Archangel Michael Church Η Εκκλησία του Αρχαγγέλου Μιχαήλ

100 Fairway Dr., Port Washington, NY 11050 (516) 944-3180 - www.archangelmichaelchurch.org

Clergy: Fr. John Lardas, Fr. Joshua Pappas, Fr. Dennis Strouzas

March 10, 2019 - Forgiveness Sunday Pl. 4th Mode - 8th Morning Gospel

The Prayer of St. Ephrem

During Lent, the Church offers many precious tools to help us see ourselves with greater clarity, see God with

greater clarity, and ultimately experience Christ’s Resurrection in a prepared way that breathes new life into our

lungs. One such tool is the well-known Prayer of St. Ephrem (+373 AD), which condenses the repentant spirit of

Lent more powerfully and succinctly than any other prayer. It reads as follows:

Lenten spiritual discipline - an intentional expression of our thirst for God - should include the Prayer of St.

Ephrem at least once a day, though preferably both in the morning and at night. This doesn’t mean we read the

prayer and then rush mindlessly into the grind of the day; that sort of prayer is mechanical and empty of eternal val-

ue. Instead, we should gather all our attention, discard all distracting thoughts, and pray with an internal stillness

that allows us to carefully tend to the spiritual meaning of each word and phrase. Then, throughout the day, we try

to live the prayer with all its implications and depth.

Traditionally, we make a prostration after each line of the prayer, a psychosomatic reminder that the whole

person - body and soul - has fallen away and must return to God. The body participates in the prayer of the soul,

and the soul prays in and through the body. Internally, we submit to God, rely on Him, and honor Him; a prostra-

tion, therefore, is a external sign of obedience, humility, and adoration.

Προσευχή του Οσίου Εφραίμ του Σύρου

«Μια από τις ωραιότερες ευχές που υπάρχουν στην υμνολογία μας, μια ευχή εκφράζουσα την εν Χριστώ άσκηση και εσωτέρα κάθαρση, είναι η ευχή του Οσίου Εφραίμ του Σύρου, την οποία χρησιμοποιούμε νυχθημερόν κατά την περίοδο της Μεγάλης Τεσσαρακοστής. Μια σύντομη ευχή η οποία αναφέρεται στον ατέρμονα αγώνα του Χριστιανού να αποβάλλει τα πάθη του και να ενδυθεί τις αρετές του Κυρίου. Κατέχει δε σημαντικότατη θέση στην καθόλου λατρεία της νηστησίμου περιόδου, διότι απαριθμεί με ένα μοναδικό τρόπο όλα τα αρνητικά και θετικά στοιχεία της μετάνοιας και αποτελεί ένα κανόνα ελέγχου, έναν προσωπικό έλεγχο των θετικών και αρνητικών στοιχείων, ώστε αυτός να μας οδηγήσει στην απελευθέρωση από τα πάθη μας, και στην ενσωμάτωσή μας με τον Χριστό, διότι εκεί και μόνο υπάρχει η ουσιαστική ελευθερία.» (*από: http://www.apostoliki-diakonia.gr)

Lord and Master of my life, take away from me the spirit of laziness, despair, love of power,

and idle talk.

But give rather to me, Your servant, the spirit of purity, humility, patience, and love.

Yes, Lord and King, grant me to see my own faults and not to judge my brothers and sisters,

for You are blessed to the ages of ages. Amen.

Άγιοι και Εορτές Τῇ αὐτῇ ἡµέρᾳ, ἀνάµνησιν ποιούµεθα τῆς ἀπὸ τοῦ

Παραδείσου τῆς τρυφῆς ἐξορίας τοῦ

Πρωτοπλάστου Ἀδάµ. Tοῦ Ἁγίου Μάρτυρος

Κοδράτου, τοῦ ἐν Κορίνθῳ, καὶ τῶν σὺν αὐτῷ,

Ἀνέκτου, Παύλου, Διονυσίου, Κυπριανοῦ, καὶ

Κρήσκεντος.

Ἀπολυτίκιον Ἀναστάσιµον

Ἐξ ὕψους κατῆλθες ὁ εὔσπλαγχνος, ταφὴν

κατεδέξω τριήµερον, ἵνα ἡµᾶς ἐλευθερώσῃς τῶν

παθῶν. Ἡ ζωὴ καὶ ἡ Ἀνάστασις ἡµῶν, Κύριε δόξα

σοι.

Απολυτίκιον Των Ταξιαρχών

Τῶν οὐρανίων στρατιῶν Ἀρχιστράτηγοι,

δυσωποῦμεν ὑμᾶς ἡμεῖς οἱ ἀνάξιοι, ἵνα ταῖς ὑμῶν

δεήσεσι, τειχίσητε ἡμᾶς, σκέπῃ τῶν πτερύγων, τῆς

ἀΰλου ὑμῶν δόξης, φρουροῦντες ἡμᾶς

προσπίπτοντας, ἐκτενῶς καὶ βοῶντας· Ἐκ τῶν

κινδύνων λυτρώσασθε ἡμᾶς, ὡς Ταξιάρχαι τῶν

ἄνω Δυνάμεων.

Κοντάκιον

Τῆς σοφίας ὁδηγέ, φρονήσεως χορηγέ, τῶν

ἀφρόνων παιδευτά, καὶ πτωχῶν ὑπερασπιστά,

στήριξον, συνέτισον τὴν καρδίαν µου Δέσποτα.

Σὺ δίδου µοι λόγον, ὁ τοῦ Πατρός Λόγος· ἰδοὺ

γὰρ τὰ χείλη µου, οὐ µὴ κωλύσω ἐν τῷ κράζειν

σοι· Ἐλεῆµον, ἐλέησόν µε τὸν παραπεσόντα.

Saints and Feasts

Today, we remember the expulsion of the first-

formed Adam from the Garden of Eden; the holy

Martyr Quadratos of Corinth along with those with

him, Anektos, Paul, Dionysios, Cyprian, and

Krisken.

Hymn of the Resurrection (Pl. 4th Mode)

You descended from on high, O compassionate

One, and condescended to be buried for three

days, so that from the passions You might set us

free. Our life and resurrection, O Lord, glory be to

You.

Hymn of the Archangels (4th Mode)

Supreme Commanders of * the armies of Heaven,

* we, the unworthy ones, entreat you in earnest, *

that with your supplications you encircle us * in

the shelter of the wings * of your heavenly glory *

guarding us who now fall down * and cry to you

with fervor. * Deliver us from dangers of all kinds,

* as the great marshals of the hosts on high.

Kontakion (Pl. 2nd Mode)

O guide to wisdom, provider of prudence, discipli-

narian of fools, and defender of the poor, fortify

and discipline my heart, O Master; You, give me a

word, O Word of the Father. For behold, I will not

hinder my lips from crying to You: O merciful

Lord, have mercy on me who have fallen.

St. Paul's Letter to the Romans 13:11-14; 14:1-4

Brethren, salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed; the night is far gone, the day is at hand. Let us

then cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us conduct ourselves becomingly as in the day,

not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on

the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. As for the man who is weak in

faith, welcome him, but not for disputes over opinions. One believes he may eat anything, while the weak man eats

only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who abstains, and let not him who abstains pass judgment on

him who eats; for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his

own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for God is able to make him stand.

Πρὸς Ρωµαίους Ἐπιστολῆς Παύλου 13:11-14; 14:1-4

Ἀδελφοί, νῦν ἐγγύτερον ἡµῶν ἡ σωτηρία ἢ ὅτε ἐπιστεύσαµεν. Ἡ νὺξ προέκοψεν, ἡ δὲ ἡµέρα ἤγγικεν. Ἀποθώµεθα

οὖν τὰ ἔργα τοῦ σκότους καὶ ἐνδυσώµεθα τὰ ὅπλα τοῦ φωτός. Ὡς ἐν ἡµέρᾳ εὐσχηµόνως περιπατήσωµεν, µὴ

κώµοις καὶ µέθαις, µὴ κοίταις καὶ ἀσελγείαις, µὴ ἔριδι καὶ ζήλῳ, ἀλλ' ἐνδύσασθε τὸν Κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν, καὶ

τῆς σαρκὸς πρόνοιαν µὴ ποιεῖσθε εἰς ἐπιθυµίας. Τὸν δὲ ἀσθενοῦντα τῇ πίστει προσλαµβάνεσθε, µὴ εἰς διακρίσεις

διαλογισµῶν. Ὃς µὲν πιστεύει φαγεῖν πάντα, ὁ δὲ ἀσθενῶν λάχανα ἐσθίει. Ὁ ἐσθίων τὸν µὴ ἐσθίοντα µὴ

ἐξουθενείτω, καὶ ὁ µὴ ἐσθίων τὸν ἐσθίοντα µὴ κρινέτω· ὁ Θεὸς γὰρ αὐτὸν προσελάβετο. Σὺ τίς εἶ ὁ κρίνων

ἀλλότριον οἰκέτην; τῷ ἰδίῳ Κυρίῳ στήκει ἢ πίπτει, σταθήσετα