From Your Parish Priest

Second Sunday of Saint Luke

10/02/2016

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

“And as you wish that men would do to you, do so to them.
Love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return.”
(Luke 6:31, 35)

We are commanded to emulate God. He came into the world even when we were His enemies, having sinned in countless ways against Him. He died for us, even when we had abandoned His ways through our sins, and even when His closest Apostles and disciples fled from Him at the sight of Him crucified.

God created mankind according to His image and His likeness; He fashioned us in His image, and placed us on earth to live like Him which means to freely choose to live in acceptance of His will, of His ways, according to His likeness.

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?
For even sinners love those who love them.” (Luke 6:32)

What can we deserve, we who are called to emulate God, if we are living a life like common sinners – like those who do not, or barely even, know of God and His ways?

To ‘love those who love us’ is common to Publicans, sinners, and heathens. What then will happen to us who do not even do this?

Don’t I envy my brother who surpasses me in some way, even if he does me a kindness? Aren’t I jealous of my benefactors, even because they have more than I? Haven’t I condemned those in high position and worthy of respect and honor, because I resent their authority, even when they have done something good for me or others?

What penalty will I incur, I who am called by virtue of Baptism to be like Christ, when I will not die even to my own pride, selfishness, and pettiness? How will I bless and pray for those who do good to me, when I curse them through my gossip?

How will I ever set foot in the Kingdom of heaven if I have fallen even below the sinners and heathen?

Bearing these things in mind, let us then show forth great love, even towards our enemies. Let us cease from gossip and idle talk. Let us stop cursing or expressing envy and jealousy.

Let us simply be thankful and say, “Thank you” to our benefactors. Let us, like Christ Who is our Model and Example, die to our selfishness and self-centeredness, and pray for “those who love us and for those who hate us.”

Let us therefore rejoice when we suffer for the sake of Christ; even when that suffering is only something we perceive secretly within ourselves as we struggle to abide by His commandments yet suffer the desires of our sinful passions.

Amen.

From Another Homilist

Second Sunday of Saint Luke

God is love ... Love one another, as God loves you

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The words of Jesus are so simple and plain. Perhaps that is why we cannot hear them.

Compassion knows no boundaries.
Mercy has no conditions.
Forgiveness knows no limitations.
The love of God is unconditional.

And so it should be with us, for those who love God have no enemies.

Orthodox Christians who pursue the spiritual life (and not everyone does) eventually discover what a great desert father discovered, “There is only one sin, that of despising anyone.”

From where do you suppose the adage comes, “God helps those who help themselves?” I am not sure, but it was never spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ. That dubious quote has become part and parcel of Americana, but it is very bad theology.

It appears, from reading the Gospels that God helps everyone, the good and the bad alike, those who love Him and those who hate Him. How else could he command us to love our enemies and do good to those who despitefully use us, if He does not do so Himself? That would be hypocrisy. Who would ascribe hypocrisy to God?

When we love God’s will we find Him and own His joy in all things. But when we are against God, that is when we love ourselves more than Him, all things become our enemies. They cannot help refusing us the lawless satisfaction our selfishness demands of them because the infinite unselfishness of God is the law of every created essence and is printed in everything He has made. His creatures can only be friends with His unselfishness.

Let me repeat: “... when we are against God, that is when we love ourselves more than him, all things become our enemies.”

When we demand that others follow our will, we show that we love ourselves more than God and we make enemies of others.

When we are inflexible and hard of heart, we show that we love ourselves more than God and we make enemies of others.

When we pit our selfishness against the “infinite unselfishness of God” which is “imprinted in everything He has made” we cause suffering to ourselves and to others and this is not the will of God.

It reminds me of a harrowing quote from Saint John of the Ladder, “An angry monk in his cell is a viper spitting poison on the world.”

A true Christian cannot be mistaken. They radiate the very peace, love and joy that emanate from God. The truest monks I have ever known were filled with joy, ever ready with a smile, and not afraid to laugh.

In my years as an Orthodox Christian and as a priest, I have noticed not a narrowing of perspective within myself, but a vast expansion. Surely, if we begin even a little to see as God sees, our vision becomes less and less limited by our selfishness and more and more open to a divine way of seeing.

Thus, Saint Nonnos in the story of Pelagia the Harlot, who alone noticed her beauty and rejoiced while his brother monks and bishops hid their faces in judgment and horror. Why? Because only his heart among them was pure and he was filled with the Holy Spirit. “To the pure all things are pure.” God sees the truth in all of us and rejoices even when we sin.

The goal is not closed-minds, but enlightened minds.

Is it so hard to understand that a healthy spiritual life does not constrict and narrow the heart and mind? Fundamentalism and extremism do that, but the Holy Spirit is not in those unbalanced expressions.

“Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty,” says the Lord Himself. Imitating Jesus, Father Alexander Elchaninov defines Orthodoxy like this: “Orthodoxy is the element of absolute freedom.”

A healthy Christian life expands and broadens the mind and heart, it does not promote rigid or static thought, it does not promote inflexibility and close-mindedness: quite the opposite for God is not like that.

The heart and mind of the disciple following Christ grows and expands forever, opening more and more to the divine nature thus embracing all things, all persons, all of creation.

The heart of the Christian, as Saint Isaac of Syria says in a veritable explosion of joy, weeps even for the demons.

Beloved, let us rise above selfishness and love as God loves. Amen.

Reverend Antony Hughes
Saint Mary Orthodox Church, Cambridge Massachusetts

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal Second Mode

When the angelic powers appeared at your tomb and those who guarded You became as though dead, and standing by Your sepulchre was Mary seeking Your pure and sacred body. For You did vanquish Hades and uncorrupted by its touch You came unto the virgin woman, bestowing the gift of life O You who rose from the dead. Lord we give glory to You.

Apolytikion for Martyrs Cyprian and Justina in the Fourth Mode

Having become a participant of the Apostle’s way of life, • and the successor of their thrones, • you found correct action, O God-inspired one, • through the approach of theoretical thought; • to achieve this while teaching the word of truth correctly in theory, • you also practiced your faith in deed • even to the point of martyrdom, • O Hieromartyr Kyprianos. • Intercede with Christ God • that our souls may be saved.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Second Mode

A protection of Christians unshamable, intercessor to our Holy Maker, unwavering, please reject not the prayerful cries of those who are in sin. Instead, come to us, for you are good; your loving help bring unto us, who are crying in faith to you: hasten to intercede and speed now to supplicate, as a protection for all time, Theotokos, for those who honor you.

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Fourth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Luke 24:1-12

On the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel; and as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of man must be delivered in to the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise." And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told this to the apostles; but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.

But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home wondering at what had happened.

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Plagal Second Mode. Psalm 27.9,1.
O Lord, save your people and bless your inheritance.
Verse: To you, O Lord, I have cried, O my God.

The reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 4:6-15.

Brethren, it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For while we live we are always being given up to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.

Since we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, "I believed, and so I spoke," we too believed, and so we speak, knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into His presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

Gospel Reading

2nd Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 6:31-36

The Lord said, "And as you wish that men would do to you, do so to them. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful."

Patristic Gospel Commentary

Second Sunday of Saint Luke

Luke 6:27-36. But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy tunic also. Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? For sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? For sinners also do even the same. And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? For sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the sons of the Most High; for He is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

The Apostles were about to be sent out to preach and many persecutors and plotters awaited them. If the Apostles were fearful and dismayed by persecution, they might want to protect themselves from their persecutors by keeping silent and not teaching. If that happened, the radiant sun of the Gospel would be extinguished.

In anticipation of this, the Lord exhorts the Apostles not to give way to defensive measures against their enemies, but instead bravely to endure all things, even insults and murderous plots. This is what He Himself did on the Cross, saying, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34).

To prove to the Apostles that this commandment to love ones enemies is possible to keep, He then says, “What you want to be done to you, do the same to others; and be to others that kind of person you want others to be to you.” If you want your enemies to be hard, unfeeling, and angry towards you, then be the same yourself to them.

But if you want them to be kind and compassionate towards you, and not to remember wrongs, do not think that it is impossible for you yourself to be the same towards them.

Do you see this natural law which is written in our hearts? That is why the Lord also said, In those days I will surely put My laws into their mind, and write them on their hearts (Jeremiah 38:33).

Then He adds another compelling reason to keep this commandment: if you love those who love you, you are like the sinners and the Gentiles; but if you love those who do evil to you, you are like God, Who is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

Which do you desire—to be like sinners or to be like God? Do you see the divine teaching? First He persuaded you by means of the natural law: what you want to be done to you, do to others.

Then He persuades you with the result and the reward—He promises that you will become like God.

Saint Theophylaktos, Bishop of Ochrid and Bulgaria (AD 1055–1107)
From The Explanation of the Gospel of Saint Matthew

Wisdom of the Fathers

He who has given to the poor and has endured troubles with thankfulness of soul and persevered in difficulties, and feels all the bitterness and pain of sufferings, keeps his mind inviolate in the present time. In the life to come he has great reward, in that he has imitated the sufferings of Christ and patiently waited for Him in the days when temptations and trials assailed him.

Saint Symeon the New Theologian

The more a man is found worthy to receive God’s gifts, the more he ought to consider himself a debtor to God, Who has raised him from the earth and bestowed on dust the privilege of imitating to some degree its Creator and God. For to endure injustice with joy, patiently to do good to one’s enemies, to lay down one’s own life for one’s neighbor, and so on, are gifts from God, bestowed on those who are resolved to receive them from Him through their solicitude in cultivating and protecting what has been entrusted to them, as Adam was commanded to do (cf. Genesis 2:15).

Saint Peter of Damascus

He who truly wishes to believe in God must be lifted above himself, his mind, and even the whole world. For this reason, the value of faith is considered higher than the value of man. It is even higher than the value of the whole world. Therefore, the reward of faith should be higher than all of man's possessions along with the glories of this world. The reward of faith is God.

Fr. Matthew the Poor

Orthodox Prayer Life: The Interior Way, p. 74, 20th century

What is it that I love when I love you? Not the beauty of a body or the comeliness of time. Nor the luster of the light pleasing to the eyes, nor the sweet melodies of all manner of songs, nor the fragrance of flowers, ointments and spices, not manna and honey, nor limbs welcome to the embrace of the flesh - I do not love these when I love my God. And yet there is a kind of light, a kind of voice, a kind of fragrance, a kind of foods, a kind of embrace, when I love my God, who is the light, voice, fragrance, food, embrace of the inner man, where there shines into the soul that which no place can contain, and there sounds forth that which time cannot end, where there is fragrance which no breeze disperses, taste which eating does not make less, and a clinging together which fulfillment does not terminate. It is this that I love when I love my God.

St. Augustine

Confessions 10.6 in The Confessions of St. Augustine, p. 244, 5th century

Saints and Feasts

October 02

2nd Sunday of Luke

October 02

The Holy Hieromartyr Kyprisnos and the Virgin Martyr Justina

The Hieromartyr Kyprianos, the Virgin Martyr Justina, and the Martyr Theoktistos suffered for Christ at Nikomedia in AD 304.

Saint Kyprianos was a pagan and a native of Antioch. From his early childhood his misguided parents dedicated him to the service of the pagan gods. From age seven until thirty, Kyprianos studied at the most outstanding centers of paganism: on Mount Olympus, in the cities of Argos and Tauropolis, in the Egyptian city of Memphis, and at Babylon. Once he attained eminent wisdom in pagan philosophy and the sorcerer’s craft, he was consecrated into the pagan priesthood on Mount Olympus. Having discovered great power by summoning unclean spirits, he beheld the Prince of Darkness himself, and spoke with him and received from him a host of demons in attendance.

After returning to Antioch, Kyprianos was revered by the pagans as a prominent pagan priest, amazing people by his ability to cast spells, to summon pestilence and plagues, and to conjure up the dead. He brought many people to ruin, teaching them to serve demons and how to cast magic spells.

The holy virgin Justina lived in Antioch. After turning her own father and mother away from pagan error and leading them to the true faith in Christ, she dedicated herself to the Heavenly Bridegroom and spent her time in fasting and prayer. When the youth Aglaïdes proposed marriage to her, the saint refused, for she wished to remain a virgin. Aglaïdes sought Kyprianos’s help and asked for a magic spell to charm Justina into marriage. But no matter what Kyprianos tried, he could accomplish nothing, since the saint overcame all the wiles of the devil through her prayers and fasting.

Kyprianos sent demons to attack the holy virgin, trying to arouse fleshly passions in her, but she dispelled them by the power of the Sign of the Cross and by fervent prayer to the Lord.

Even though one of the demonic princes and Kyprianos himself, assumed various guises by the power of sorcery, they were not able to sway Saint Justina, who was guarded by her firm faith in Christ. All the spells dissipated, and the demons fled at the mere mention of the saint’s name.

Kyprianos, in a rage, sent down pestilence and plague upon Justina’s family and upon all the city, but this was thwarted by her prayer. Kyprianos’s soul, corrupted by its domination over people and by his incantations, was shown in all the depth of his downfall, and also the abyss of nothingness of the evil that he served.

“If you take fright at even the mere shadow of the Cross and the Name of Christ makes you tremble,” said Kyprianos to Satan, “then what will you do when Christ Himself stands before you?” The devil then flung himself upon the pagan priest who had begun to repudiate him, and attempted to beat and strangle him.

Saint Kyprianos then first tested for himself the power of the Sign of the Cross and the Name of Christ, guarding himself from the fury of the enemy. Afterwards, with deep repentance he went to the local bishop Anthimos and threw all of his books into the flames. The very next day, he went into the church, and did not want to leave it, though he had not yet been baptized.

By his efforts to follow a righteous manner of life, Saint Kyprianos discerned the great power of fervent faith in Christ, and made up for more than thirty years of service to Satan. Seven days after Baptism he was ordained reader, on the twelfth day, sub-deacon, on the thirtieth, deacon. After a year, he was ordained priest. In a short time Saint Kyprianos was elevated to the rank of bishop.

The Hieromartyr Kyprianos converted so many pagans to Christ that in his diocese there was no one left to offer sacrifice to idols, and the pagan temples fell into disuse. Saint Justina withdrew to a monastery and there was chosen Abbess.

During the persecution against Christians under the emperor Diocletian, Bishop Kyprianos and Abbess Justina were arrested and brought to Nicomedia, where after fierce tortures they were beheaded with the sword. Saint Kyprianos, fearful that the holy virgin’s courage might falter if she saw him put to death, asked for time to pray. Saint Justina joyfully inclined her neck and was beheaded first.

The soldier Theoktistos, seeing the guiltless sufferings of Saint Justina, fell at Kyprianos’s feet and declared himself a Christian, and was beheaded with them.

Parish News and Information

“The Prayer”
Jesus Prayer - Prayer of the Heart

Last week we spoke about the Lord’s Prayer; today we continue our series on Orthodox Prayer discussing the Jesus Prayer.

The Jesus Prayer is very simple:

“Κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστέ, ἐλέησόν με.”

“Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me.”

Sometimes it is said in its longer form:

“Lord Jesus Christ Son of God, have mercy on me the sinner.”

The Jesus Prayer, according to our venerable Church fathers and mothers, is “essential” to spiritual growth. The Prayer proclaims our faith and humbles us by asking mercy for our sinfulness. The Prayer is thought to be as old as the Church itself.

The Jesus Prayer more than any other helps us to “stand in God’s presence.” The Prayer helps us focus our mind exclusively on God with “no other thought” occupying it but the thought of God.

At the moment when our mind is totally concentrated on God, we discover a very personal and direct relationship with Him.

Jesus Christ - the Power In the Name

The Jesus Prayer’s power comes from the use of our Lord’s Name, Jesus Christ, Son of God. It is a confession of our faith.

Jesus Prayer requires Humility

The Jesus Prayer in its practice assumes that one is a regular participant in the worship services of the Church, a regular participant in her Sacraments, and is aware of one’s sinfulness. The advice of a spiritual Father is essential. Humility is a prerequisite for all prayer, especially the Jesus Prayer.

Jesus Prayer Has Two Functions

The Jesus Prayer has two purposes. The first is worship – as with all prayer. The second is to help our soul control our overactive brains and create stillness so the Holy Spirit can work through us and help us live the virtues in union with God.

To be continued in next week’s bulletin...

If you have any questions or concerns, please speak with your parish priest!

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Daily Vespers:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 6:00 pm

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Wednesday at 6:00 pm

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