Weekly Sunday Bulletin – 4th Sunday of Matthew

Apolytikion Ήχος Γ-3

Εύφραινέσθω τα ούράνια…
Let all things above in heaven rejoice, and let all things below on earth be glad. With all the might and strength of His arm an 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.

Apolytikion of St. Demetrios

Μέγαν εύρατο έν τοίς κινδύνοις…
The world found in you a great champion in dangers a victor who could turn the nations back! As you restrained Levi in the arena, you also inspired Nestor to courage! Therefore, holy, great martyr, Demetrios, entreat Christ God to grant us great mercy!

 Seasonal Kontakion

Προστασία τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἀκαταίσχυντε…
O Protection of Christians that cannot be put to shame, mediation unto the creator most constant: O despise not the voices of those who have sinned; but be quick, O good one, to come unto our aid, who in faith cry unto thee: Hasten to intercession and speed thou to make supplication, O thou who dost ever protect, O Theotokos, them that honor thee.

Memorials

 Nicholas Filias (1yr) survived by his wife Dimitra , son Jerry and sister Amelia

Eleni Kyriakidou survived by children Kyriakos and Elpida and 6 grandchildren

Trisagion

Nicholas Georgoulakis (27yrs) beloved father of Pauline Loupasakis and George

Saints and Feast Days

SS Peter and Paul

After his conversion from being a persecutor of Christians, St. Paul became, in heart and soul, a zealous and courageous apostle of Christ. “Paul was a wolf,” says St. Chrysostom, “but he became a lamb. He was a thorn, but he became a fruitful vine. From an enemy, he became a friend; from a weed, he became a wholesome bread… The blasphemer became a theologian; the persecutor, a herald of good news; the tormenter- a leader; the traitor- a fellow champion.” (On the Holy Twelve Apostles)

On the feast of SS Peter and Paul, St. Ambrose said, “This day, brothers, is well known to us and to the whole world, for today is the commemoration of SS Peter and Paul. Their feast cannot be confined to one part of the world.” St. Augustine, in one of his sermons in their honor, says; “Although we know from tradition that they did not die at the same time, nevertheless, we honor the memory of both on this same day, since St. Paul died a year later on the same day on which Peter was freed from the bonds of the body and was transferred to the world of angels.”

In the Aposticha of Small Vespers we read: “O Peter, foundation of the Apostles, rock of Christian faith, head of the Christians… O Paul , preacher of the gentiles, protector of Christians, lamp of the universe, a great voice of Christ, the living God…O Peter, supreme disciple; Paul, the ideal of the Apostles.” The Stichera of the Great Vespers service extols them with these praises: “Terrible swords of the spirit, splendid ornaments of Rome, nourishers of the whole universe; spiritual tablets of the New Testament written by God… founders of the Church, true pillars, foundation and trumpets of the divine teachings of Christ, sharers in his sufferings… O Peter , rock and foundation of faith, and Paul, chosen vessel.

Daily Vitamins for Spiritual Growth Vol. 1

Epistle Reading

The Reading is from St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans 6:18-23

BRETHREN, having been set free from sin, you have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once yielded your members to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now yield your members to righteousness for sanctification.

When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But then what return did you get from the things of which you are now ashamed? The end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the return you get is sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Gospel Reading

4th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 8:5-13

At that time, as Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, beseeching him and saying, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, in terrible distress.” And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” But the centurion answered him, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard him, he marveled, and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.” And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; be it done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment.