St. Luke Orthodox Christian Church Diocese of the South, Orthodox Church in America
The Rev. Father Basil Henry, Priest 1415 Woodstock Ave. • Anniston, Alabama • www.stlukeanniston.org/
February 12, 2012 • Sunday of the Prodigal Son
St. Meletius, archbishop of Antioch (381). Hieromartyr Urbanus, pope of Rome (223-230). St. Mary, nun (who was called Marinus), and her father, St. Eugene, monk, at Alexandria (6th c.). St. Ethilwald of Lindisfarne (740). St. Anthony II, patriarch of Constantinople (895). St. Prochorus of Georgia, builder of Holy Cross Monastery near Jerusalem (1066). New Monk-martyrs Luke (Mukbaidze) (1277) and Nicholas (Dvali) (1314) of Jerusalem, and the holy fathers of the Georgian monasteries in Jerusalem. St. Alexis, metropolitan of Moscow (1378). St. Bassian, abbot of Ryabovsk Forest Monastery, Uglich (1509). New Martyr Chrestos the Gardener of Albania, at Constantinople (1748). St. Meletius, archbishop of Kharkov (1840). New Hieromarryr Alexis (Bui), bishop of Voronezh (1930). Appearance of the Iveron Icon of the Most Holy Theorokos (Mt. Athos) (late 10th c.).
Announcements
We welcome our Visitors and hope you can join us for coffee hour. Speak with Father Basil about scheduling a time to have your home blessed. The icon on the front is of the Prodigal Son; the icon was written by iconographer Tatiana Grant (http://spiritualpaintings.com/icons.html).
This Week’s Fasting, Service and Scripture Schedule TUES, 2/14 WED, 2/15 THURS, 2/16 FRI, 2/17 SAT, 2/18
MON, 2/13
SUN, 2/19
Matins 8 a.m.
Matins 8 a.m.
Bible Study 4 p.m.
NO SERVICE
Matins 8 a.m.
Great Vespers Divine Liturgy 4 p.m. 10 a.m.
1 John 2:18-3:10
1 John 3:11-20
1 John 3:21-4:6
1 John 4:20-5:21
2 John 1:1-13
1 Corinthians 10:23-28
1 Corinthians 8:8-9:2
Mark 11:1-11
Mark 14:10-42
Mark 14:43-15:1
Mark 15:1-15
Mark 15:22-25, 33-41
Luke 21:8-9, 25-27, 33-36
Matthew 25:31-46
1 Thess. 4:13-17 (Departed)
John 5:24-30 (Departed)
St. Simeon the Myrrhophore
St. Valentine, Martyr of Rome
St. John the Theologian
St. Nicholas of Japan
St. Theodore of Tyro
Saturday for the Departed
Sunday of Last Judgement
Service times are subject to change. Please check with Fr. Basil if in any doubt.
“Lord, I Call”
Great Vespers
SUNDAY (Tone 2)
For with the Lord there is mercy and with Him is plenteous redemption, and He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
Lead forth my soul from prison, that I may confess Thy name!
Come, let us worship the Word of God, begotten of the Father before all ages, and incarnate of the Virgin Mary! Having endured the Cross, He was buried as He Himself desired and having risen from the dead, He saved me, an erring man. The righteous await me, till Thou shalt reward me.
Christ our Savior nailed to the Cross the bond against us, He voided it and destroyed the dominion of death. We fall down before His Resurrection on the third day. Out of the depths have I cried unto Thee, O Lord; O Lord, hear my voice!
With the Archangels, let us praise the Resurrection of Christ! He is our Savior, our Redeemer! He is coming with awesome glory and mighty power to judge the world which He made. Let Thine ears give heed to the voice of my prayer!
The Angel proclaimed Thee the crucified and buried Master. He told the women: “Come, see the place where He lay! He is risen as He said, for He is almighty.” We worship Thee, O Only Immortal One. Have mercy on us, O Christ, the Giver of Life! If Thou observest transgression, Lord, O Lord, who shall stand? For with Thee is propitiation.
By Thy Cross, Thou didst destroy the curse of the tree. By Thy burial Thou didst slay the dominion of death. By Thy rising, Thou didst enlighten the race of man. O Benefactor, Christ our God, glory to Thee! For Thy name’s sake have I waited upon Thee, O Lord; my soul hath waited upon Thy word; my soul hath hoped in the Lord.
The gates of death opened to Thee from fear, O Lord. When the guards of hell saw Thee they were afraid, for Thou didst demolish the gates of brass and smashed the iron chains. Thou hast led us from the darkness and the shadows of death, and hast broken our bonds.
PRODIGAL SON (Tone 1)
Rich and fertile was the earth allotted to us… O praise the Lord, all ye nations, praise Him, all ye people!
Brothers, our purpose is to know the power of God’s goodness. For when the Prodigal Son abandoned his sin, he hastened to the refuge of his father. That good man embraced him and welcomed him; he killed the fatted calf and celebrated with heavenly joy. Let us learn from this example to offer thanks to the Father, Who loves all men, and to the glorious Victim, the Savior of our souls! For His mercy hath been confirmed upon us and the truth of the Lord remaineth forever.
Brothers, our purpose is to know…
PRODIGAL SON (Tone 2)
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit…
What great blessings have I forsaken, wretch that I am? From what kingdom have I miserably fallen? I have squandered the riches that were given me; I have transgressed the commandments. Woe to me when I shall be condemned to eternal fire! Cry out to Christ, O my soul, before the end draws nigh: “Receive me as the Prodigal, O God, and have mercy on me!”
DOGMATIKON (Tone 2)
Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
The shadow of the Law passed when Grace came. As the Bush burned, yet was not consumed, so the Virgin gave birth, yet remained a Virgin. The Righteous Sun has risen instead of a pillar of flame! Instead of Moses, Christ, the Salvation of our souls.
Aposticha
The Lord hath become King; with beauty hath He clothed Himself.
From the morning watch even to the night, let Israel hope in the Lord!
Rich and fertile was the earth allotted to us, but all we planted were the seeds of sin. We reaped the sheaves of evil with the sickle of laziness; we failed to place them on the threshing floor of sorrow. Now we beg Thee, O Lord, eternal Master of the harvest: “May Thy love become the breeze to winnow the straw of our worthless deeds! Make us like the precious wheat to be stored in heaven, and save us all!”
SUNDAY (Tone 2)
Thy Resurrection, O Christ our Savior, has enlightened the whole universe, recalling Thy creation. Glory to Thee, O Almighty Lord!
When Thou wast seen nailed to the Cross, O Christ, Thou didst restore the beauty of Thy creatures. The soldiers showed their inhumanity when they pierced Thy side with a spear. The Hebrews not knowing Thy power asked that Thy tomb might be sealed. But through the mercy of Thy compassions, Thou didst accept the tomb and didst rise on the third day! O Lord, glory to Thee!
~3~
THEOTOKION (Tone 6)
For He hath established the world, which shall not be moved.
When Thou wast seen nailed to the Cross, O Christ, Thou didst restore the beauty of Thy creatures. The soldiers showed their inhumanity when they pierced Thy side with a spear. The Hebrews not knowing Thy power asked that Thy tomb might be sealed. But through the mercy of Thy compassions, Thou didst accept the tomb and didst rise on the third day! O Lord, glory to Thee! Holiness belongeth to Thy house, O Lord, unto length of days!
O Christ, the Giver of Life, for the sake of the dead Thou didst voluntarily endure death, descending into hell as the Mighty One, to save those who awaited Thy coming, granting them the life of paradise instead of hell. Grant also to us who glorify Thy Resurrection on the third day, cleansing of our sins and great mercy!
PRODIGAL SON (Tone 6)
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit…
I, a wretched man, hide my face in shame: I have squandered the riches my Father gave to me; I went to live with senseless beasts; I sought their food and hungered, for I had not enough to eat. I will arise, I will return to my compassionate Father; He will accept my tears, as I kneel before Him, crying: “In Thy tender love for all men, receive me as one of Thy servants and save me!”
Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Christ the Maker, Redeemer, and Lord proceeded from thy womb, O All-Pure Virgin. And putting on my nature, set man free from the ancestral curse. So we sing to thee without ceasing, O All-Pure Virgin, as Mother of God! With the salutation of the angel: Rejoice, O Sovereign Lady, Protection, Refuge, and Salvation of our souls!
Troparia SUNDAY (Tone 2) When Thou didst descend to death, O Life Immortal, Thou didst slay Hell with the splendor of Thy God-head! And when from the depths Thou didst raise the dead, all the powers of heaven cried out: O Giver of Life, Christ our God, glory to Thee!
Resurrectional Dismissal Theotokion (Tone 2) Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
All beyond thought, all most glorious, art thy mysteries, O Theotokos. Sealed in purity, preserved in virginity, thou wast revealed to be the true Mother who gavest birth to the True God. Entreat Him to save our souls.
Sunday of the Prodigal Son
If anyone be a prodigal as I, take courage and turn back; for the gates of God’s mercies are opened to all.
n this day we celebrate the Sunday of the Prodigal Son, dedicated as the
second service of the Triodion by the divine Fathers for the following reason. There are some who recognize much in themselves that is unbecoming, who live a life of great dissipation from their youth, whose lives are full of drunkenness and immorality, who having fallen thus into the depths of evil, become despondent, giving birth to pride, from whence they have no desire to advance to any of the virtues, preferring their bondage to evil and falling ever deeper into evil. Having a fatherly love for even these individuals, and desiring to lead them out of their despair, the Holy Fathers prescribed this parable for the second preparatory Sunday in order to tear up the passion of despair by the roots, to lead them to acceptance of the virtues, and to demonstrate to sinners the abundance of God’s compassion upon sinners and prodigals in His great goodness and love for mankind. For there is no sin which cannot
be overcome by the knowledge of His love for mankind, and this is what is presented in this parable of Christ. Now the sons of man, that is of the Word, God and Man, are two: the righteous and the sinful. It is the eldest who abides ever in God’s blessings, following His commandments and remaining always by Him. But the younger son, having become attached to sin and renouncing his
~4~
Continued on page 7
Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom
Beatitude Verses
Troparia
SUNDAY
Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy.
We offer Thee the voice of the thief and cry aloud to Thee; ‘Remember us, O Savior in Thy kingdom.’ Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
We bring Thee the cross for the forgiveness of offences. For us hast Thou accepted it, O lover of mankind. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
We venerate, O Master, Thy tomb and Thy rising, through which Thou hast delivered the world from corruption, O lover of mankind. Blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
By Thy death, O Lord, death has been swallowed up, and by Thy resurrection, Savior, has the world been saved.
PRODIGAL SON
Blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake.
The depth of sin ever holds me fast, and a tempest of transgressions drags me down. Pilot me, Christ my God, to the harbour of life and save me, King of glory. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven.
ST. LUKE the Evangelist (Tone 5)
The Holy Apostle, the all-hymned Luke, who is acknowledged by the Church of Christ as the recorder of the Acts of the Apostles and the splendid author of the Gospel of Christ, let us praise with sacred hymns as a Physician who healeth the infirmities of man and the ailments of nature, who cleanseth spiritual wounds and prayeth unceasingly for our souls.
Kontakia
SUNDAY (Tone 2)
Hell became afraid, O Almighty Savior, seeing the miracle of Thy Resurrection from the tomb! The dead arose! Creation, with Adam, beheld this and rejoiced with Thee, and the world, O my Savior, praises Thee forever.
PRODIGAL SON (Tone 3)
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,…
I have wickedly squandered my Father’s wealth, and reduced to poverty, I am filled with shame, enslaved to fruitless thoughts. Therefore I cry to thee who lovest mankind, ‘Take pity on me and save me’. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit…
I am wasted with starvation of every good, and estranged from thee, O Christ supremely good. Take pity on me as I now return, and save me as I sing the praise of thy love for mankind. Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
SUNDAY (Tone 2)
When Thou didst descend to death, O Life Immortal, Thou didst slay Hell with the splendor of Thy God-head! And when from the depths Thou didst raise the dead, all the powers of heaven cried out: O Giver of Life, Christ our God, glory to Thee!
Maiden, who conceived Christ the Saviour and Master, count me, beggared of every kind of good, worthy of salvation, pure Virgin, that I may sing the praise of your mighty acts.
I have recklessly forgotten Thy glory, O Father; and among sinners I have scattered the riches which Thou hadst given me. Therefore I cry to Thee like the Prodigal: “I have sinned before Thee, O compassionate Father; receive me a penitent, and make me as one of Thy hired servants!”
STEADFAST PROTECTRESS (Tone 6) Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Steadfast Protectress of Christians, constant Advocate before the Creator; despise not the entreating cries of us sinners, but in thy goodness come speedily to help us who call on thee in faith. Hasten to hear our petition and to intercede for us, O Theotokos, for thou dost always protect those who honor thee!
Prokeimenon
SUNDAY (Tone 2)
The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation. Vs: The Lord has chastened me sorely, but He has not given me over to death. ~5~
Epistle Reading
SUNDAY The Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians (6:12-20)
Brethren, all things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall detroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body. And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power. Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. Flee fornication. Every
Gospel Reading
sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
Alleluia Verses
SUNDAY (Tone 2)
Vs: May the Lord hear you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob protect you! Vs: Save the King, O Lord, and hear us on the day we call!
SUNDAY The Gospel according to St. Luke (15:11-32)
The Lord said this parable, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and
I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found. ~6~
Continued from page 4 closeness to God through
shameful deeds, has wasted God’s love for mankind and for him and has lived as a prodigal. For having completely rejected Him after whose image he was created, and having followed an evil demon, willingly enslaving himself to this demon’s pleasure, he was unable to fulfill his desire. For sin is an unsatisfying thing that becomes an habitual source of temporary pleasure. It may be compared to the husks that are fed to swine.
At first it seems that they might be something tasty, but they turn out to be very dry and are much like weeds, which is how sin takes possession. For the Prodigal Son had hardly come to his senses when, perishing from hunger for virtue, he comes to his father, saying, “Father, I have sinned before heaven and before thee, and I am not worthy to be called thy son.” Yet the father receives him in repentance, not reproaching him, but embracing him and kissing him in a display of divine and fatherly love. And he clothes him, a symbol of baptism, putting a ring on his finger, a symbol of the grace of the all-Holy Spirit. He also puts sandals on his feet, not so much as a protec-
tion from some serpent or scorpion that might sting him on his path to God, but rather as a means of crushing the heads of those creatures. And then in a tremendous display of joy he slaughters the fatted calf for him, his onlybegotten Son, and the Father grants him communion of his body and blood. Now the elder son expresses his amazement at his father’s limitless mercy. But the lover of mankind exhorts him to silence with loving and kind words of humility, saying, “Thou art ever with me, and it was meet that we should make merry and be glad, for my son was formerly dead in his sin and is alive again, having repented of the foolish things he has done. He was lost, since he was far from me in his licentious habits, and he was found by me, suffering in my compassion and calling him back in my mercy.” This parable may be applied to us as well, which is why the holy Fathers have prescribed it for today. We who have sinned as the prodigal are encouraged to weed out despair and fear through repentance, confession and good deeds. For this is a great aid and a powerful weapon against the assaults of the adversary.
New Martyr Christos the Gardener he holy New Martyr Kristo was an Albanian who worked in a vegetable
garden. At the age of forty, he decided to go to Constantinople to seek better business opportunities. One day he was negotiating with a Turk who wished to purchase his entire stock of apples, but they were unable to agree on a price. The Turk became angry and accused Kristo of expressing a desire to become a Moslem. Kristo was brought before the authorities, and false witnesses were found to testify that he had indeed
stated his intention to convert. Kristo declared that he never said that he wished to become a Moslem. His testimony was discounted, however, because he was a Christian, and Moslem witnesses had contradicted him.
The saint was beaten and tortured the next day, but remained steadfast in his confession of Christ. Kaisarios Dapontes, a well known monk and author, visited St Kristo and got him freed from the place where he was chained. He brought food for him, but he refused to eat. “Why should I eat?” he asked. “I do not expect to live, so I may as well die hungering and thirsting for Christ.” Since he refused to abandon the Orthodox Faith, St Kristo was sentenced to be beheaded. Before they led him away, Kristo gave Dapontes a metal file and told him to sell it and use the money to have memorial services offered for him. On February 12, 1748 St Kristo the Gardener was beheaded, thereby receiving an imperishable crown of glory from Christ. ~7~
Monks waiting for the ferry to Mount Athos. Photograph by Hieromonk Sophrony.
St. Luke Orthodox Christian Church 1415 Woodstock Ave. Anniston, AL 36207