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 Muoz, Proistamenos

/APOLYTIKIA FOR TODAY

Let us worship the Word, O ye faithful, praising Him that

with the Father and the Spirit is co-beginningless God, Who

was born of a pure Virgin that we all be saved; for He was

pleased to mount the Cross in the flesh that He assumed,

accepting thus to endure death. And by His glorious rising,

He also willed to resurrect the dead.

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O Commanders of the Heavenly Host, we the unworthy

beseech you, that through your entreaties you will fortify

us, guarding us in the shelter of the wings of your ethereal

glory, even as we fervently bow before you crying: "Deliver

us from all danger, as Commanders of the Powers on high! "

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/KONTAKION FOR TODAY

Joachim and Anna were rid of the shame of childlessness in your holy birth, O Immaculate One,

Adam and Eve of the corruption of death. And so your people, free of the guilt of their sins,

celebrate crying: "The barren one gives birth to the Theotokos, who nourishes our life."

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14th

Sunday of st matthew

The Commemoration of the Miracle Wrought by Archangel Michael in Colossae (Chonae)

September 6TH 2015

Todays scripture readings

Epistle reading

St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 1:21-24; 2:1-4

Prokeimenon. Mode Plagal 1.

Psalm 11.7,1

You, O Lord, shall keep us and preserve us.

Verse: Save me, O Lord, for the godly man has failed.

BRETHREN, it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has commissioned us; he has put his

seal upon us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. But I call God to witness against me - it

was to spare you that I refrained from coming to Corinth. Not that we lord it over your faith; we work

with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith. For I made up my mind not to make you another

painful visit. For if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained? And

I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me

rejoice, for I felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all. For I wrote you out of much

affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the

abundant love that I have for you. Gospel pericope

Matthew 22:2-14

The Lord said this parable, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a marriage

feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the marriage feast; but they

would not come. Again he sent other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, Behold, I have made

ready my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves are killed, and everything is ready; come to the marriage

feast.' But they made light of it and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized

his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. The king was angry, and he sent his troops and

destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but

those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the thoroughfares, and invite to the marriage feast as

many as you find.' And those servants went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both

bad and good; so the wedding hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to look at the

guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment; and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you get

in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, 'Bind

him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.' For

many are called, but few are chosen."

Announcements

Liturgical/Program Schedule:

TODAY: Important brief Philoxenia Meeting after services

Mon. Sept. 7th Fri. Sept. 11th: Office closed due to construction

Mon. Sept. 7th: VIGIL Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos, *7pm, Great Vespers, Orthros,

Divine Liturgy celebrated consecutively.

Sun. Sept. 13th: Parish BBQ after Divine Liturgy

Todays Memorial Service: Anastasia (Tasia) Economou- 40 days

Coffee Hour: The Parish Council has been sponsoring the outdoor coffee fellowships on Sunday since

we lost use of the Fellowship Hall. Some people have asked if they could contribute so we are opening it

up for anyone to volunteer. We will try to continue them through the end of September, weather and

construction permitting. Volunteers are needed for the following date: Sept 27.There is a signup sheet on

the bulletin board next to the office door. You should bring finger-food only and beverages for non-

coffee drinkers. The church will provide plates, cups, and napkins. Please keep it simple.

HOW TO RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNIONOrthodox 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.

Pearls from the desert

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

Do not allow the spark of discord and enmity to smolder. The longer you wait, the

more the enemy tries to cause confusion among you. Be watchful, so that he does not

mock you. Humility destroys all of his schemes. + St. Macarius of Optina

Todays liturgical commemorations

1. The Commemoration of the Miracles of the Holy

Archangel Michael

Near Hierapolis, in Phrygia, there was a place called Chonae

(``plunging''), and in that place there was a spring of miraculous

water. When Apostle John the Theologian, accompanied by Philip,

preached the Gospel in Hierapolis, he looked upon that place and

prophesied that a spring of miraculous water would open up there,

from which many would receive healing, and that the great

Archangel of God Michael would visit that place. Soon afterward,

this prophecy was fulfilled: a spring of water burst forth and became

widely known for its miraculous power. A pagan in Laodicea had a

daughter who was mute, which caused him great sorrow. The

Archangel Michael appeared to him in a dream, and told him to take

his daughter to the spring, where she would be cured. The father

immediately obeyed, brought his daughter to the spring, and found

many people there seeking deliverance from various infirmities.

These people were all Christians. The man asked how he should seek healing, and the Christians told him:

``You must pray to the Archangel Michael, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy

Spirit.'' The man prayed in this way, gave his daughter a drink of this water, and the girl began to speak.

The pagan, his daughter and his whole household were baptized. He also built a church over the spring

dedicated to the Archangel Michael.

Later, a young man named Archippus settled there and lived a life of austerity, in fasting and prayer. The

pagans did many malicious things to Archippus, for they did not like the fact that this Christian holy place

emanated such spiritual power and attracted so many people to it. The pagans, in their wickedness,

rerouted the nearest river in order to flood the church and the spring. By the prayers of Archippus, the

holy Archangel Michael opened a fissure in the rock beside the church, and the river's water plunged into

it. This is how that place was saved and why it was called Chonae, or ``of the plunging,'' for the river's

water that plunged into the open fissure. St. Archippus labored in asceticism there until the age of

seventy, and peacefully reposed in the Lord.

2. The Holy Martyr Romulus and 11,000 Soldiers

While Emperor Trajan waged war in the East, he once commanded that the Christians in his army be

counted. It was found that there were 11,000 Christians in the imperial army. The emperor then ordered

that they all be dismissed from the army and sent to Armenia. St. Romulus was the overseer of the

imperial household. He went before the emperor and reprimanded him for this action, declaring himself a

Christian. The emperor gave order that Romulus be beheaded. Of those banished soldiers, the emperor

had 10,000 of them crucified. The others were slain by various tortures.