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

Κατέλυσας τῷ Σταυρῷ σου τὸν θάνατον, ἠνέωξας τῷ Ληστῇ τὸν Παράδεισον, τῶν Μυροφόρων τὸν
θρῆνον μετέβαλες, καὶ τοῖς σοῖς Ἀποστόλοις κηρύττειν ἐπέταξας, ὅτι ἀνέστης Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός,
παρέχων τῷ κόσμῳ τὸ μέγα ἔλεος.

You did abolish death by Your cross; You did open Paradise to the thief; You did transform the myrrh-
bearers’ lamentation, and did bid Your Apostles to preach that You are risen, O Christ God, granting
great mercy to the world.

Υπερδεδοξασμένος εί, Χριστέ ο Θεός ημών, ο φωστήρας επί γής τούς Πατέρας ημών θεμελιώσας, καί
δι' αυτών πρός τήν αληθινήν πίστιν, πάντας ημάς οδηγήσας, Πολυεύσπλαγχνε δόξα σοι.

Most glorified are You, O Christ our God, Who has established our Fathers as luminous stars upon the
earth, and through them did guide us all to the true Faith. O Most Merciful One, glory be to You.
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.

Sunday of the holy fathers

July 18th, 2010
 Today’s scripture readings

Epistle reading
St. Paul’s Epistle to the Titus 3:8-15

TITUS, my son, the saying is sure. I desire you to insist on these things, so that those
who have believed in God may be careful to apply themselves to good deeds; these are
excellent and profitable to men. But avoid stupid controversies, genealogies,
dissensions, and quarrels over the law, for they are unprofitable and futile. As for a man
who is factious, after admonishing him once or twice, knowing that such a person is
perverted and sinful; he is self-condemned. When I send Artemas or Tychicos to you,
do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there.
Do your best to speed Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they lack
nothing. And let our people learn to apply themselves to good deeds, so as to help cases
of urgent need, and not to be unfruitful. All who are with me send greeting to you.
Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.

Gospel pericope
St. Matthew 5:14-19

The Lord said to his disciples, "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot
be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives
light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good
works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Think not that I have come to
abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfill them.
For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass
from the law until all is accomplished. Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these
commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but
he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."
 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:
***Fr. Mark will be away until August 1st***
Mon. July 19th: Building Committee, 6pm
Wed. July 21st: Parish Council, 7pm

***No Saturday Eve Vespers for the entire month of July***

Fellowship/Coffee Hour: We still have some open Sunday’s and are asking for volunteers to host the
fellowship hour. Please see Jackie or Denise to sign up! Thank you to those who have hosted in the past!

Greek Fest ’10: is quickly approaching! Our festival has grown over the years which translates into
more work and more workers needed. Presbytera Michelle is the volunteer coordinator and will be
contacting parishioners to solicit assistance. There is a sign-up poster in the narthex, please visit it
and sign in where you are able to help. Please consider your availability for working shifts on the
weekend of Aug. 27th-29th. Thank you to all who are anticipating lending a hand this year!

Discounted Festival Tickets: are also now available for advance purchase, please remember to get the
word out with your family, friends, and co-workers! 12 tickets for $10, normally a $1 each. Please note
that all parishioners and volunteers will be expected to pay for their food-last year we ‘ate’ into our
profits by providing meals gratis. This is a crucial fundraiser for our parish and our cooperation is
necessary to ensure its success.

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.
 Today’s liturgical commemorations
Sunday of the Holy Fathers
Sure Guides on the sea of Life

On the Sunday that falls from the 13th to the 19th of the
present month, we chant the Service to the Holy and God-
bearing Fathers who came together in the Seven Ecumenical Councils, that is: the First Council,
of the 318 Fathers who assembled in Nicaea in 325 to condemn Arius, who denied that the Son
of God is consubstantial with the Father; the Fathers of the First Council also ordained that the
whole Church should celebrate Pascha according to the same reckoning; the Second Council, of
the 150 Fathers who assembled in Constantinople in 381 to condemn Macedonius, Patriarch of
Constantinople, who denied the Divinity of the Holy Spirit; the Third Council, of the 200
Fathers who assembled in Ephesus in 431, to condemn Nestorius, Patriarch of Constantinople,
who called Christ a mere man and not God incarnate; the Fourth Council, of the 630 who
assembled in Chalcedon in 451, to condemn Eutyches, who taught that there was only one
nature, the divine, in Christ after the Incarnation, and Dioscorus, Patriarch of Alexandria, who
illegally received Eutyches back into communion and deposed Saint Flavian, Patriarch of
Constantinople, who had excommunicated Eutyches; the Fifth Council in 535, of the 165 who
assembled in Constantinople for the second time to condemn Origen and Theodore of
Mopsuestia, the teacher of Nestorius; the Sixth Council in 680, of the 170 who assembled in
Constantinople for the third time, to condemn the Monothelite heresy, which taught that there
is in Christ but one will, the divine; and the Seventh Council in 787, of the 350 who assembled in
Nicaea for the second time to condemn Iconoclasm.

The Church was strengthened into one faith through the preaching of the Apostles and the
doctrines of the Fathers. The Church is robed in truth woven of the word of God from above. It
teaches truth, and glorifies the great mystery of faith.
.
 Vacation Church School
Monday-Friday-August 2nd-6th
Kindergarten-6th grade

Beginning at 9:00am through 12:00pm

“Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such
is the kingdom of God.”
 St. Makarios of Optina on “Faith and Works”
Faith is the foundation of all good deeds, and without faith it is impossible
to please the Lord (Heb. 11:6). She is the gift of God (cf. Mark 16:16;
Matt. 28:19-20). The Holy Apostle James teaches: What doth it profit, my
brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works, can faith
save him?... Faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.... For as the
body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also (James
2:14,17,26). For our salvation one needs not simply faith alone, but works
also. The words of the Apostle Paul: By the deeds of the law there shall no
flesh be justified (Romans 3:20) refer to the works of the Old Testament laws
and not to the new commandments of grace. But he who trusts in his own works
even with faith errs.

After baptism it is without fail necessary to keep God's commandments, by which the grace given at baptism is
preserved and, to the measure of one's proficiency in the commandments, is increased. Having transgressed the
commandments, by repentance one again acquires grace. All this acts through faith, but without faith one could
not perform deeds of repentance. In every case both faith and deeds are involved. But one must not think that
one's deeds merit salvation: the merits of the Savior afford us this. One must do good deeds but not place hope in
them. To place hope in one's deeds is a sign of self-reliance. The Lord does not always grant us strength to perform
good deeds, but rather allows the passions to be strengthened in us so that we might acknowledge our weakness
and humble ourselves before God, remembering God's commandment: Whenever you do what has been
commanded you, say we are unprofitable servants, for we have done that which it was our duty to do (Luke 17:10).
Read in Volume One of The Philokalia the book by St. Mark the Ascetic, "On Those Who Think that They are Made
Righteous by Works" (Chapters 1-7, 11-24).

Knowing that deeds are necessary for salvation and striving to perform them, one finds no strength in oneself, one
is conquered by the passions, one is troubled and perplexed as to what to do. Of course, placing one's hope in God
and on the prayers of those who pleased Him can help much in the work of our salvation, but becoming troubled
at one's fall proceeds from spiritual pride. The evil spirits oppose our salvation: our adversary the devil, as a
roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour (I Peter 5:8). Fighting with such foes, one must have a
strong weapon against them, and that is humility, which they cannot oppose. But in doing battle with them
without humility, self-reliantly and proudly, one will always be defeated. For this reason the Lord allows us to fall
so that we might humble ourselves.
 A KIND REMINDER…
Unfortunately, due to our ever increasing schedules and demands Sundays are
the only opportunity I have to spend time with a majority of the parishioners.
For this reason I try to finish my responsibilities in the altar reverently yet
expeditiously and proceed immediately next door to the hall for fellowship. As
of late this has been consistently more difficult for me to accomplish as a result
of my being intercepted in the Narthex by parishioners who have legitimate
questions/issues that they would like resolved. I would ask that if the matter
can be attended to quickly please see me next door in the hall. If you need
confession, pastoral counseling, or any other in-depth attention please make an
appointment with me for a weekday meeting. I insist on making myself
available to you during the week be it morning, afternoon, or evening. I am
accessible via church phone, cell phone, and email. I sincerely thank you for
your understanding and cooperation in this important matter!
+Fr. Mark