray to You. Have
mercy upon me, and forgive my transgressions, voluntary and
involuntary, in word and deed, known and unknown. And make me
worthy without condemnation to partake of Your pure Mysteries for
the forgiveness of sins and life eternal. Amen.

Behold, my Maker, I approach Holy Communion. Burn me not as I partake, for You are fire
which burns the unworthy, but cleanse me from every stain.

Receive me today, Son of God, as a partaker of Your mystical Supper. I will not reveal Your
mystery to Your enemies, nor will I give You a kiss as did Judas. But as the thief I confess to
You: Lord, remember me in Your kingdom.

Seeing the Divine Blood, have fear, O man, for it is coal that burns the unworthy. It is God’s
Body that deifies and nourishes me; it deifies the spirit and nourishes the mind mystically.

You have smitten me with yearning, O Christ, and with Your divine love You have changed me.
Burn away my sins with spiritual fire and make me worthy to be filled with Your joy, that
rejoicing in Your goodness, I may magnify Your two Comings.

How shall I, who am unworthy, enter into the splendor of Your saints? If I dare to enter the bridal
chamber, my clothing will accuse me, since it is not a wedding garment; and being bound up, I
shall be cast out by the angels. In Your love, Lord, cleanse the vileness of my soul and save me.

Loving Master, Lord Jesus Christ, my God, let not these holy Gifts be to my condemnation
because of my unworthiness, but for the cleansing and sanctification of soul and body and the
pledge of the future life and kingdom. It is good for me to cling to God and to place in Him the
hope of my salvation.

Receive me today, Son of God, as a partaker of Your mystical Supper. I will not reveal Your
mystery to Your enemies. Nor will I give You a kiss as did Judas. But as the thief I confess to
You: Lord remember me in Your kingdom.
 Announcements
Liturgical/Program Schedule:
Mon. June 14th: Adult Religious Ed. 6pm
Mon. June 14th: Greek Fest Meeting 7pm
Wed. June 16th: Parish Council Meeting 7pm
Sat. June 19th: NO Great Vespers

Coffee Hours available: we are seeking volunteers to host the fellowship hour next Sunday.
Also, there are still Sundays open for the remainder of the year. Please contact Denise
Mangouras, Maria Thomas, or Jackie Barbes to reserve a date. Please remember the fasting
guidelines of the Church are in effect through Sunday, June 27th.

Festival Baking: The Fest Committee is announcing another baking day in preparation for
upcoming Greek Fest. We will be baking koulouria on Saturday, June 19th at 11am in the
Church Hall. Everyone is welcome to come and help out! Your help is greatly appreciated.

Iconography Update: We are very excited to announce that tomorrow, June 14th, the
scaffolding will be erected to first make some minor repairs to the interior of the dome, and
then the following Monday (21st) the iconographer will be installing all of the dome
iconography. This is a momentous event for our parish and we want to thank all of you who
have participated in this phase of the iconography project! With that in mind, if you have an
outstanding balance for a donated icon please submit payment asap. Thank you!

Stewardship request: this time of year is traditionally lean financially speaking for many of our
parishes. We are asking those stewards of the parish who are able to submit their pledged stewardship
amount in full to please consider doing so. This would be a great help in maintaining our monthly cash
flow. Thank you to all who have committed to the 2010 Stewardship Drive!

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.
ETIQUETTE REMINDER: The summer months are now upon us and that means enjoying warm weather
and “fun in the sun”. While shorts, capris, flip-flops, tank tops, ‘spaghetti’ straps, etc. are practical and
acceptable at the pool or the lake front they are not appropriate attire inside the Divine Services of the
Church. At every Eucharistic celebration we are spiritually and physically brought in the awesome presence
of Jesus Christ Himself, and when we commune He comes to dwell within us in a miraculous way.
Therefore the sanctity, solemnity, and dignity of the Divine Liturgy must be preserved for the wellbeing of
all.
***If you are inappropriately dressed please take a cover-up/shawl which are now available in the
Narthex, and please do not be offended if you’re asked to wear one. ***

Today’s liturgical commemorations

1. The Holy Martyr Aquilina.
Born in the Palestinian town of Biblos of Christian parents, little Aquilina was already, at the age of seven, living as a
true Christian, and by the age of ten was so filled with divine understanding and the grace of the Holy Spirit that she
used to preach Christ with great power and zeal to her girl friends. When Diocletian's persecution began, Aquilina
was handed over to the imperial governor, Volusianus, who was more like a beast than a man. He ordered that she
first be flogged and then that a heated rod be passed through her ears and brain. Until the last moment, the virgin
Aquilina freely and clearly confessed Christ the Lord; but when her brains started flowing with her blood from her
head, she fell as if dead. Believing her to be indeed dead, the governor ordered that her body be taken outside the
city and thrown onto a dungheap for the dogs to eat. But, during the night, an angel of God appeared to her and said:
'Arise and be healed!', and the maiden arose and was restored to health, and stood a long time expressing her
gratitude and praise to God and begging Him not to deny her a martyr's death. A voice was heard from heaven: 'Go;
and it shall be to thee as thou desirest', and Aquilina went into the city. The city gates opened of their own accord for
her, and she passed through them and went to the governor's palace like a ghost, standing before his bed and
showing herself to him. The governor was seized with unspeakable terror when he saw the maiden whom he had
thought dead. On the following day, he ordered the executioner to take Aquilina out and behead her with the sword.
Before her execution, she knelt in prayer and surrendered her spirit into God's hands, leaving her dead body to be
beheaded by the executioner. Her relics gave healing to many of the sick. St Aquilina was twelve years old when she
suffered for the Lord; she endured her Passion and was crowned with a wreath of martyrdom in the year 293.
2. St Triphyllius, Bishop of Levcosia in Cyprus.
A pupil of St Spiridon and later his fellow-bishop on the island of Cyprus, he was a merciful man, pure in thought,
chaste in his life, a living fountain of tears', and a great ascetic. He governed Christ's flock well and, when he went to
his rest, received his crown among the great hierarchs in heaven. He entered peacefully into rest in 370.
3. St Anna and her son John.
Taken as an orphan into the house of a nobleman and treated as an adopted child, she was cared for and educated
in that house. The rich man considered her worthy to be married to his son. When the old man died, the family urged
the son to put his wife away because of her low birth and to marry another more suited to his rank and wealth. The
rich man's son feared God and did not want to do this. Seeing her husband in difficulties with his family, Anna secretly
left him and ran off to a distant island where there was not a living soul. She was pregnant, and soon gave birth to a
son. They laboured on the island for thirty years in fasting and prayer. Then, by divine providence, a hieromonk
landed on the island. He baptised her son and named him John. Anna lived her ascetic life in the fifth century, and
died peacefully.
 Introducing a New Adult Class…

“THE HEAVENLY BANQUET”

-understanding, applying, and living the Divine Liturgy

Classes will begin tomorrow Monday, June 14th @ 6pm in the church
hall.
Books are on in and will be available during coffee hour,
each book is $30.
 On the Jesus Prayer, "Lord Jesus Christ
have mercy on me", from our Holy Fathers

In the First Epistle to the Thessalonians the Apostle Paul says: "Pray
without ceasing".
St. John Chrysostom in his speech about sobriety and prayer, says the
following: "Brothers, be always occupied with the intellectual prayer and
do not move far away from God until you receive God's mercy and pity. Never ask for anything
but for His infinite mercy and this is enough for your salvation. When asking for His mercy, cry
aloud in entreaty with humble and contrite heart form morning to night and, if possible, during
the whole night, saying unceasingly: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us".
St John Climacus says the following: "Win the enemies in your mind with the name of God.
You will not find any other weapon more effective than this! Similarly you will manage both to
appease your passions inside yourself and to efface them with the aid of the prayer".
St. Seraphim of Sarov says: "When mind and heart are united in prayer and the soul is wholly
concentrated in a single desire for God, then the heart grows warm and the light of Christ begins
to shine and fills the inward man with peace and joy. We should thank the Lord for everything
and give ourselves up to His will; we should also offer Him all our thoughts and words, and
strive to make everything serve only His good pleasure."
St. Isichios writes about the prayer: "Through the constant remembrance and invocation to
Jesus Christ, a holy condition is created in our mind. This happens, if we appeal to Jesus Christ
with fervor, crying aloud towards Him in entreaty day and night, so that repetition leads to habit
and habit becomes second nature!".
Saint Hieromartyr Kosmas Aetolos (+1779) says: "I advise you to make a Comboschini, all of you,
young and old, and hold it in your left hand and cross yourselves with your right hand and say: ‘Lord
Jesus Christ have mercy on me'".
 Understanding the Bible Through the Church
We should receive and interpret Scripture through the Church and in the Church. Our approach to the Bible is not
only obedient but ecclesial. It is the Church that tells us what is Scripture. A book is not part of Scripture because of
any particular theory about its dating and authorship. Even if it could be proved, for example, that the Fourth Gospel
was not actually written by John the beloved disciple of Christ, this would not alter the fact that we Orthodox accept
the Fourth Gospel as Holy Scripture. Why? Because the Gospel of John is accepted by the Church and in the Church.

It is the Church that tells us what is Scripture, and it is also the Church that tells us how Scripture is to be understood.
Coming upon the Ethiopian as he read the Old Testament in his chariot, Philip the Apostle asked him,
"Understandest thou what thou readest?" And the Ethiopian answered, "How can I, unless some man should guide
me?" (Acts 8:30-31). We are all in the position of the Ethiopian. The words of Scripture are not always self-
explanatory. God speaks directly to the heart of each one of us as we read our Bible. Scripture reading is a personal
dialogue between each one of us and Christ—but we also need guidance. And our guide is the Church. We make full
use of our own personal understanding, assisted by the Spirit, we make full use of the findings of modern Biblical
research, but always we submit private opinion—whether our own or that of the scholars—to the total experience of
the Church throughout the ages. The Orthodox standpoint here is summed up in the question asked of a convert at
the reception service used by the Russian Church: "Do you acknowledge that the Holy Scripture must be accepted and
interpreted in accordance with the belief which has been handed down by the Holy Fathers, and which the Holy
Orthodox Church, our Mother, has always held and still does hold?" We read the Bible personally, but not as isolated
individuals. We read as the members of a family, the family of the Orthodox Catholic Church. When reading
Scripture, we say not "I" but "We." We read in communion with all the other members of the Body of Christ, in all
parts of the world and in all generations of time. The decisive test and criterion for our understanding of what the
Scripture means is the mind of the Church. The Bible is the book of the Church.

To discover this "mind of the Church," where do we begin? Our first step is to see how Scripture is used in worship.
How, in particular, are Biblical lessons chosen for reading at the different feasts? We should also consult the writings
of the Church Fathers, and consider how they interpret the Bible. Our Orthodox manner of reading Scripture is in this
way both liturgical and patristic. And this, as we all realize, is far from easy to do in practice, because we have at our
disposal so few Orthodox commentaries on Scripture available in English, and most of the Western commentaries do
not employ this liturgical and Patristic approach.

As an example of what it means to interpret Scripture in a liturgical way, guided by the use made of it at Church
feasts, let us look at the Old Testament lessons appointed for Vespers on the Feast of the Annunciation. They are three
in number: Genesis 28:10-17; Jacob's dream of a ladder set up from earth to heaven; Ezekiel 43:27-44:4; the
prophet's vision of the Jerusalem sanctuary, with the closed gate through which none but the Prince may pass;
Proverbs 9:1-11: one of the great Sophianic passages in the Old Testament, beginning "Wisdom has built her house."

These texts in the Old Testament, then, as their selection for the feast of the Virgin Mary indicates, are all to be
understood as prophecies concerning the Incarnation from the Virgin. Mary is Jacob's ladder, supplying the flesh that
God incarnate takes upon entering our human world. Mary is the closed gate who alone among women bore a child
while still remaining inviolate. Mary provides the house which Christ the Wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:24) takes as his
dwelling. Exploring in this manner the choice of lessons for the various feasts, we discover layers of Biblical
interpretation that are by no means obvious on a first reading.